By Alphonsa Ohol for BIS Mumbai

With hearts full of love and thankfulness, the Youth of Sacred Heart Parish, Yerwada, in Pune, came together to celebrate Grandparents’ Day on July 20, a special day to thank and honour the grandparents who guide and bless families with their love and care. The event was held in the College basement at 11am and was filled with joy, music, and smiles.

The programme began with a prayer, thanking God for the gift of grandparents. This was followed by a warm welcome and introduction by Ms. Angela Saby who shared how important grandparents are in our lives.

Next came the lamp-lighting ceremony, where the grandparents lit the lamp. This showed their wisdom, love, and the light they bring into families. Fr. Gregory D’Cunha, the Parish Administrator and Youth Director, then welcomed all the grandparents and shared his kind words to thank them for their constant care and support in the families.

A short prayer service followed. The youth prayed for the good health and happiness of all grandparents, asking God to bless them with peace and strength, spiritual growth, protection and safety. They also remembered with love those grandparents who are no longer with us.

The youth sang the beautiful hymn “Thank You Lord”, as a way of showing love and thanks to all the grandparents. After that, the fun began with action songs and games. The youth performed the lively song “Kaun Hai, Kaun Hai, Rajaon Ka Raja” and invited the grandparents to join in. Everyone clapped, danced, and sang together with big smiles on their faces.

The next part was full of laughter and joy. The song “If You’re Happy and You Know It” brought even more energy into the room. A music game followed, where grandparents had to guess songs just by listening to a short tune. Many joined in with great excitement.

To make it more fun, the youth asked Bible related questions, and many grandparents gave the right answers. Small gifts were given to thank them for taking part. The youth then performed a lovely dance, and to end the event, the grandparents themselves danced joyfully. It was a truly heartwarming sight to see them enjoying the moment.

The youth had also taken the effort to visit families and personally invite the grandparents. Their kind gesture and hard work brought everyone together and made this programme a big success.

When asked, the grandparents said they were overjoyed by the lovely gesture and truly appreciated the well-organised programme. Their smiling faces and kind words were proof of how much the day meant to them.

Mr. Jerryco Swaminathan, the Youth President, gave the vote of thanks. He thanked the grandparents for their love, support, and for being with them on this special day. He also thanked all the youth and volunteers who helped to make the event successful.

The Grandparents’ Day celebration at Sacred Heart Parish was a day full of love, music, laughter, and beautiful memories. It reminded everyone how important grandparents are and how their love is a true blessing for every family.