Grandparents are charged with passing along wisdom from decades past, serving as guides to future generations. They are called to instruct their children and grandchildren in the precepts of the faith, and in turn, should be shown our love and respect.
As we celebrate the Memorial of Saints Anne and Joachim, the earthly grandparents of Jesus, on July 26, we invite you to reflect on these 10 pope quotes about grandparents and the elderly, and why we should cherish them.
Grandparents Impart Wisdom
“Grandparents are the wisdom of the family, they are the wisdom of a people.”
— Pope Francis
“In no way should [grandparents] ever be excluded from the family circle. They are a treasure which the younger generation should not be denied, especially when they bear witness to their faith.” — Pope Benedict XVI
“God wants young people to bring joy to the hearts of the elderly, as Mary did to Elizabeth, and gain wisdom from their experiences… above all, the Lord wants us not to abandon the elderly.”
— Pope Francis
Grandparents Connect Us to Our Heritage
“[Grandparents’] presence in families and communities is a precious one, for it reminds us that we share the same heritage and are part of a people committed to preserving its roots.”
— Pope Francis
“How important grandparents are for family life, for passing on the human and religious heritage which is so essential for each and every society! How important it is to have intergenerational exchanges and dialogue, especially within the context of the family. The Aparecida Document says, ‘Children and the elderly build the future of peoples: children because they lead history forward, the elderly because they transmit the experience and wisdom of their lives’ (No. 447). This relationship and this dialogue between generations is a treasure to be preserved and strengthened!” — Pope Francis
Grandparents Instruct Us in the Faith
“From the elderly we received the gift of belonging to God’s holy people. The Church, as well as society, needs them, for they entrust to the present the past that is needed to build the future.” — Pope Francis
“Mary grew up in the home of Joachim and Anne; she was surrounded by their love and faith: in their home she learned to listen to the Lord and to follow his will. Saints Joachim and Anne were part of a long chain of people who had transmitted their faith and love for God, expressed in the warmth and love of family life, down to Mary, who received the Son of God in her womb and who gave him to the world, to us. How precious is the family as the privileged place for transmitting the faith!” — Pope Francis
Grandparents Deserve Our Gratitude
“Dear children, show gratitude to your parents. To say ‘thank you’ each day for the gift of life and for all that comes with it is the first way to honor your father and your mother (cf. Ex 20:12). Finally, dear grandparents and elderly people, I recommend that you watch over your loved ones with wisdom and compassion, and with the humility and patience that come with age.” — Pope Leo XIV
“If grandparents, as is said often and on many sides, are a precious resource, it is necessary to put into practice coherent choices that allow them to be better valued… May grandparents return to being a living presence in the family, in the Church and in society. With regard to the family, may grandparents continue to be witnesses of unity, of values founded on fidelity and of a unique love that gives rise to faith and the joy of living.” — Pope Benedict XVI
“Who does not remember their grandparents? Who can forget their presence and their witness by the domestic hearth? How many of us bear their names as a sign of continuity and gratitude! … These and other gestures of love and faith are a manifestation of our gratitude to them. They gave themselves, they sacrificed themselves for us, and in certain cases also gave their lives.” — Pope Benedict XVI
Sources:
Address at the Fifth World Meeting of Families, Pope Benedict XVI, July 8, 2006, the Vatican.
Address of His Holiness Benedict XVI to Participants in the Plenary Assembly of the Pontifical Council for the Family, April 5, 2008, the Vatican.
Angelus on July 26, 2013, Pope Francis, the Vatican.
Message of His Holiness Pope Leo XIV to Participants in the Seminar “Evangelizing with the Families of Today and Tomorrow: Ecclesiological and Pastoral Challenges,” June 2-3, 2025, the Vatican.