About 1,500 people were on hand on Sunday, September 8, as Cardinal Timothy Dolan celebrated Mass for the annual Day of Grandparents and the Elderly at St. Patrick’s Cathedral in Manhattan.

“Pope Francis has asked that we celebrate this as Grandparents Day and Day for the Elderly. No wonder I feel at home,” Cardinal Dolan joked in his opening remarks.

In a homily that referred heavily to the day’s gospel [Mk 7:31-37], Cardinal Dolan asked the faithful to remember one word: “Ephphatha,” or “Be opened,” which Jesus commands a man who cannot hear or speak and heals him by doing so.

Cardinal Dolan recalled his visit to the Holy Land, visiting a center for children with hearing and speaking difficulties in Bethlehem. The children at the center come from different religious backgrounds. He asked a sister working there how many of the students were Christian, how many were Jewish, and how many were Muslim. “I don’t know, and I don’t care,” he quoted the sister. “Isn’t that beautiful,” he asked rhetorically. 

“I watched them with milk and cookies together,” Cardinal Dolan said, a peaceful interaction between children in a troubled part of the world. He ended his homily by telling the faithful that the name of the center he visited was called Ephphatha.

Among the concelebrants was Father Enrique Salvo, rector of St. Patrick’s Cathedral. Also in attendance was Sister Joan Curtin, vicar for religious of the Archdiocese of New York, and Sister Mary Ann Dennehy of ArchCare, the continuing care ministry of the archdiocese, which collaborated to present the Mass. 

“This year’s Mass honoring Grandparents and the Elderly allowed us to thank God, first, and all those who have shown us the love of God in so many ways. Thank you to all the families who joined us at St. Patrick’s Cathedral, on TV, and we look forward to continuing to honor our loved ones by fostering strong Catholic families throughout the year,” said Ted Musco, director of the Archdiocese of New York’s Office of Family Life, which organizes the annual Mass.  

The Mass aims to recognize the wisdom, love, and guidance that older generations provide to their families and society.

The event was not limited to the family members of grandparents (and great-grandparents), with all members of the community welcomed to the celebration. The Mass reflected a growing recognition of the importance of intergenerational connections and the unique perspectives that older adults bring to our communities.

Pope Francis established the World Day of Grandparents and the Elderly in 2021. While the rest of the world celebrates the occasion on the fourth Sunday of July to coincide with the feasts of Saints Joachim and Anne (the traditional parents of Mary and grandparents of Jesus), the Church in the United States observes it on the first Sunday after Labor Day to encourage greater participation.