No tut-tutting from Tutu

No tut-tutting from Tutu


World famous cleric Archbishop Desmond Tutu has hailed the Mayo based Catholic Grandparents Association as a ‘wonderful idea’.
The Nobel Peace Prize winner, famous for his fight against apartheid in South Africa, made the comment to the founder of the Association, Mayo Woman of the Year, Catherine Wiley from Murrisk.
The two met in Cape Town where Ms Wiley presented Archbishop Tutu with the Universal Prayer for Grandparents composed by Pope Benedict XVI especially for the National Grandparents Pilgrimage in Ireland in 2008.
Last year’s National Grandparents Pilgrimage took place at the Shrine of Our Lady of Knock and attracted 14,000 people.
Ms Wiley also spoke to Archbishop Tutu, of the Anglican Church, about the Catholic Grandparents Association and its mission to empower and enable Grandparents in Ireland and across the world. 
Archbishop Tutu, himself a Grandfather of seven, said he was absolutely delighted to received this very special prayer.   He said it was wonderful being a grandparent even though his grandchildren ‘bullied him’!  He thought the Annual Grandparents Pilgrimage was ‘a wonderful idea’ and a beautiful way of affirming and honouring Grandparents and elders. 
The fourth National Grandparents Pilgrimage will take place on Sunday, September 12 at the Shrine of Our Lady of Knock. The Association is encouraging parishes to become involved and start their own local branches. 
Grandparents’ Pilgrimages have now spread worldwide and take place in the UK, America, Germany, Tanzania, Australia  and it is hoped that South Africa will be the next to follow.
Anyone looking for more information can contact the Catholic Grandparents Association on 098-24877.