By Charles Igwe
Pope Leo XIV on October 3 addressed participants at the Second International Congress on Pastoral Care of the Elderly, telling them that old age should be seen not simply as decline, but as a gift to the Church that demands a renewed missionary pastoral ministry.
Speaking in the Vatican Apostolic Palace, the Pope reflected on the congress theme, “Your Elders Shall Dream Dreams,” drawn from the prophet Joel, and echoed by his predecessor’s calls for intergenerational solidarity. He acknowledged that unlike past eras, today’s societies often frame longevity as a burden — criticizing the elderly for “consuming too many resources” or failing to yield space to younger generations.
Yet the Pope insisted the Church must overturn that mindset. He described old age as an “unexpected marvel of creation” and emphasized that the fragility and needs of the elderly can remind all people of their dependence on God and one another. Far from being passive recipients of care, the elderly should be engaged as active “witnesses of hope,” tasked with evangelizing and mission in their communities.
The Pope urged pastoral leaders to develop language, programs, and roles that include the elderly in parish life and mission, rather than sidelining them. He also called on the Church to accompany older faithful through their questions about existence, loneliness, and meaning — especially during life’s later years.
