vaticannews.va
2026-06-12
"The elderly, in serene acceptance of the limitations imposed by the passing years--without hiding them or being ashamed of them--can be life teachers, able to show everyone--and especially young people--that the value of a life is not measured by efficiency or self-sufficiency, but by the capacity to love and to be loved, to give and to receive."
Pope Leo XIV expressed this in the letter sent on his behalf by Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin to Cardinal Kevin Farrell, Prefect of the Dicastery for Laity, Family, and Life, on the occasion of the Dicastery's Meeting on the Pastoral Care of the Elderly.
The Meeting's theme is "A Bridge to Heaven: The Magisterium of Fragility in the Time of Strength."
In today's society, the Pope said, old age is a complex season of life, rich in possibilities, and for the Church, which has always recognized in the elderly a significant presence, this initiative is certainly of great importance.
Older people often devote much service to the community
"Today, in many regions of the world, older people," he reminded, "often still have much energy to devote in service to the community."
He said this is evident in the various forms of volunteering, which are essential in many areas of ecclesial life.