On Tuesday 13th October 2026, Growing Old Grace-fully welcomed people to Cathedral Hall, formerly Wheeler Hall, at Leeds Cathedral, for a morning of reflection with the theme “It’s Beautiful to be Old“, reflecting on what the Catholic Social Teaching says about growing old and later life, with guest speaker Dr. Peter Kevern.
Modern secular culture presents us with two visions of what it is to be old: either as a period of aimless self-indulgence, or as a decline into illness and irrelevance.
However, the Catholic Church (and particularly the last three Popes) have spent a lot of time reflecting on the theology of ageing and paints a more hopeful and inspiring picture.
The event looked at some of the key ideas growing out of this process, reflecting on what they mean for us as individuals, and on the prophetic challenge they bring to the western world in a time of change.
After welcome and teas/coffees, the event began with prayers from Fr Marc Pitson, from Leeds Cathedral.
Carol Burns, Chair of Growing Old Grace-fully trustees then welcomed everyone and went through the structure of the event, before welcoming Dr Peter Kevern. Peter until recently was Professor of Values in Health and Social Care at the University of Staffordshire. A theologian by background and training, most of his research has been on the connection between religion and ageing, with a particular interest in dementia.
Dr Peter Kevern
He is the author of two books (Touching God: dementia and the bodies of Christ and Asking the Beasts: a theological bestiary for the ecological crisis) and was recently appointed Academic Dean for the Queen’s Foundation for Ecumenical Theological Education, Birmingham.
Peter began by comparing the view of older people and ageing in modern society versus the view of Christianity and Catholic social teaching.
Modern society sees ageing and old age as a problem and even a threat, with a ‘grey tsunani of our fear’ being the negative view of the challenge an older population presents to society.
He asked what are we, as elders called to be, passengers or pilgrims? As pilgrims. what new horizons, new insights open up to Spiritual Pioneers as we journey into old age?
What is our contribution as elders for the Church?
A second Childhood’ or ‘a Treasure of the Church’
Are we to be ‘old dreamers’ or ‘true dreamers’? (Joel 2.28).
Peter than explored what do we as Catholics have to say to our society?
• Pope John Paul II: The “Culture of death” vs the restoration of the family
• Pope Francis and the ‘throwaway culture’
• Ageing and the ‘denial of death’…
…but challenging and replacing that with ‘expanding into life asking ‘Is frailty God’s gift to us all?
Peter concluded by saying that a blind, brutal ‘throwaway society’…
…needs a new vision of the gift of old age.
Growing Old Grace-fully trustee Rachel Walker then led a liturgy to finish the event, which was followed by a shared lunch and further discussions.
