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Showing posts from March 2, 2025

Pope Francis: Second World Day for Elderly

Pope Francis: First World Day for the Elderly

Pope Francis: Catechesis on Old Age

  Catechesis on Old Age 1. The grace of time and the bond between age and life  Wednesday, 23 February 2022 2. Longevity: symbol and opportunity  Wednesday, 2 March 2022 3.  Old Age, A Resource for Lighthearted Youth  Wednesday, 16 March 2022  4. 4.  Fairwell and inheritance: memory and testimony  Wednesday, 23 March 2022 5.  Fidelity to God’s Visitation for the Next Generation  Wednesday, 30 March 2022 6.  "Honour your father and your mother": love for the gift of life Wednesday, 20 April 2022 7.  Naomi, the alliance between the generations that opens up the future Wednesday, 27 April 2022 8.  Eleazar, consistency of the faith, honourable inheritance  Wednesday, 4 May 2022 9. Judith. Admirable in youth, a generous in old age  Wednesday, 11 May 2022  10.  Job. The trial of faith, the blessing of waiting  Wednesday, 18 May 2022  11. Ecclesiastes: the uncertain night of meaning  and of...

Old Age Is Not a Disease

 Published online by Commonweal on March 3, 2025 Pope Francis's Preferential Option for the Elderly Old age is not a disease,” my mom proclaimed. By this time, she was close to ninety. But age had already long freed her tongue: on reaching eighty she’d informed us, more than once, “I’m old now and I can say what I want. Carmen Nanko-Fernández is professor of Hispanic theology and ministry and director of the Hispanic Theology and Ministry Program at the Catholic Theological Union in Chicago .  Pope Francis channeled my mom, speaking out against temptations to pathologize aging: “Many people are afraid of old age. They consider it a sort of disease with which any contact is best avoided.” Second World Day for Grandparents and Elderly "In old age they will still bear fruit" (Psalm 92:15) These words of the Psalmist are glad tidings, a true “gospel” that we can proclaim to all on this second World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly. They run counter to what the wo...