Day for Life is the day in the Church’s year dedicated to raising awareness about the meaning and value of human life at every stage and in every condition.
Also in Life Issues
Abortion Decriminalisation > FAQs on assisted suicide > Opposing Assisted Suicide > Assisted Dying Inquiry 2023 > Church Teaching > Hospice > Prayers - Serious Illness > Art of Dying Well > Living and Dying Well > APPG for Dying Well > Assisted Dying Bill > World Day of the Sick >21 June 2026
The Church teaches that life is to be nurtured from conception to natural death. In England and Wales, Day for Life is celebrated on the third Sunday of June each year. This year it falls on 21 June.
Archbishop John Sherrington has announced the theme for this year’s Day for Life in a reflection for the Feast of the Annunciation.
In his contemplation on the Virgin Mary’s ‘Yes’, Archbishop Sherrington calls to mind that:
“God chose to enter the world as an unborn child, embracing the fullness of human existence from its earliest stage. His coming reveals that at every point of development, the child in the womb is a unique and irreplaceable human person. This truth is now even reflected in certain civil procedures such as the granting of baby loss certificates to bereaved parents who lose a little one during pregnancy.”
Turning towards the Day for Life, Archbishop Sherrington announced:
“This same truth will form the theme of the forthcoming Day for Life, which will take place on Sunday, 21 June. The day will invite us to reflect on the humanity of the unborn and to acknowledge with compassion the deep grief experienced by parents who lose a child before or shortly after birth.”
Day for Life is marked on the same day by the three Bishops’ Conferences of England and Wales, Scotland, and Ireland.
All information on how to apply for a grant from the Day for Life Fund can be found here.
We are encouraging people to pray this novena starting on 23 May so that it finishes on 31 May, on the Feast of the Visitation
The theme in 2025 was Hope does not Disappoint: Finding meaning in Suffering. Inspired by Romans 5:5-6 we find hope can endure the darkness of human suffering and even see beyond it.
Day for Life 2024 focused on care at the end of life and the need to build a culture of care. The theme was ‘The Lord is my shepherd - Compassion and Hope at the end of life’.
The theme in 2023 was ‘Listen to Her’ and focused on post-abortion trauma and the impact of abortion primarily on women, but also men and others.
'Day for Life' is the day in our calendar set aside to celebrate life from conception to natural death. In 2022 the focus was on caring for and valuing the elderly.
