The World Day for Grandparents and Elderly will be marked by a number of pilgrimages throughout the UK on Sunday 28 July, a few days after another so-called assisted dying bill was introduced in the House of Lords.

Pope Francis established a World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly, which took place for the first time in 2021. It is occurring this year on Sunday 28 July, as that is the Sunday closest to the Feast of Saints Joachim and Anne, the grandparents of Jesus. The theme chosen by Pope Francis for this year’s celebration is: “Do Not Cast Me Off In My Old Age” (Psalm 71:9).

This worldwide celebration in the Church's calendar has been called a momentous achievement for grandparents and the elderly and "will hopefully reassure them that they are loved and that they are needed", notes the Catholic Grandparents Association, whose mission is to help grandparents pass on the faith and to keep prayer at the heart of families.

That reassurance is growing in importance in the face of continued efforts to introduce assisted suicide in the UK. The movement for passing legislation to enshrine euthanasia and assisted suicide is gaining momentum around the world, with the Catholic Church remaining one of the few institutions to take a firm stand against the issue.