Pope Francis has sent a message to our Lead Bishop for Day for Life, Bishop John Sherrington, offering his support and prayers for those celebrating the day on Sunday, 19 June 2022.

The Holy Father prays that our “efforts in the defence of the God-given value and dignity of every human life, in all its stages, will be fruitful in drawing attention to the particular worth of our elderly brothers and sisters”.

Full Message

His Holiness Pope Francis sends cordial greetings and good wishes to those participating in the 2022 day for life to be celebrated in Scotland, England and Wales, and Ireland under the theme “Caring for the Older Person”. 

His Holiness prays that the efforts in the defence of the God-given value and dignity of every human life, in all its stages, will be fruitful in drawing attention to the particular worth of our elderly brothers and sisters, for they “are not outcasts to be shunned but living signs of the goodness of God who bestows life in abundance” (message for the Second World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly). 

He likewise trusts that a greater awareness of the essential contribution the elderly make to the spiritual and material wellbeing of every society will help to counter the “throwaway culture” and foster the bonds of charity and fraternity between the generations. 

With these sentiments and the assurance of his closeness in prayer, the Holy Father sends his blessing as a pledge of joy and peace in Jesus who is the way, the truth and the life. 

We invite people to think again about the value and worth of older persons in families, in society, and to make practical choices to build bridges between the generations.

Rt Revd John Sherrington, Bishop for Life Issues

Valuing older persons

There are many challenges which we face; the way in which we provide care for older persons, its cost and the means of payment, the shortage of staff in care homes, the time and energy needed to help older people feel valued and wanted. Many feel they have become a burden or can feel treated as a burden, a ‘bed-blocker’, or a nuisance because they move more slowly, struggle with more physical challenges and live a different rhythm of life. They often feel vulnerable and worry when they hear talk about and even concrete proposals for the legislation of assisted suicide and euthanasia. We share their concerns and in better valuing older persons need to find new ways of building bridges by our actions.

Pope’s Catechesis

Pope Francis has recently offered a very different and more positive perspective. In his Catechesis on Old Age, he writes:

“The alliance between generations, which restores all ages of life to the human, is our lost gift and we have to get it back. It must be found, in this throwaway culture and in the culture of productivity.”

He invites us to listen to the dreams of older women and men and to learn from their wisdom (Joel 2:28). Older persons have a different rhythm to life from which we can learn. He continues:

“The arrogance of the time on the clock must be converted into the beauty of the rhythms of life.”

Provide accessible palliative care

We invite people to think again about the value and worth of older persons in families, in society, and to make practical choices to build bridges between the generations. We call for people and parishes to devote quality time, energy and creativity in caring for the older persons in our communities.

We invite engagement in political debate on providing adequately resourced care of the older person so that no-one feels like a burden in our society.

We challenge our politicians and healthcare system to provide accessible palliative care for all the dying.

We encourage people to learn from a closer accompaniment of the elderly that there is a real richness in the journey through old age, which offers a deeper meaning and a new rhythm to the whole of life; something which can be celebrated and lived with hope in eternal life.

St. Joachim and St Anne, pray for us.