Any Catholic who participates in the celebration of the World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly on July 28 can receive a plenary indulgence, the Vatican has announced. Source: OSV News.
“Grandparents, the elderly and all the faithful who, motivated by a true spirit of penance and charity,” attend Mass or other prayer services as part of the day’s celebration can receive the indulgence, which “may also be applied as a suffrage to the souls in purgatory”, said the announcement published on July 18 by the Apostolic Penitentiary, the Vatican court charged with granting indulgences.
The Vatican said the indulgence also can apply to those who “devote adequate time to actually or virtually visiting their elderly brothers and sisters in need or in difficulty,” such as those who are sick, lonely or disabled.
To receive a plenary indulgence, which is a remission of the temporal punishment due for one’s sins, a person must show detachment from sin, go to confession, receive the Eucharist and pray for the intentions of the Pope.
The announcement also urged priests “to make themselves available, in a ready and generous spirit” to hear confessions.
The indulgence also is available to “the elderly sick and all those who, unable to leave their homes for a serious reason,” spiritually join the celebrations, which will be broadcast through various media, and offer “to the merciful God their prayers, pains or sufferings,” the Vatican said.
Pope Francis celebrated the first World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly in 2021 and decreed that it be observed each year on the Sunday closest to the feast of Sts. Joachim and Anne, Jesus’ grandparents.
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Vatican offers special indulgence for World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly (By Carol Glatz, CNS via OSV News)
