- 04 October, 2025
Rome, 4 October 2025: Pope Leo XIV addressed participants of the Second International Congress on the Pastoral Care of the Elderly on Friday, urging the Church to value the elderly in her missionary outreach. The Congress, organised by the Dicastery for Laity, Family and Life, is being held in Rome from 2 to 4 October under the theme “Your elders shall dream dreams!”.
In his speech, Pope Leo recalled Pope Francis’ wish for an alliance between the elderly and young people, so that those with years of life and experience can guide those at the beginning of “the great adventure of life.”
Pope Leo observed that contemporary society experiences sharp divides between generations, with the elderly often accused of limiting opportunities for the young in employment or consuming excessive social and economic resources that could otherwise support them.
He rejected these attitudes, saying such views treat longevity as though it “were a fault,” and pointed out that modern medicine has made it possible for many people to live longer lives. “The elderly are a gift, a blessing to be welcomed, and a longer life is something positive,” he said. “Indeed, it is one of the signs of hope in our time, everywhere in the world.”
The Pope explained that rejection of the elderly reflects an unwillingness to accept that “the human being is always a limited creature with needs,” rather than completely self-sufficient. “The fragility that appears in the elderly reminds us of this common truth,” he said. “It is therefore hidden or removed by those who cultivate worldly illusions, so as not to have before their eyes the image of what we will inevitably become.”
He underlined that the elderly help the young remember that in life’s universal dynamic, humanity discovers salvation by recognising dependence on God and on one another. “The measure of our humanity is not given by what we can achieve, but by our ability to let ourselves be loved and, when necessary, even helped,” he said.
Pope Leo noted that ageing can arrive unexpectedly and urged the elderly to take inspiration from Scripture and the saints in order to live old age in a Christian way, avoiding discouragement.
Turning to those who minister to the elderly, he highlighted the role of the “young elderly,” people recently retired who have more time for parish life and prayer. “It is important to find an appropriate language and opportunities for them,” he said, “involving them not as passive recipients of evangelisation, but as active subjects, and to respond together with them, and not in their place, to the questions that life and the Gospel pose to us.”
He also pointed out that many elderly people had distanced themselves from the faith in their youth or had never encountered the Gospel, yet the Church has the mission to offer salvation in Christ to all, regardless of age. “Where elderly people are alone and discarded,” he said, “this will mean bringing them the good news of the Lord’s tenderness, to overcome, together with them, the darkness of loneliness, the great enemy of the lives of the elderly.”
As he concluded his address, the Pope urged pastoral ministers to assist the elderly in rediscovering life’s meaning so they may build a true relationship with God and become missionaries of hope. “May no one be abandoned! May no one feel useless!” he insisted. “Even a simple prayer, recited with faith at home, contributes to the good of the People of God and unites us in spiritual communion.”
Courtesy: Vatican News
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