Dear Parish Family, The word Grandparent implies a very special relationship to our little munchkins that grow up way to fast. This year’s theme for Grandparents and the Elderly Day is “His Mercy is from Age to Age” (Luke 1:50).This occurs near the feast days of St Joachim and St Anne, grandparents of Jesus. Not a great deal is known about the parents of the Blessed Mother, but surely, they must have provided profound love and support for their grandchild -Jesus. As a grandparent, we open our hearts with unconditional love, we know we are truly blessed and are eager to share our gifts and talents. We want, what we believe to be the best for them, encourage their dreams, and never run out of hugs. Our grands stole our hearts from the moment we saw them and are a constant sense of pride. Grandparents may serve as the family historian, sharing genealogy and stories of yester years. Children often learn life lessons, the understanding of ethics, the value of hard work, and experiences from another generation. One of the most important gifts we as grandparents can share is to pass on our faith and keeping prayer at the heart of the family. We are reminded of this in (2 Timothy1:5) “Grandparents have the responsibility to share the love of the Lord with their children and grandchildren.” Pope Francis tells us “Grandparents are a treasure!” To be sure!! I am sure we are allowed to share the beautiful photographs and the endless stories about our grands! Mary Jo