Today is the feast day of Anna and Joachim, the maternal grandparents of Jesus.

I was fortunate in my growing up years to never live more than an hour from my grandparents. They were, each of the four of them, very unique people, and I easily remember many things I learned from them.

I recall watching with fascination the difference in my own parents when they themselves became grandparents. It was almost as if my three siblings and I had been a trial-run for their new and important role, a grand role they now had the time to savour, enjoying the hours and sometimes days they could spend with their grandchildren.

My parents also had the privilege of being formally asked by my cousin and her husband to take on the role of grandparents for their three children (after the death of her parents). I remember the delight in my parents at this invitation. They were overwhelmed with joy at this honour which came a couple of years before my siblings’ children arrived. Increasingly the honour and responsibility of grand-parenthood is shared beyond the traditional biographical role, and this adaptability ensures that children have the support and wisdom of older and wiser family members.

Grandparents understand the importance of wasting time with children.

Today many grandparents live a great distance from their grandchildren, but thanks to modern technology (email and skype) it is possible to have regular contact, although nothing replaces real contact.

Grandparents have a role in the passing on of faith. Increasingly Christian parents do not have the same knowledge of Christian faith as earlier generations and as a result they struggle even to teach their children to speak with Jesus in an intimate and tangible way.

Many of today’s parents are unable to provide a knowledge of the gospels and the Bible for their children. This is not helped by the fact that many Godparents are chosen for reasons of friendship instead of as Christian role-models. This gives a great opportunity for grandparents to share the role of providing their grandchildren with personal, practical and positive experiences of faith.

Giving attractive books of Bible stories as birthday or Christmas gifts can be a great way to start, then when you visit, read these stories to and with the children. They will ask questions and this gives a great opportunity for you to share your own experience of faith with them. Tell them about how, when and why you pray.