In a post-COVID world, multigenerational dialogue, intergenerational storytelling, and recording and sharing elder wisdom is becoming increasingly important. A book published by Loyola Press in 2018 became the inspiration for Stories of a Generation, a new Netflix docuseries with Pope Francis.
The 4-part series will be available beginning December 25th in all countries where Netflix is available, in English, Spanish, French, and Italian.
The book, Sharing the Wisdom of Time features the stories of elders from 30 countries and all walks of life. Nearly 250 people were interviewed for the project, which was born in the mind of Pope Francis during one of his daily prayer sessions. He was inspired to champion grandparents and other elders, and emphasize their vital role in our societies, and Loyola Press embraced this vision.
The book features the stories of many elders, notably Academy Award-winning director Martin Scorsese — who is also featured in the Netflix series – as well as people like Njagi Mugwetwa, a blind basket weaver in Kenya; Jacques Pepin, chef, cooking show host, and author; Maria SmiAtowska, a Polish neurobiology professor; Andrea Mendoza Chiviliu, a fabric maker in Guatemala; and more. Pope Francis also contributes his wisdom as an elder in each chapter.
In addition to the personal wisdom shared by the elders, the book includes essays from younger individuals describing what they learned from an elder. The book also provides practical suggestions for inviting wisdom-sharing in homes, churches, and communities.
Sharing the Wisdom of Time collects elder stories into five themes that people of any age can identify with – work, struggle, love, death, and hope. The Netflix series similarly focuses on the themes of work, struggle, love, and dreams. Each theme forms the basis of an episode.
“The Netflix series Stories of a Generation with Pope Francis is a huge step toward realizing Pope Francis’ call to honor and treasure our elders,” stated Joellyn Cicciarelli, Loyola Press president and publisher.
