{"id":23212,"date":"2026-07-31T16:08:08","date_gmt":"2026-07-31T06:08:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thebuzz.net.au\/domremy\/?post_type=article&p=23212"},"modified":"2026-07-31T16:08:08","modified_gmt":"2026-07-31T06:08:08","slug":"from-the-religious-education-coordinator-in-our-church-2","status":"publish","type":"article","link":"https:\/\/www.thebuzz.net.au\/domremy\/article\/from-the-religious-education-coordinator-in-our-church-2\/","title":{"rendered":"From the Religious Education Coordinator … In our Church"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Feast Day of\u00a0 Saints Joachim and Anne<\/b><\/p>\n

On 26 July, The Church celebrated the lives of Saint Joachim and Saint Anne, Jesus\u2019 grandparents – Mary\u2019s parents. In the Scriptures, Matthew and Luke furnish a legal family history of Jesus, tracing ancestry to show that Jesus is the culmination of great promises. Not only is his mother\u2019s family neglected, we also know nothing factual about them except that they ex\"\"<\/a>isted. Even the names \u201cJoachim\u201d and \u201cAnne\u201d come from a legendary source written more than a century after Jesus died.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The strong character of Mary in making decisions, her continuous practice of prayer, her devotion to the laws of her faith, her steadiness at moments of crisis, and her devotion to her relatives, all indicate a close-knit, loving family that looked forward to the next generation even while retaining the best of the past. <\/span><\/p>\n

In 2021 Pope Francis instituted a Church-wide celebration of a World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly. <\/span>He was moved to establish it not just because of the importance of grandparents and the elderly, a theme on which he has often spoken, but particularly because of the neglect and isolation so many grandparents and seniors experienced as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, when travel restrictions, nursing-home policies and fear for their safety, prevented their being visited and embraced by their loved ones.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Pope Francis hoped that, on this day, grandchildren will visit their grandparents, perhaps even sharing with them a copy of his letter, and that parish families will have special Masses thanking God for the gift of grandparents, praying for them, and entrusting to him those who have died, particularly during the pandemic.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In Pope Leo\u2019s Angelus address, he said the day\u2019s theme in 2026 is taken from the words of the prophet Isaiah: \u2018I will never forget you\u2019 (49:15).<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018Together, let us give thanks to the Lord for the gift that the elderly are to the Church and society,\u2019 he said in St Peter\u2019s Square at the Vatican.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018Let us also commit ourselves to respecting and valuing the precious role they play, and to ensuring that they always receive the care, attention and assistance they deserve.\u2019 \"\"<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

In his previously released <\/span>message for World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly<\/span><\/a>, Pope Leo reminded Catholics that the promise not to forget should shape how each of us treats the older adults in our lives.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018The painful feeling of being forgotten is, unfortunately, shared by many people, and among them are quite a few elderly people,\u2019 Pope Leo wrote, echoing his predecessor\u2019s reasons for establishing the day in 2021.<\/span><\/p>\n

Pope Leo\u2019s message for World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/b>A Prayer to Saint Anne and Saint Joachim.<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

Saint Anne and Saint Joachim,\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

grandparents of Jesus,\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

we turn to you with hearts full of love and respect.\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

You who nurtured Mary in her childhood and guided her towards holiness,<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

\u00a0we ask for your intercession on behalf of all the elderly, especially those in our families and communities. <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

We pray for their well-being, that they may find comfort in their later years,\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

and that their wisdom and experience may be valued by all.\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

May they be surrounded by love, respect, and the support of their families, friends and community.\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

We also pray that we may be inspired by your example of faithfulness,\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

and that we may learn to cherish and care for our elders,<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

with the same love and devotion that you showed to Mary.\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

May their lives be a testament to the love of God and a beacon of hope for all.\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

Amen<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Venerable Nano Nagle, Pray for us.<\/b><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Mrs Caroline Morizzi, Religious Education Coordinator<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Feast Day of\u00a0 Saints Joachim and Anne On 26 July, The Church celebrated the lives of Saint Joachim and Saint Anne, Jesus\u2019 grandparents – Mary\u2019s parents. In the Scriptures, Matthew and Luke furnish a legal family history of Jesus, tracing ancestry to show that Jesus is the culmination of great promises. Not only is […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":23214,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","class_list":["post-23212","article","type-article","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thebuzz.net.au\/domremy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/article\/23212","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thebuzz.net.au\/domremy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/article"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thebuzz.net.au\/domremy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/article"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thebuzz.net.au\/domremy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=23212"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thebuzz.net.au\/domremy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/23214"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thebuzz.net.au\/domremy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=23212"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}