By TARA CONNOLLY Staff writer
Art and Jo Garcia, parishioners of St. Joseph the Worker, Orefield, love passing down family traditions, family stories and the Catholic faith to their grandchildren. Sharing family traditions and stories seemed effortless, so they set out to learn more about passing down the faith.
After coming across information about the International Catholic Grandparents Association, the couple immediately began implementing a group at the parish and marked its first anniversary June 18.
“The mission of the association is to help grandparents share the Catholic faith within their families, especially with their grandchildren. We do this with prayer, sharing and fellowship. The goal is to serve all the parishes in the Diocese,” said Art.
The Catholic Grandparents Association is a global organization of the faithful. An integral part of the Catholic Grandparents Association is setting up branches at the parish level. These act as prayer and support groups for grandparents.
The organization recognizes the unique vocations of grandparents that is fostered and cherished in the spirit of St. Joachim and St. Anne, the grandparents of Jesus and parents of Mary.
The group meets monthly to share ideas about fostering the faith, bringing children and grandchildren back to the faith, and supporting one another.
The diocesan association also initiated a children’s prayer appeal, which invites children to compose prayers in their honor and celebrate the gifts of grandparents.
In addition, in June they invited members of Anno Domini, the young adult ministry program based at St. Joseph the Worker Parish, to share how their grandparents have influenced their lives.
“They especially shared how our witness planted the Catholic faith with them as they grew up. These amazing young adults are embracing the Catholic Church with vigor and are reigniting sparks that will light the fires of our faith,” said Art.
“We as grandparents have a vital role in our families. We have been called to share the faith with our grandchildren and children to give them the joy and love of Jesus Christ to enrich their lives in this challenging society world,” he said.
Representatives of the group were also invited to the Oct. 30 meeting of the Diocesan Commission for Young Adults.
Bishop Schlert asked them there to discuss possible collaborations between young adults and the elderly.
It was a very fruitful discussion. The Bishop is very passionate about connecting the two age demographics, and it was evident at the meeting that the commission members were very excited by the potential of collaborating with the Catholic Grandparents Association.
The Catholic Grandparents Association was founded in 2002 in Ireland by Catherine Wiley. She wanted to honor the Blessed Virgin on her birthday which is Sept. 8. It began as a pilgrimage to the Shrine of Our Lady of Knock in Ireland, which was attended by 14,000 grandparents and grandchildren.
Wiley, a grandparent herself, wanted to remind grandparents that they have a vocation to pass on the Catholic faith to their grandchildren.
Grandparents, with the wisdom of their years and having grown in their faith, can help their children and grandchildren in many ways – emotionally, physically and spiritually. Grandparents have a vital role to play in the Church and in today’s busy families.
The Catholic Grandparents Association meets at St. Joseph the Worker parish center, but the meetings are open to all parishioners of the Diocese of Allentown.
Catholic grandparents are invited to the meetings every third week of the month, alternating on Saturday morning after the 8:30 a.m. Mass or Tuesday evening after the 7 p.m. Mass.
For more information, email garcia1047@ptd.net or visit www.catholicgrandparentsassociation.org.
