The Catholic Grandparents Association has held its fifth National Grandparents Pilgrimage at Knock Shrine in County Mayo.
Thousands of people attended this year’s event and heard Fr Benny MacHale deliver a homily, in which he termed the relationship between children and their grandparents as a special bond.
He urged grandparents to be aware of the powerful influence they have on grandchildren and to support them and their parents.
And he told them that many children are more affected by what their grandparents say than what their parents say.
“Be aware also that grandparents should never undermine their own sons and daughters who are rearing their children,” he warned.
Chief Celebrant, Archbishop Michael Neary, who is patron of the Association, welcomed the congregation, and disability rights politician and former Munster MEP Kathy Sinnott, who is the association’s secretary, urged pilgrims to focus on the new evangelisation, that is, passing on the faith to future generations, quoting from Blessed Pope John Paul II.
Chief Celebrant, Archbishop Michael Neary, who is patron of the Association, welcomed the congregation, and disability rights politician and former Munster MEP Kathy Sinnott, who is the association’s secretary, urged pilgrims to focus on the new evangelisation, that is, passing on the faith to future generations, quoting from Blessed Pope John Paul II.
Founder Catherine Wiley, urged people to join the association and assist grandparents to pass on the faith and keep prayer at the heart of family life.
She told grandparents in attendance, “We’re all in it together; the legacy of the CGA is eternity, leaving a footprint from this world to the next.”
Thousands of prayers, written by children all over the country to honour their grandparents, were placed on the sanctuary of the Basilica, while many of the elderly pilgrims wrote prayers for their own deceased grandparents and placed them on the sanctuary.
The current CGA President, Maire Printer, who is a retired teacher and was born in Scotland, said grandparents “passing on the faith is handing on a legacy of eternity to a new generation and there is no greater gift than that.”
The entrance procession included representatives from CGA branches in Ireland and representatives of grandparents’ pilgrimages from Britain, Germany, Nigeria, Tanzania and the US.
The attendance included four generations of one family, the Noonans from Westport, while the Lessons were read by former minister Mary O’Rourke, and Mayo Person of the Year, Pat Jennings.
Pope Benedict’s Universal Prayer for Grandparents was read by Mons Joe Quinn, parish priest of Knock.
The CGA was set up to honour the St Joachim and St Anne, grandparents of Jesus and parents of Mary, and to thank grandparents down through the generations for passing on the faith.
The CGA also host pilgrimages in Aylesford, Carfin and Walsingham in Britain, and Palm Beach in Florida.