HOMILY OF POPE LEO XIV “Place de la Concorde” (Paris) Saturday, 26 September 2026

Dear brothers and sisters,

I give thanks to God for the grace of being here with you today, in the Place de la Concorde, to celebrate the Eucharist. It is truly good and pleasant when brothers and sisters dwell together in unity (cf. Ps 133:1) to proclaim God’s greatness. Indeed, I hope that my visit will strengthen you in faith and encourage you to shine forth ever more brightly, by sharing the life, peace and love of our Lord Jesus Christ.

“If anyone thirst, let him come to me and drink” (Jn 7:37).  Brothers and sisters, in our thirst, we turn toward Christ, the source of living water: water that quenches our thirst and makes life flourish, the water of God’s love “poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us” (Rom 5:5).

The desire for God dwells deep within our hearts, and we cry out with the psalmist: “My soul thirsts for God, for the living God” (Ps 42:2).  This is the cry of a humble and passionate heart whose deepest, most existential thirst continues to grow. And it is Jesus Christ, through his Incarnation, who comes to meet every person in the midst of his or her own story, and reveals himself as the true source of living water capable of quenching our thirst. This thirst that dwells in every human heart is not so much a thirst for material things, but a thirst for meaning, for truth and fulfilment. Jesus responds to our profound desire for relationship, for communion with God, in whom the fullness of life forever resides.

In the first reading, the prophet Ezekiel saw water flowing out from the Temple and spreading through the desert, purifying and bringing life to everything it touched (cf. Ezek 47:1-2, 8-9, 12). Later, Saint John would see water flowing from the pierced side of Jesus as he gave up his spirit (cf. Jn 19:30-34). Everyone can now drink from this fountain, so as to receive the gift of the Spirit and be born anew, becoming children of God, a new creation.

Brothers and sisters, we must acknowledge that nothing in this world can ever fully satisfy us. When we think that our work is finished at last and our efforts have been rewarded, that inner emptiness often returns, deeper than before. And so, in an attempt to fill it, we may seek new pleasures, want to possess more and more things, or do everything we can to distract ourselves in order to numb that inner restlessness.

Today’s Liturgy of the Word invites us to look into our hearts and ask, what is my deepest thirst? What am I really seeking in life? We all long for happiness, love and fulfilment. But from what source do we seek to quench our thirst? Are we content with material goods, immediate satisfactions, the countless little idols that promise us everything but leave our hearts empty? We have been baptized and received the living water of which the Gospel speaks, but have we truly encountered Christ personally?  In essence, the human person is a being of desire, and only God can fill the emptiness within us.

Yes, brothers and sisters, Jesus Christ, the Good Shepherd, leads us, as a shepherd leads his sheep, to the source of happiness and peace. He knows each one of us by name. Nothing about us is hidden from him –— neither our secrets, nor our intentions nor our weaknesses. He searches the depths of our hearts. He gave his life for us and continues to give it to us through the sacraments. He carries the weary and wounded sheep on his shoulders, and gently brings back those who have gone astray. Jesus reveals God’s unconditional love for us. In his eyes, none of us is merely a number or an entry in a register, but a unique and irreplaceable person.

Seeing you gathered here, my brothers and sisters, heirs to France’s long and beautiful history of faith, I say to you: drink from the source that is the pierced heart of Jesus. Yes, you thirst for God, for life, for truth, for unity, for peace, for communion and for happiness. You long to rediscover a horizon filled with light and to build a renewed nation upon roots nourished by faith. Do not keep this faith in Jesus Christ to yourselves. Let it overflow, so that those you meet may be refreshed and their thirst satisfied. You are called to bring hope wherever discouragement and spiritual dryness prevail.

Indeed, it is by accepting to live truthfully under the gaze of Jesus that we can be authentic and look honestly at our lives. They are fragile, vulnerable and destined to pass through death; yet they are also wonderful and miraculous, capable of being renewed through our relationships and of opening themselves to true love.

“If any one thirst, let him come to me and drink.  He who believes in me, as the scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart shall flow rivers of living water’” (Jn 7:37-38). As we drink from the source that is the heart of Christ, we ourselves become, as Origen wrote, wells, springs and rivers for others (cf. Homily 12, 1, 2-3). Indeed, the believer who drinks from this source also becomes a source of life through their living relationship with Christ, and communicates that same life to others.

Dear brothers and sisters, the living water of the Holy Spirit has been poured out in abundance and continues to bear fruit in the Church through missionaries and witnesses in every culture and among every people. It brings life to all those whom it touches and transforms them, enabling them to bear fruit. This is the holiness of those who worship the true God and generously serve their brothers and sisters in charity. In this beautiful country of France, many have drunk from this living water throughout the centuries and devoted their lives entirely to the good of others: the first martyrs, such as Blandina, Pothinus and Irenaeus; the holy founders and foundresses of religious orders; holy bishops such as Martin and Francis de Sales; and men and women whose hearts were attentive to the needs of others, such as Vincent de Paul, Frédéric Ozanam and Jeanne Jugan, and many others.  Even today, there are so many people in your society, in parishes and in every sphere of life, who continue to devote themselves to the cause of life, the family, truth, peace, fraternity and justice.

From this beautiful city of Paris, I pray fervently that the living water of the Holy Spirit may flow throughout France. I think of you, dear families, who, despite the many difficulties you face each day, persevere courageously in your vocation and mission. I thank you from the bottom of my heart for all the good that is accomplished through you. May the tangible presence of Jesus within you never run dry. I think of you, dear young people: you are today’s Church. How beautiful it is to see your enthusiasm, energy and commitment, and the joy you bring to Christian communities. I think also of you, dear catechumens and newly baptized, who have begun the journey of faith, conversion and Christian initiation. May you bear witness to those around you to the journey you are making, and inspire them to ask themselves questions as well. May the gift of the Holy Spirit make you living witnesses, ready to spread around you a civilization of love.

Brothers and sisters, let us turn to the Mother of God, Fountian of Salvation, who guides us toward her Son, the author of every grace. Through her free and trusting “yes”, she became the humble vessel, chosen by God, in which the Father’s love took flesh and gave itself to the world.

Let us invoke her with confidence, that through her intercession springs of living water may well up within the People of God and cause seeds of faith, hope and charity to blossom throughout France. Amen.

Archbishop Martin calls for prayers and support for a peaceful resolution to complex Garvaghy Road situation

I am deeply saddened that the people of the Garvaghy Road, and of our wider society, find themselves, once again, facing a moment of such tension, fear and uncertainty.  

My first thoughts are with those for whom this situation brings back deeply traumatic and painful memories.

I share the sense of shock and disappointment of so many people at recent developments.  

This weekend, I ask for prayers throughout our parishes for a calm and peaceful response from everyone involved.  

I also appeal for support for the patient use of solely lawful and democratic processes to resolve this deeply complex and emotive situation.

Plymouth Diocese to launch the first chaplaincy for abuse survivors in the Catholic Church in England

The Diocese of Plymouth is developing the first chaplaincy in the English and Welsh Catholic Church for survivors of sexual, spiritual, emotional and institutional abuse.

It will be a “pastoral ministry that seeks to offer faith-sensitive, independent and survivor-centred support,” explained the diocesan safeguarding team in their summer newsletter.

“This ministry recognises that survivors’ journeys are complex and that the Church has a responsibility to respond with humility, care and integrity,” said the team.

“This project is truly unique in the Catholic Church in England and Wales seeking to achieve meaningful change in the way the Church responds to and supports those who have suffered harm,” the letter continued.

Martin Christmas-Nelson, head of safeguarding for the diocese, told The Tablet the concept of the chaplaincy “was  born out of the collective thoughts of survivors living in the Diocese of Plymouth.”

 “The diocese prioritised a dedicated victim/survivor support worker in the early 2020s, which allowed for the creation of online and in-person facilitated survivor forums. From these forums grew a shared sense of sense of purpose to create something meaningful and tangible, taking accountability to support other survivors who were still in silence,” he added.

 “The survivor caseworker collated these ideas, and from the genesis of the survivors’ thoughts we created the idea of Chaplaincy for Survivors. It very much grew organically from the ground up, and the Diocesan safeguarding team are stewards, rather than governors of the project.”

Christmas-Nelson identified “accompaniment and chaplaincy style projects in Ireland” as the “inspiration” for the Plymouth project. He consulted the creators of the Irish projects throughout the process for Plymouth.

“We intend for Plymouth Diocese to be a beacon of hope for those who want to see the church provide more space for survivors to use their voices proudly, openly and without shame”, he added.

Christmas-Nelson said he had been involved “in creating a survivor steering group, who act more as trustees of the project, leading the way on its function and development, and holding me to account to deliver upon their collective vision.”

A member of the survivor steering group said: “It’s my hope that the chaplaincy for survivors can not only offer support and a safe way for survivors to address their faith in relation to abuse, but also that the chaplaincy can help people to recognise that, where there is support, there is awareness, and that future abuse may be avoided as potential perpetrators recognise that this isn’t going to happen in the shadows anymore, that people can and will speak up.”

They added that the chaplaincy represented “an opportunity for accountability and acknowledgement from the Church and shows a commitment to taking abuse seriously now and in the future, that can inspire others to use their voice if they wish.”

“It represents mutual support, peer support and shared lessening of shame that unites people”, continued the survivor, who added: “It is an opportunity to make meaningful change and empowers survivors to do this themselves and be taken seriously, with the diocese able to amplify that message with a dedicated chaplaincy. It gives a space to sit in faith and make sense of trauma and help support our relationship with God.”

On Saturday, 26 September, the diocesan safeguarding office is hosting a free training day titled ‘Understanding Abuse.” 

It said this would provide a “grounded and accessible introduction to what abuse is including, spiritual, emotional, sexual and institutional abuse” as well as “the impact of abuse on individuals, faith and relationships.”

Other topics will include “trauma-informed approaches to listening and pastoral accompaniment” and “the difference between pastoral presence and professional intervention” and “boundaries, safeguarding the limits of a chaplaincy role.”

The training is offered to lay people and clergy, those already involved in pastoral ministry or safeguarding and “anyone interested in learning more about abuse and trauma-informed pastoral care.”

The letter adds that survivors are “welcome to attend if they feel comfortable to do so, with the understanding that the day is educational rather than a space for personal disclosure or testimony.”

The day is free and will be held from 10am – 4pm at St Boniface House, Ashburton, Newton Abbot. “Those attending the training day will be invited (but not required) to register an expression of interest in volunteering for the Chaplaincy for Survivors project,” said the diocesan team in the newsletter.

Christmas-Nelson told The Tablet there were plans for further training days for those wishing to become chaplains. It is hoped that a “functional service” will be launched by the middle of 2027.

“The  steering group has helped develop a role profile, identify training needs and providers, create risk registers, process flows and is on the cusp of delivering training, since our first development meeting a year ago in September 2025”, he told The Tablet.

Christmas-Nelson told The Tablet that the chaplaincy would be jointly led by lay Catholics and clergy “providing the opportunity for survivors to speak to a person of their choosing, in a way that suits them, be they lay or clergy, to help work through the challenges they face as a person of faith who has experienced trauma”.

He added that the chaplaincy would be available “to those who has suffered abuse both inside and outside of the church setting, and both clergy and lay people will be able to use the service too.”

Plymouth Diocese already recently piloted a Parish Safeguarding Representative Buddy Network, a six-month scheme to enable new and existing Parish Safeguarding Representatives from different deaneries to “connect, create objectives and identify areas in which they can help one another.”

African Church faces ‘grey wave’ of retired priests in coming years

African theologians warned that young priests fear a lack of care infrastructure will leave them dependent on charity when they reach retirement age.

Clergy reported apprehension caused by the experience of older priests in Africa who are forced into dependence. 

They were speaking on a webinar on 16 September organised by Church groups including the Pan African Theology and Pastoral Network (Pactpan) and the Christian Association of Nigeria.

Fr Hyacinth Ichoku, vice chancellor of Veritas University, said that after the vocations boom of the 1970s and 1980s, thousands of priests in Nigeria and Africa are expected to retire within the next few of years. 

Without the requisite infrastructure to take care of them, they risk falling into a life of indignity and penury.

The sociologist Roger Dayamba cited the case of a retired priest who now lives in an old people’s home but has been virtually abandoned by family, friends and the people he spent a lifetime serving.

“I remember visiting a priest years ago while I was a seminarian. He had been a popular, hardworking priest, but when he could no longer perform his ministerial duties, he was sent to a retirement home,” said Fr Dayamba.

“I saw him shedding tears. It felt like he had been dumped there: he could not do anything for himself, and after long years of ministry, nobody cared to visit him anymore.”

The theologians proposed different ways of supporting retired priests. Fr Dayamba discussed “models of retirement” that he has witnessed in several parishes which can become instructive in dealing with retirement for priests.

“The first model is general retirement homes. Initially, as priests reached an age where they could no longer perform ministry work, the diocese would simply place them in public retirement homes alongside the general population. However, these facilities are often few and far between, making the arrangement difficult,” he said.

The second model, he said, is the establishment of specific welfare homes for retired priests “to live in community, but this model has been criticised for not being ‘African enough’.”

He continued: “The third model is retirement within a parish. Some dioceses return a priest to a parish to be looked after by the active clergy and parishioners, usually providing him with a room there.” 

However, he said that this too has its challenges.

“Experience shows that once a priest retires without children or immediate relations, people begin to forget him and lose contact once he is no longer in active ministry,” Dayamba said. 

“The fourth model is retirement in the family home. This involves the priest returning to live with his original family – brothers, sisters, or other relatives. Unfortunately, this often creates friction due to familiarity. It also becomes a resource issue where the priest must struggle for available resources, alongside his nephews, nieces and siblings.”

The last model, he said, is based on a priest constructing a personal home, but this too has problems when it comes to funding, due to the small salaries of priests in Africa.

“This model works in non-African countries like Europe and America, but one must ask: would this really work back home given the financial constraints, unless one has a benefactor?” Dayamba asked.

The theologians proposed a range of ways for supporting retired priests, including setting aside a percentage of parish earnings for priests’ retirement, registering them in pension schemes, building homes for retired priests, increasing their salaries so they can save for retirement, and equipping them with skills so they can remain active in retirement.

At sacred Lourdes, Pope Leo confronts a new reminder of the church’s sins

The gold-flecked mosaics adorning the Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary were installed in 2008 for the 150th anniversary of what the Catholic Church recognizes as miraculous apparitions of the Virgin Mary in Lourdes — one of the faith’s most sacred pilgrimage sites.

But when Pope Leo XIV visits on Saturday, the mosaics will be conspicuously covered. Their creator, Slovenian priest-artist Marko Rupnik, has been accused by at least 20 women — including current and former Catholic nuns — of sexual, physical and psychological abuse.

Rupnik, 71, is one of the most prominent living Catholic artists, and the mosaics in Lourdes are among his many works housed in more than 200 churches across the globe. He was openly celebrated and championed by past popes.

But as Leo visits France, a secretive trial of Rupnik is unfolding in Vatican City and the case is raising difficult questions, including whether to condemn the art as well as the artist in a faith whose masters include convicted murderers like Carravaggio, the 16th-century Italian painter.

“It’s a very difficult problem because often people say, ‘if we destroy the art of all problematic artists, we will have to destroy many things throughout history,’” Bishop Jean-Marc Micas, who leads the Diocese of Tarbes and Lourdes, told The Washington Post.

Out of respect for abuse victims who make pilgrimages to Lourdes, Micas began covering some of Rupnik’s mosaics in 2025, before opting to cover all of them ahead of Leo’s visit.

Micas said his decision was consisted with one by the pope, who, he said, directed the Vatican last year to cease using images of Rupnik’s artwork in official communications.

So far, the Vatican has not issued broader guidance to churches holding Rupnik’s work, and most have left the art untouched.

“My answer is that I will solve a problem here in Lourdes, where people do not come to visit the mosaics of Rupnik, but to look for consolation from the Virgin Mary,” said Micas, who is weighing their permanent removal. “For me, nothing, including the mosaics, should be an obstacle to that.”

The Rupnik case highlights how sexual abuse scandals continue to plague the world’s largest Christian faith, posing a challenge for Leo who, even in Lourdes — one of Catholicism’s most revered holy sites — must confront the fallout.

In Lourdes, Leo is set to meet with a group of abuse victims as the issue threatens to overshadow his visit to the sacred sanctuary, a famed pilgrimage site drawing millions of devout elderly and Catholics in search of healing — including abuse survivors.

The location is famous for a series of 18 visions of the Virgin Mary by a 19th-century miller’s daughter, Bernadette Soubirous.

In Lourdes, Leo is slated to deliver a keynote speech on the sanctity of human life.

In June, an independent commission released details of large-scale abuse at Notre-Dame de Bétharram, a boarding school near Lourdes. The commission cited decades of “systemic” violence committed by clergy and lay staff between 1957 and 2004.

Last year, Hélène Perlant, 53, the eldest daughter of former prime minister François Bayrou, shocked France by publicly disclosing she was among the victims.

More broadly, Leo is visiting France five years after an explosive 2021 report found nearly 330,000 children in the country had been sexually abused over a 70-year period by Catholic priests or other church figures.

About 2,000 people have filed claims for reparations, with victims thus far receiving an average award from the church of about 37,000 euros ($42,000).

Some victims are criticizing Leo for meeting only a small and highly curated group of victims while in Lourdes. The critics insist he should also have made a contrite visit to the site of the boarding school, approximately 40 minutes away by car.

“This is a lost opportunity,” said Alain Esquerre, a victim of physical abuse at the Bétharram school and spokesperson for a victims collective. “They are only letting him speak to people who will not embarrass him and not ask him to acknowledge the extent of the problem and express shame. They are protecting the pope, not the victims.”

Leo has denounced sexual abuse as a “scourge” on the church, but victims’ groups are still awaiting further signs of how he plans to deal with the issue.

The Rupnik case is viewed as a key test.

“We haven’t seen or heard much from Leo yet on this topic, but we are anticipating, and hoping, he finally takes action in the Rupnik case,” said Anne Barrett Doyle, co-director of BishopAccountability.org, a watchdog group that tracks abuse cases in the church. “He knows the public will be watching.”

For decades, Rupnik reigned as a darling of the church.

His doe-eyed, placid figures created in oversize, irregularly cut and vibrantly colored tesserae were praised by senior clerics and adored by popes. His art adorns not only the Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary, but Vatican City’s Apostolic Palace, the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Fatima in Portugal and Almudena Cathedral in Madrid.

The first allegations against Rupnik emerged in Italian blogs and religious sites in 2022, with the initial accusations played down by the Jesuit order to which he belonged. In 2023, however, the Jesuits dismissed him.

At a 2024 news conference, two of his accusers — Gloria Branciani and Mirjam Kovac, both former nuns — alleged that Rupnik sexually abused them, including by compelling them to have a threesome in northern Italy. They said he described the number three as being “like the [Holy] Trinity.”

Rupnik has never commented publicly on the allegations. Neither he nor representatives of the Aletti Center — the religious art foundation he helped found in Rome — responded to phone calls or a letter left at their office.

The Vatican declined to comment on the Rupnik case, citing the ongoing trial. But previously, it disclosed that Rupnik had been investigated since at least 2018.

Critics have accused the late Pope Francis — who kept work by Rupnik in his private apartment in Vatican City — of acting too generously toward him because they were both Jesuits.

In an unusual move, Rupnik was excommunicated briefly in 2020, only to have the decision lifted shortly after. Critics argue such action could not have happened without Francis’s consent.

In 2023, the Vatican divulged a private meeting Francis had with a close Rupnik collaborator, Maria Campatelli, who wrote a letter defending the artist from “a media campaign based on defamatory and unproven accusations.”

Laura Sgrò, an attorney representing five alleged victims of Rupnik, said in an interview that she has tried in vain since 2024 to have her clients participate in the Holy See’s case against the artist.

“No one has ever responded to me — not my written motions, registered mail, phone calls,” Sgrò said.

A group of Rupnik victims last week sent an open letter to Leo ahead of his trip to Lourdes, scathingly criticizing the secrecy of the ongoing Vatican trial

They described the case as emblematic of the church’s uneven response and its knee-jerk instinct to conceal even decades after the first revelations of abuse by clergy.

They alleged that instead of being heard, Rupnik’s accusers have been vilified and condemned as “harlots” for reporting the abuse.

“This loud and prolonged silence is experienced by us victims as an additional and ongoing form of violence, which adds — with the weight of a boulder — to the violence we have already suffered,” Rupnik’s accusers wrote.

They concluded that, “it is futile to report abuse to ecclesiastical authorities, because nothing happens, no one is held accountable, and victims never receive justice.”

Victims’ groups have applauded the decision to cover Rupnik’s artwork in Lourdes, though some say a plaque or other informational guide should be added so worshipers can better understand the reason.

The Knights of Columbus of Washington, D.C. also opted to cover mosaics by Rupnik in the Saint John Paul II Shrine.

The Vatican however, has not issued a blanket directive on Rupnik’s work, and most churches have taken no action.

One sanctuary in Brazil this month moved forward with the inauguration of a new Rupnik mosaic — the last of four at the site.

“The Holy See is handling the Rupnik case, and the Holy See is the only entity with the tools to provide guidance on how to behave,” said Stefano Campanella, a spokesman for the Sanctuary of Saint Pio of Pietrelcina in San Giovanni Rotondo, Italy. “So far, no indications have arrived.”

At the sanctuary, Rupnik’s artwork still hangs unobstructed where Pope Benedict XVI blessed it in 2009.

At the end of a guided tour led personally by Rupnik, Benedict said: “Not only are they very beautiful, but they are also a lesson in theology.”

Experts say the question of what to do with Rupnik’s work is a familiar one for a church with a patchwork past. Caravaggio was convicted of killing a young man in a street brawl in the 17th century, and yet his art was — and still is — celebrated.

“I am drawing a parallel to Caravaggio, because there is a question here of a man and his work,” said Luca Ribichini, a professor of architecture at Rome’s Sapienza University. “And in some way, we should try and separate the two things.”

Pope calls for avoiding the "post-baptismal void" of new converts

Pope Leo XIV has asked this Saturday in Paris that the strong growth of catechumens and new baptized persons in France be accompanied by solid formation covering Sacred Scripture, theology, doctrine, Christian morality and liturgical life. 

During his meeting at the Institut Catholique de Paris with members of the provincial synodal Assembly, catechumens and neophytes, the Pope warned of the need to avoid the “post-baptismal void” and to fully integrate those who receive the sacraments of Christian initiation into the life of the Church.

The meeting, the second public event of the day after the visit to Maison Bakhita, began at 10:10. Pope Leo XIV was received by Cardinal Jean-Marc Aveline, Archbishop of Marseille and President of the French Episcopal Conference; the Archbishop of Paris, Msgr. Laurent Ulrich; the Rector of the Institut Catholique, Emmanuel Petit; the President of its Board of Directors and the parish priest of Saint-Joseph-des-Carmes.

The rise of conversions in a secularized France

The Pontiff focused much of his address on the phenomenon currently affecting the French Church: a growing number of adults, many of them young, are approaching Catholicism and requesting the sacraments of Christian initiation.

After hearing the testimonies of Josué, Marielle and Sophie, Pope Leo XIV said he was surprised by the number of people who are once again presenting themselves “on the threshold of faith” and by the number of adults requesting the sacraments. 

In his view, it is particularly significant that this awakening is taking place within a society characterized by a strongly secularized culture.

The phenomenon is supported by figures from the French episcopate: at Easter 2026, 13,234 adults were baptized in France, 28% more than the previous year and more than triple the 4,124 recorded in 2016. 

The growth has led Cardinal Aveline himself to acknowledge that many of the new converts are coming to the Church through paths that pastoral structures had not foreseen. 

Official data from the French Episcopal Conference also confirm that young people between 18 and 25 years of age currently constitute the largest group among baptized adults.

Pope Leo XIV noted that these conversions contradict defeatist attitudes and “sterile pessimism,” but at the same time warned against a naively triumphalist reading. 

Growth, he said, requires responsibility, serious questions and concrete pastoral decisions.

Avoiding the “post-baptismal void”

One of the central points of the address was precisely what happens after Baptism. Pope Leo XIV took up the question raised during one of the testimonies about how to avoid the “post-baptismal void” and maintained that it is not enough to prepare a person to receive the sacraments.

The newly baptized must subsequently be accompanied and fully integrated into communities and prayer assemblies, with a truly family-like space and integral formation that allows the faith received to be united with one’s own life.

The Pope detailed the contents he considers necessary. 

Neophytes must deepen the foundations of the Christian faith, receive adequate biblical and theological formation, progressively discover the richness of Catholic doctrine and know the different dimensions of Christian morality that derive from the profession of faith. 

To all this he expressly added initiation into the liturgical life of the Church.

The liturgy is part of the path of conversion

Pope Leo XIV devoted particular attention to the liturgy and rejected understanding it as a reality that comes only after catechesis, as a practical application of previously acquired knowledge.

On the contrary, he explained that the liturgy manifests and actualizes the paschal mystery of Christ and, through its rhythms, languages and rites, forms part of the very journey of conversion and preparation for the sacraments. 

Some of the testimonies heard during the meeting had precisely pointed to liturgical celebration as the gateway to the mystery of faith.

The issue is of special interest in the French context, where various testimonies of young converts have highlighted the importance that the liturgy has had in their approach to the Church. 

In Paris, the parish of Saint-Roch welcomed 55 adults who received Baptism during the past Easter Vigil, the largest number recorded at that time in a parish in the French capital.

Formators capable of teaching and accompanying

The Pope also insisted on the responsibility of those who accompany catechumens and neophytes. He recommended adequately preparing godfathers and godmothers and called for a deep knowledge of the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults.

The preparation of pastoral agents, he added, must not be limited to biblical, theological, liturgical and spiritual aspects. 

They must also possess the human qualities necessary to discern and accompany people whose life trajectories may be especially complex.

Pope Leo XIV recalled that some come to the Church moved by a spiritual thirst, a search for meaning or an initial attraction to the Gospel, while others do so after painful experiences, situations of loneliness or deep wounds. 

Welcome and listening, he said, must be accompanied by the capacity to encourage them to face the demands proper to the Christian faith.

“A promise of fruitfulness for the Church in France”

The Pontiff finally rejected considering the newly baptized as mere recipients of pastoral action. Their faith, he affirmed, also constitutes a gift offered to the Church.

To explain this he gave the example of Saint Augustine, introduced to the faith by Saint Ambrose and baptized when that faith was still like a small seed that would later grow to become one of the great references of the Christian tradition.

Addressing catechumens and neophytes directly, Pope Leo XIV assured them that he sees in them not only the fruit of the action of the Holy Spirit, but also a “promise of fruitfulness for the Church in France,” and exhorted them to become themselves missionaries of the Gospel within French society.

The Pope proposed as references Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus, for her “little way” of trust, and Saint Martin of Tours, an example of charity and fraternal self-giving. 

He concluded by invoking the Virgin Mary, principal patroness of France, as well as Saint Genevieve and Saint Denis, patrons of Paris.

From the path of the martyrs to the provincial Assembly

Before the meeting, Pope Leo XIV entered the church of the Institut Catholique, where students, professors and seminarians were gathered, and remained briefly in prayer. 

He then proceeded to the Georges Bernanos Auditorium following the route of the martyrs of September 2, 1792.

Msgr. Laurent Ulrich delivered words of welcome and presented the Pontiff with the Instrumentum Laboris of the provincial ecclesial Assembly. 

Pope Leo XIV also recalled the figure of Brother Lawrence of the Resurrection, whose spirituality of the presence of God in daily life, he said, has profoundly marked his own journey of faith.

After his address, the Pope returned by car to the Apostolic Nunciature to have a private lunch. 

The agenda for this Saturday will continue in the afternoon with the Mass in the Place de la Concorde and, subsequently, with the transfer to Lourdes, the second stage of the apostolic journey.

ADDRESS OF THE HOLY FATHER POPE LEO XIV

Your Excellency,

dear priests and consecrated persons,

dear members of the synodal Assembly,

dear catechumens and neophytes, brothers and sisters:

I am pleased to meet with you and to pause, in the context of this Apostolic Journey, on the path you are traveling as a Provincial Ecclesial Assembly.

I thank His Excellency Msgr. Laurent Ulrich, Archbishop of Paris, who has recalled the historical and spiritual importance of the place where we find ourselves, also evoking Brother Lawrence of the Resurrection, who profoundly marked my journey of faith with his mysticism of daily life. 

But above all, I express my gratitude for the Instrumentum Laboris that you have presented to me, an expression of an ecclesial journey in which the People of God have participated, with a spirit of mutual listening and synodality.

The Catholic Institute of Paris welcomes us today, an institution situated at the crossroads between science and faith which, for centuries, has contributed to forming minds and hearts in the service of the Gospel. 

I greet the professors, students and staff of this university, as well as all the members of the synodal Assembly of the ecclesiastical Province of Paris, committed to reflecting on pastoral perspectives for welcoming neophytes and catechumens, as well as for the life of the Church.

Observing closely the work you are doing, but above all listening to the moving testimonies of Josué, Marielle and Sophie, I feel above all a great gratitude for the unpredictable work of God. Like you and with you, I am amazed by the number of people who today present themselves on the threshold of faith and the number of adults who request the sacraments of Christian initiation.

It may seem paradoxical that this phenomenon of so many people rediscovering the Gospel and embracing the faith is taking place in the context of a society like the French one, marked by a strongly secularized culture. 

Your experience and your testimony, dear catechumens and neophytes, are the tangible sign of the work of God’s grace, which surpasses numerical and sociological analyses. This phenomenon, which contradicts every defeatist attitude—what Pope Francis called “sterile pessimism” (cf. Ap. Exhort. Evangelii gaudium, nn. 84-86)—must be welcomed with a spirit of responsibility.

Indeed, we are called to turn toward our brothers and sisters, rediscovering God’s own style, made of closeness, compassion and tenderness. With pastoral tenderness and fraternal charity, we must recognize, welcome and preserve the small flame that the Holy Spirit has kindled in the darkness of the night, the small seed that aspires to grow even amid thorns and brambles.

Wonder at what is happening to so many of our brothers and sisters must not enclose us in naive complacency. On the contrary, we must commit ourselves to seeking, to asking ourselves questions and to undertaking concrete pastoral actions. 

This is the spirit that animates your synodal Assembly and, more generally, the path of the Church in France: amazed by the unpredictable work of God, what must we do and where does the Holy Spirit impel us to accompany the catechumens, the neophytes and those who “begin again”?

First of all, I would like to recall an expression used by the French episcopate many years ago, which exhorted us to imagine and embody a Church “in a state of initiation,” which cares for catechumens, neophytes and those who begin their journey again, offering them over time solid support. Christian initiation—as a whole—has been at the center of the solicitude of pastors since the years following the Second World War. 

Requests were already numerous, and the theological and liturgical ferment of those years contributed widely to the renewal of catechumenal itineraries that occurred later during the Second Vatican Council. Although the current context is different, you can refer to this well-rooted pastoral tradition regarding the initiation of catechumens. 

Nor let us forget that this already existing practice received a new impulse from 1996 onward, the year in which the Letter to the Catholics of France saw the light and, in parallel, the last French edition of the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults.

Dear brothers and sisters, being “in a state of initiation” means welcoming the new seekers of God, discovering in this an opportunity and a mission. The opportunity consists in the fact that, thanks to them, the community of believers also renews its own journey of faith and discovers in a new way the joy of the Gospel. 

The mission, for its part, consists in caring for them and serving as their guide, even after they have received the sacraments. It is fitting to welcome with joy those who present themselves, to start from their spiritual experience, to respect their history and to favor an essential proclamation of the kerygma, especially through the formulas known in the personal or communal itinerary. 

However, let us not forget that in many of these persons there later arises the question we heard in Marielle’s testimony: how to avoid the post-baptismal “void”?

Therefore, it is essential to accompany and fully integrate these persons into our communities and our prayer assemblies after their baptism, offering them a family-like space and as integral a formation as possible, capable of encompassing the different aspects of Christian life and of favoring the unification of their faith with their life. 

Indeed, neophytes often have a thirst and need to deepen the foundations of the faith and of Christian prayer, to receive adequate formation from the biblical and theological point of view, to discover more and more the richness of doctrine, as well as the different dimensions of Christian moral action linked to the profession of faith.

Finally, they also need to be initiated and introduced into the liturgical life of the Church. In the testimonies we have also heard how the celebration of liturgical rites has been for some a gateway to the mystery of faith. After passing through this door, it is necessary to go further and discover the richness of the liturgy that sustains the whole life of faith. 

This is a fundamental area of the Church’s life that requires pastoral attention rooted in the teachings of the Second Vatican Council. Indeed, the liturgy cannot be considered a reality “subsequent” to catechesis, in which what has been learned throughout the itinerary would be put into practice. 

On the contrary, it manifests and actualizes the mystery of Christ’s Passover and is therefore the event capable of revealing the meaning of the Good News and of communicating the very life of God. With its rhythms, its languages and its rites, the liturgy forms an integral part of the path of conversion and of preparation for the sacraments.

To carry out this mission, the role of formators is essential. As the ancient tradition of the Church teaches us, it is a matter of preparing godfathers and godmothers of the community, especially formed to initiate neophytes. 

In the context of this formation, I recommend a deep knowledge of the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults. At the same time, it is necessary that pastoral agents be formed—not only in the biblical, theological, liturgical and spiritual life areas, but also in the area of human qualities—so that they know how to discern and guide those who have more complex and less linear life trajectories.

We heard it a moment ago: some come with a simple spiritual thirst, a search for meaning and an attraction to the Gospel; while others are marked by painful experiences, situations of loneliness and deep wounds. 

It is here that the style of closeness, compassion and tenderness acquires all its meaning: it is fitting to find a wise balance to welcome them, to listen to them and, at the same time, to encourage them to face the demanding challenges of the faith. 

On this path, the rhythm of the other must be respected, advancing progressively, with attention and in fraternal accompaniment. It is a matter of adopting the style of “walking together.” 

On the paths of the Christian faith we enrich one another and grow together: priests and laity, godparents and catechumens, pastoral agents and neophytes.

And yet, this is still not enough. The newly baptized are not called only to receive: their faith is a treasure offered to the Church of France and to the universal Church. I think of what happened with one of the most famous catechumens in history, Saint Augustine. 

He was initiated into the faith by Saint Ambrose, and his faith was barely a small seed when he was baptized. But that seed grew and multiplied, becoming a tree so large that, under its foliage, we can still find consolation today.

Looking at you, dear catechumens and neophytes, I see not only the fruit of the Spirit who has set you on the way, but also a promise of fruitfulness for the Church in France. Be, in your turn, missionaries of the Gospel in this society!

May the great witnesses of this beloved land sustain you on your path. I think of Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus, who teaches us, through her “little way,” how trust opens the doors of grace; I think of Saint Martin of Tours, an emblematic figure of sharing and fraternal charity. 

Together with so many other saints and holy women who have arisen from this land of France, they remind us that the mission is built today by preserving, above all, the presence of the Lord in daily life.

By welcoming one another, may you all together form the living people of the Church in France, capable of transmitting the faith. Invoking the maternal protection of the Virgin Mary, Principal Patroness of France, and the intercession of Saint Genevieve and Saint Denis, protectors of this city, I cordially impart to you my blessing.

Thank you and Godspeed!

Diocese is dying and the bishop doesn't notice?: The case of Gerona (Opinion)

The Diocese of Girona, in Catalonia, roughly corresponds to the province of the same name. 

The most recent figures, according to the diocese itself, speak of a population of around 930,000 inhabitants, 381 parishes and 12 annexes, 123 active priests (of whom 102 are diocesan incardinated, plus extra-diocesan priests, religious with pastoral charges and members of Opus Dei residing there), as well as 13 permanent deacons. 

The seat of the diocese is in the city of Girona, where the Cathedral of Santa Maria is located.

Beyond these official figures, it is worth turning to non-confessional press to see, alongside errors, some truths. 

In 2021, the Diari de Girona reported a very alarming fact: that the number of priests in Girona had been halved in the last twenty years. If Girona currently has 123 priests (the vast majority of advanced age), at the end of 2000 there were 246. 

The figure of 123 priests recorded at the end of 2020 is the lowest in recent years. On 31 December 2010, the diocese had 196 priests. The decline over ten years is therefore 37%.

In response to this reduction, the newspaper explained “that the drop in the number of priests has been accompanied by an increase in other figures that help the diocese to maintain its activity in the parishes. 

Thus, the number of permanent deacons has doubled in a decade (from 7 to 13 between 2010 and 2026), along with religious with diocesan pastoral charges, who a decade ago numbered only 15, while now they number 43; to which must be added the laity who can lead liturgies of the Word. 

Nothing new in this diocesan trick of projecting an image of normality and a healthy state of a Church that makes up for the lack of priests with permanent deacons and laity, with liturgies of the Word and extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion instead of Masses, making a virtue of necessity: presenting it as if it were something creative.

As for the future of the diocesan structure, in the present year of 2026, the Bishop of Girona has ordained one priest; between 2018 and 2021, two had been ordained. And, apparently, the seminary currently has two seminarians.

In short, it seems like another diocese in a moribund state. But it is a particular case of a highly conflictive diocese. Not long ago, after Bishop Francesc Pardo died on 31 March 2022, the diocese had no new bishop until April 2024! 

Two years with the see vacant; finally, the abbot of the Cistercian monastery of Poblet, Friar Octavi Vilà (as you know: “we want Catalan bishops”), was appointed bishop; a person whom various events show to have a weak character. 

It is more or less openly said that the long vacancy was due to the fact that NO ONE wanted to be bishop in that diocese, in which there exists a lobby of priests, the feared Fòrum Alsina, progressive geriatrics who make life impossible for any bishop, trying to maintain the outdated post-conciliar (and also nationalist) agenda. 

Not long ago, it seems that two African priests arrived in the diocese dressed in cassocks, who almost immediately began to wear only clerical collars due to pressure from this lobby of checkered shirts. That is how they operate.

Until about 12 years ago, the Fòrum Alsina was made up of 70 priests, a very significant number considering the total number in the diocese. They already made life impossible for the bishop before Pardo, Mons. Soler i Perdigó, forcing him to publicly state that the activity of this group “generates a doctrine parallel to the message of the Church.” 

Since its foundation, the members of the Fòrum Alsina have demanded, among other things, that the Church “adapt and commit more to the problems of the people.”

They also made life difficult for Bishop Francesc Pardo. In response to the bishop’s lament over the lack of vocations to the priesthood in 2015, the Fòrum Alsina published a statement in which, replying to the bishop, they proposed, among other things, a “radical” reform of the ministry, including women, making celibacy optional, and allowing a temporary commitment. 

In the manifesto, they pointed to attitudes “within the Church that should be set aside”; they attacked “the pyramidal structure and control far removed from the people; the ‘suffocating’ celebrations that distance people from the message of Jesus, as well as ‘temples and luxurious vestments,’ ‘empty and dogmatic language,’ and the scarce opportunities for participation that the grassroots have compared to ecclesiastical institutions.”

These checkered-shirt priests also demand realistic strategies for the renewal of the Church, strengthening the role of parishes and communities and encouraging the participation of the laity, to “help foster vocations in the Church,” which, they maintain, “must be humble, not impose itself, and stand by the most vulnerable.”

Nothing new under the sun. The typical outdated arguments of the spirit of the council, which has borne rotten fruit and which, in 2026, only makes sense to the boomers, but to no one else born after them. The ecclesial spring of the 1970s, in which they remain anchored, no longer interests almost anyone who represents future for the Church.

Today, they are in low hours, as many of them have died, others are retired (and without parish responsibilities), and others have been laicized, in addition to the fact that none of the young priests of the diocese have joined this decrepit forum. Even so, they continue to cause trouble. And they have been given a bishop of little character, so, despite their dwindling strength, they once again feel strong.

The decline of the diocese is such that the end of the 2025/26 academic year has been marked by the halving of the deaneries of the diocese, according to a decree signed by the bishop; going from thirteen to six. In a statement, the diocese maintains that the territorial reorganization aims to “adapt the pastoral organization to the current reality of the diocese.” 

That is, there are not enough priests to maintain the structure: the decree for the reorganization of the Diocese of Girona “takes into account the number of priests, the life of Christian communities, and the challenges of the evangelizing mission.” In reality, it means that the same few, mostly elderly priests are being given more parishes on their shoulders.

Alongside these figures, there is an important issue in the Diocese of Girona that must be highlighted: a significant number of parishes are located on the Costa Brava; that is, in top-level beach tourist destinations where, during the summer months, the number of faithful attending Sunday Mass increases exponentially. And how does the diocese respond? 

For now, this summer they have used their social media to boast of overflowing churches, even with people outside listening to Mass. 

We will cite just two examples of these videos, which can be seen both on the website and on the diocese’s Instagram account: In Calella, the indescribable priest Cinto Busquets, the one who has tweeted for Catalan independence every morning since 2017 and has prayed a sacrilegious independence version of the Our Father for years without anyone calling him to order, and his collaborators, who act as extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion, explain how at the beginning of Mass (which, to no one’s surprise, they simply call “Eucharist”) the priest asks the congregation about their different origins, projects texts and prayers of the Mass in different languages on a large screen, and proclaims the Gospel in up to four languages.

For its part, in the parish of Platja d’Aro, one of those that receives the most tourists in the summer months, the priest, wearing an alb and stole but no chasuble (like Busquets), also boasts of his team of lay collaborators, four people of both sexes, as seen in the video, who spend the Mass in the sanctuary dressed any which way, read the readings, pass the collection basket, and distribute Communion, even though the images show a small church with no more than 150 people. 

Belgians and French seem to be the most numerous groups here, but they endure the entire Mass in Catalan.

A revealing anecdote is that one of these collaborators, when asked about the tasks she performs in these Masses that receive a greater influx of faithful, specifies that they only do so on Saturdays and Sundays, “because the parish priest only opens the church on weekends,” in a tone that sounds like a reproach. A matrix glitch.

This is a Church turned into a Tower of Babel. No one understands anything, and languages are constantly mixed in a pathetic cacophony that would be easily resolved if Mass were celebrated in Latin, the universal language of the Church. In this way, people from anywhere in the world would feel at home and could follow the entire Mass with their bilingual missals. 

Nor would extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion be necessary if there were a communion rail, which is an orderly and efficient way for the priest alone to distribute Communion, with the help of an acolyte holding the paten so that the host or any particle does not fall to the ground. 

But do not tell the priests of the Fòrum Alsina that the Church already had effective ways for crowds of any nationality to hear Mass and receive Communion without the priest needing a regiment of assistants walking through the church, including the sanctuary, incessantly…

To top it all off, Hakuna has arrived in Girona. For now, they only celebrate a weekly Holy Hour in the street!, with a small group of young and not-so-young people who gather to play the guitar and sing their childish pop songs before the Blessed Sacrament, illuminated, with a minimal monstrance, on a plastic table, with a couple of candles. They are nominated for the Latin Emmys! 

What greater distinction could Catholic musicians aspire to? That Hakuna has arrived in Girona is the height of revitalization, the diocesan youth delegation seems to consider. 

An exciting green shoot that will attract young people like bees to a flower. At last year’s Advent retreat, they even blessed the so-called “Mother of Hakuna,” one of the elements of the watermark of adoration of Hakuna, as Carlos Balén aptly called it.

Although the good news from Hakuna is not shared by all: the pamphlet El Punt Avui, for example, lamented in 2023 the “young ultracatholics on the rise in Catalonia, oblivious to the own and historical way of doing things in the parishes and the young people of the country” (when they say country, they mean the autonomous community of Catalonia). 

Those young people and that country that have apostatized en masse, he forgot to say; something very evident in Girona.

In the midst of this desert and this generalized decrepitude, however, there exists, like a beautiful flower grown in a crack in the asphalt, a young and growing traditional community in the diocese that has long been seeking a church to celebrate the vetus ordo Mass, to which the diocese unfortunately does not respond and does not cede any church. 

On the contrary, in response to requests from various members of that community, such a possibility is denied to them. A true green shoot. 

But precisely the only one of the “all, all, all” that has no place in the current Church.

All this reminds me of a text published in Germinans Germinabit a few years ago that described the different situations of decline that any diocese, almost all dioceses, experience, but in the face of which bishops not only turn a blind eye but do not even want to hear about it. 

The same portal recently addressed the painful but true reality that “in Rome they want bishops who are silent administrators of ecclesial decrepitude; who do not stand out in anything. 

Neither in theological studies, nor in preaching, nor in governance. Gray profiles, who have no character (…). Who keep the diocese in an induced coma and do not bother the government. 

The profile they are asking for is so narrow that there is no room even for a good village priest. They do not want to appoint good, capable, or pious priests as bishops.

The consequence of all this, which has been happening for decades, is evident to anyone who is not the bishop and his unconditional priests and clericalized synodal laity: many dioceses, in general, and the Diocese of Girona in particular, are dying. 

And what does the bishop do? 

He flees forward, multiplying even more the activities and news, however minimal, in his social media, without the slightest self-criticism.

Duluth Diocese officially begins canonization cause for Minnesota priest Joseph Buh

The Diocese of Duluth, Minnesota officially launched a formal canonization cause for the 19th century Slovenian-born missionary priest, Monsignor Joseph Buh, who now holds the title of “servant of God” in the Catholic Church.

“It is humbling to know that we stand in a moment of history that the Holy Spirit has chosen to be able to bring forth Monsignor Joseph Buh, not only for days past, but for the present moment, as we are experiencing once again a Catholic revival in the Diocese of Duluth,” Bishop Daniel Felton said at the opening of the Sept. 22 Mass for Buh’s cause for canonization.

Felton celebrated the Mass at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Rosary in Duluth. He was joined by a representative of the Slovenian government, a representative of the Catholic Church in Slovenia, representatives for local indigenous communities, and representatives of the Slovenian American community.

A person’s official cause for canonization typically begins at the local level, with the diocesan bishop launching the investigation. In June, Felton consulted with the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), which voted to support Felton’s inquiry into Buh’s cause.

Buh, who was born in 1833 and died in 1922, ministered to poor immigrants and indigenous people, including the Ojibwe, and helped establish more than 50 parishes in the area. If Buh were canonized, he would be the first saint from Minnesota.

“As Monsignor Buh is with us, he would be the first one to say, ‘this isn’t about me — it’s about the way that God chose me to bring the healing, to bring the hope, to bring the joy of Jesus to others,’” Felton said. “And so we too acknowledge tonight, it’s not about us. It’s all about Jesus.”

In his homily, Felton said there is no better description of Buh than “servant of God,” which now is his official title. He said, “that was his one desire, [it] was to be a servant of God.” He said Buh “wanted to be a disciple of Christ, just growing closer to Jesus in all ways.”

Felton referenced the Gospel reading of the Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit descended on the apostles and “would carry them to the place that the Holy Spirit desired for them.” He said in the early 1900s, “that same Spirit was hovering over the Diocese of Duluth in a great moment of revival.”

The bishop noted that Buh, when ministering to the indigenous communities and others, would always live with that community and learn the language, “and it was only when he knew that language, the language of the people, that ultimately he would know their hurts and their pains, he would know how they were filled with despair, he would know their tribulations in life.”

“And only when he actually knew that in his heart and he could speak that language of the people, only then secondly, did he always begin to talk about Jesus, to put Jesus on center stage, to say Jesus is healing to your hurts, Jesus is hope to your despair, Jesus is joy to your tribulations,” Felton said.

Now that Buh is a servant of God, the diocese will perform an inquiry into his life and submit its findings to the Vatican’s Dicastery for the Causes of Saints, which will determine whether to move forward with his cause.

Pope Leo XIV at Maison Bakhita: "No one is so poor that they have nothing to give"

Pope Leo XIV began his second day in France this Saturday, September 26, with a visit to the Maison Bakhita in Paris, a center for social accompaniment and integration where he affirmed the dignity of the most vulnerable and recalled that Christian charity does not consist solely in assisting those in need, but also in recognizing what each person can contribute.

The meeting marks the first public engagement of a day that will continue at the Institut Catholique of Paris, with members of the Provincial Synodal Assembly, catechumens and neophytes, and will conclude in the French capital with the Mass that Pope Leo XIV will celebrate this afternoon in the Place de la Concorde before traveling to Lourdes.

“No one is so poor that they have nothing to give”

The Pope focused much of his greeting on the reciprocity that must characterize Christian charity. Pope Leo XIV maintained that no person finds themselves in a situation of absolute poverty that prevents them from offering something to others, and that, likewise, no one possesses so much that they do not need to receive from another.

From this perspective, the Pontiff presented the encounter with one’s neighbor not as a unilateral relationship between the one who helps and the one who receives help, but as an exchange of gifts in which the presence of the other can also become a place of encounter with God.

The reflection came after hearing the testimonies of an Afghan refugee, a person assisted by the association À Bras Ouverts, and another linked to Aux Captifs la Libération. 

Before the interventions, Pope Leo XIV had unveiled a commemorative plaque inside the center.

The poor and the Incarnation of Christ

Pope Leo XIV directly linked service to the poor with the mystery of the Incarnation. 

Citing the apostolic exhortation Dilexi te, he recalled that for Christians the poor cannot be reduced to a mere sociological category, because in them Christ in need is made present in a particular way.

The Pope insisted that faith in the Incarnation cannot remain in the realm of an abstract affirmation. 

Recognizing Christ made flesh also implies recognizing him in those who hunger or thirst, are sick, deprived of freedom, or going through situations of abandonment and vulnerability.

Hence, charity, he noted, requires stepping out of oneself and concretely approaching those who need welcome, listening, formation, and friendship.

Saint Josephine Bakhita and those who “are not seen”

The Pontiff took as his reference Saint Josephine Bakhita, after whom the center is named, to recall the Christian obligation to pay attention to those who remain invisible and to those whom contemporary economic and cultural dynamics subject to new forms of slavery.

Pope Leo XIV also highlighted, drawing on the figure of the Sudanese saint, the role of women in building a “civilization of love” in the face of a culture that, he warned, disintegrates communities and fosters loneliness in cities.

The Pope also contrasted two ways of leaving a mark on history. Against those who seem to impose themselves by occupying spaces through power, he highlighted those who know how to make space for others, generate trust, and set in motion processes of peace.

The Church as a body where no one is superfluous

Pope Leo XIV later turned to the First Letter of Saint Paul to the Corinthians to explain that those who appear weakest are also necessary within the body. 

He recalled that the first Christian community of Corinth was made up of men and women of very different origins and social conditions, including many poor people and slaves.

The Pontiff applied this Pauline image to the work carried out by the Maison Bakhita and other similar institutions in France. 

Attention to the most vulnerable, he explained, is not a secondary addition to Christian life, but an expression of communion in which the different members need and care for one another.

Pope Leo XIV thanked the work of the Archdiocese of Paris, the Scalabrinian Sisters, the collaborators and volunteers who sustain the center, and encouraged them to continue through fraternal welcome, formation, and dialogue with the city.

ADDRESS OF THE HOLY FATHER POPE LEO XIV

Dear brothers and sisters, good morning!

I am pleased to begin this second day in Paris with you, in this house that bears witness to the entire city that it is possible to meet and live together with dignity and peace. 

I thank the Archdiocese of Paris, the Scalabrinian Sisters, as well as all the animators and volunteers who give life to this place and serve those who find here welcome, listening, formation, and friendship. I extend a special “thank you” to those who have shared their testimony.

The name of this Center for Social Accompaniment and Integration, which refers to Saint Josephine Bakhita, invites us to recognize the fundamental role of women in building a civilization of love, as an alternative to the culture that disintegrates communities and sickens cities with loneliness. 

The history of the Church and of humanity, if we look at it more closely, is not written by those who seem to win by imposing themselves and occupying space, but by those who “make space,” establish processes of peace, generate trust, and foster life. 

These are not mere sentiments, but decisions and commitments against the current, whose public importance and promise for the future we understand more and more. Saint Bakhita invites us to see those who are made invisible, to free those whom the economy and culture today reduce to slavery, to honor the infinite dignity of every brother and sister, in whom Jesus himself comes to knock at our door.

Dear friends, “the reality is that the poor, for Christians, are not a sociological category, but the very flesh of Christ. Indeed, it is not enough to limit oneself to enunciating in a general way the doctrine of the incarnation of God; to seriously enter into this mystery it is necessary, instead, to specify that the Lord becomes flesh, flesh that hungers, that thirsts, that is sick, imprisoned” (Apost. Exhort. Dilexi te, 110). 

The poor and crucified Christ allows himself to be found and loved through these men and women who invite us to step out of ourselves and to practice charity.

Brothers and sisters, the most important intuition that inspires your commitment has to do with the exchange of gifts that is renewed in every encounter. No one is so poor that they have nothing to give; no one is so rich that they have nothing to receive. 

There is only life in abundance where the limits of each one open to the mysterious presence of others, in whom is the Other par excellence, the God of life, who draws near to us. This does not deny the suffering that sin has introduced into history, but it helps us not to remain prisoners of it. 

We proclaim that redemption is possible, that it has already begun, that it is underway, and that it involves us, as living members of the Body of Christ.

And let us not forget that “the eye cannot say to the hand, ‘I do not need you’; nor can the head say to the feet, ‘I do not need you.’ On the contrary, the members of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable” (1 Cor 12:21-22). These words of Saint Paul are addressed to the Christians of Corinth, one of the richest and most dynamic metropolises of his time. 

There, the Gospel had been welcomed by people of diverse origins and social backgrounds, among whom there were many poor and slaves (cf. 1 Cor 1:26-29), as some of you today. “God,” the Apostle continues, “has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the inferior member, that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another” (1 Cor 12:24-25).

I therefore thank you for your work, as well as all those who, throughout France, dedicate themselves to this service in similar institutions. Continue to bear witness to this mutual care which, through fraternal welcome, processes of formation, and dialogue with the city, lifts the spirit and humanizes the world. 

May Saint Bakhita and the great witnesses of charity who have shaped the presence of the Church in France, especially in times of turbulent change, intercede for you. Thank you, may the Lord bless you.

Pope Leo XIV to the youth of France: "The source of true freedom is the living relationship with Jesus"

The Pope made a call to the young people gathered this Friday, September 25, at the Stade de France to take the path of holiness and to understand freedom not as the absence of bonds, but from a living relationship with Jesus Christ. 

“Good gives life, it never takes it away; good cares, it does not take for itself,” the Pontiff affirmed during the meditation he delivered at the vigil held in Saint-Denis.

After the dialogue previously held with two young French people, the litanies of the saints, and a moment of recollection before the relics present in the stadium, the Pope structured his meditation around three verbs taken from the first letter of Saint Paul to Timothy: “flee,” “strive,” and “fight.”

Meditation with the Holy Father

In the night, the light seems even more dazzling to us. 

Thus, dear young people, we have listened together to the words of Saint Paul. We want to hold them high, like a torch that illuminates not only the prayer of each one, but the entire history of the Church. 

The apostle observes his time and welcomes the divine inspiration, that is, the Holy Spirit, who always opens luminous perspectives of the future. 

Yes, God is the Lord of history and, whatever happens, He leads it toward salvation: in Christ every evil has an end, precisely because the end becomes the beginning of a new and eternal life.

Dear friends, to illuminate our time and transform the present in the light of the Spirit, let us remember above all that we too, like Timothy, are men and women of God. This expression —of God— chosen by Saint Paul, refers to a relationship, not to a possession. 

Whoever lives of God is free: free from everything that obscures life, making it empty and meaningless. Young people of France, you carry in your heart an immense desire for freedom, a word that resonates strongly in your culture. 

What, then, is the source of true freedom? Jesus indicates it clearly to us when He tells us that the truth will set us free (cf. Jn 8,32); and that the Truth is Himself (cf. Jn 14,6). Here, then, is the source of true freedom: the living relationship with Jesus.

The company of the Lord, in fact, gives wisdom to our projects and beauty to the desires we carry in our hearts. God passes through our soul like light, calling us to permanent renewal, to a conversion that gives full meaning to existence, because it makes us protagonists of a story that moves from confusion to the search for truth; from indifference to the commitment to justice. 

Saint Paul expresses this with three verbs that challenge our freedom: flee, strive, fight. 

The apostle writes to Timothy: first, “flee from these things,” that is, pride, vanity, violence, and greed (cf. 1 Tm 6,4.10). These are all feelings that take hold of us and dominate us. The selfishness that characterizes them hides a terrifying loneliness. 

To enjoy the closeness of God and human fraternity, it is therefore necessary to reject that greed that consumes relationships without giving anything in return and that fills us with things without nourishing us. 

That way of life pushes us to have everything, but to be no one; to receive a great number of “likes,” but remaining alone with ourselves.

When we decide not to follow that style, then we begin to strive toward “righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness” (v. 11). 

Yes, whoever lives of God strives toward what is best: he is in constant training. He seeks virtue, that is, the strength that makes him good and true. Dear friends, the dynamic that characterizes Christian existence has a precise name: it is called the path of holiness. It is the path that the Lord opens before each one of us, accompanying us along the way. 

And how many sons and daughters of this beloved land of France have allowed themselves to be guided by this path! 

Let us think, for example, of Blessed Marcel Callo, a young Frenchman, scout and worker who, in the darkness of the concentration camp, never ceased to strive toward good, preserving his inner freedom.

As we advance on this path toward holiness, it becomes clear that it is not enough to avoid evil: we must choose good. It is not an abstract principle, nor an obvious statement: choosing good is the proper action of freedom, and in carrying it out, freedom itself is realized, corrected, and matures. 

To make the right decision, remember this criterion: good gives life, it never takes it away; good cares, it does not take for itself. Good is not a nice concept, but the radiant face of love: it is God Himself! 

The virtues that Saint Paul presents to us as reflections of His goodness are these: justice toward humanity; piety and faith toward God; charity toward all; patience toward those who make us suffer; gentleness that distinguishes those who seek peace with a pure heart. 

The principles of equality and fraternity that inspire your society find here their foundation: more than simple legal prescriptions, they are radical and courageous decisions of a free heart. 

Making these qualities our own is not only a moral commitment: it is the decision to become authentic men and women, free from concessions. In this regard, the apostle gives us a third verb: fight. In fact, fleeing from evil and striving toward good implies fighting. 

Yes, fighting as Saint Paul did, often depicted with a sword in his hands, a sign of the Word of God, “the sword of the Spirit” (Eph 6,17). This verb resonates strongly here in France, the land of Saint Joan of Arc, a young woman who knew how to fight with boldness. But beware: the fight to which we are called is that of faith, that is, the commitment to live according to the Gospel, as disciples of Jesus, the Son of God who makes us all brothers and sisters. 

It is in His name that we have the strength of the righteous to resist temptation. In His name we have the perseverance of the meek, to dedicate ourselves to good. Our fight is not a battle against others; it does not resort to the weapons of violence, contempt, or oppression. 

Our only weapon is love that gives itself. We know, unfortunately, that there are forces contrary to our bond with God, powers that seek to divide people and peoples, setting them against each other. 

These evils not only have a violent face, but sometimes also assume an insidious appearance, because they promise precisely what they take from us: happiness. 

But when we feel enveloped in their darkness, the light of the Holy Spirit illuminates and strengthens us: tonight, therefore, let us choose together the virtues we must cultivate to follow the Lord.

We are not alone on this path toward holiness, because we walk it united with all our brothers and sisters who surround us. In fact, they experience it tonight and during great gatherings like the World Youth Days. Moreover, we have the saints as allies: they are friends who sustain us in trials. 

Dear friends, when life’s decisions require courage, turn to their intercession and imitate their example: as we have sung in the litanies, the breath of the saints assures us that we are never alone in prayer, never alone in the Church. 

Especially at this time, let us ask for their help to be artisans of peace: the eternal desire of God and the constant commitment of humanity! Tonight I have mentioned some of them. Let us also ask Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus to teach us her “little way” of daily love, the solid foundation of all lasting peace.

The Lord makes this peace a reality through the Covenant He establishes with all of us through Jesus Christ. That is why, in pointing out the foundation of our experience of faith, Saint Paul speaks not only of what we can do in responding to God, but also of what God does for us. 

The apostle summarizes it in an episode: Jesus before Pilate, the truth of love facing the hypocrisy of power. The “good fight” coincides, then, with the “beautiful testimony” (cf. 1 Tm 6,12-13). This is shown by the use of the same adjective: kalos, which here means well done. The work well done, that which is good, is the redemption that Jesus accomplishes for us. In His fight against sin and death, the victory of Christ frees us all: He saves us from all evil, He invites us to all good.

In this light, let us contemplate the two relics we have before our eyes: the tunic and the cross. One was taken from Christ; the other was given to Christ. In this sense, both are signs of His passion: Jesus is stripped of His tunic to cover us with the white garment, washed “in the blood of the Lamb” (Rev 7,14). Thus the cross, from an instrument of death, becomes a sign of hope: together, therefore, the tunic and the cross represent us, us the Church that is born from the life of God given to the world. 

Dear young people, to grow in holiness and improve our society, be luminous witnesses of this Gospel, that is, of the good news that is Christ Himself, our Savior: “To Him be honor and eternal power. Amen” (1 Tm 6,16).

The visit in France continues

The meeting ended with the hymn of compline, the prayer, the blessing, and the singing of the Salve Regina. 

With the vigil of Saint-Denis, Leo XIV closed the first day of his apostolic journey to France, which will continue until Monday, September 28, with stops in Paris, Lourdes, and Metz.

The agenda will continue this Saturday, September 26, at 9:00 a.m. with a visit to Maison Bakhita, a center for social accompaniment and integration in Paris. 

At 10:15 a.m., the Pope will meet at the Catholic Institute of Paris with members of the Provincial Synodal Assembly, catechumens, and neophytes, and at 3:00 p.m. he will celebrate Holy Mass in the Place de la Concorde.

In the afternoon, Leo XIV will depart from Orly Airport for Lourdes, where his arrival is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. 

The day will conclude at 7:40 p.m. with the Pontiff’s prayer at the Grotto of Massabielle, in the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes.

Pope calls for humility before the Mystery and liturgical celebrations "with dignity and decorum" from Notre Dame

Pope Leo XIV presided over Vespers this Friday at Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris, where he reaffirmed the centrality of liturgy and the Eucharist in the life of the Church and urged bishops, priests, deacons, and consecrated persons to celebrate always “with dignity and decorum.”

 “The cathedral is not a stone shell meant to be admired: it lives from the sacred mystery celebrated within it. Deprived of liturgical action, it would lose its soul,” he stated.

The meeting with French bishops, priests, deacons, consecrated persons, and seminarians was the main ecclesial event of the first day of Pope Leo XIV’s apostolic journey to France. 

The Pope arrived at Notre-Dame after visiting the Élysée Palace in the morning and, in the afternoon, the UNESCO headquarters.

The celebration also carried strong symbolic weight. Seven years have passed since the fire that devastated part of the Parisian cathedral on April 15, 2019; it was reopened for worship in December 2024 after extensive restoration.

Notre-Dame “lives from the sacred mystery celebrated within it”

Pope Leo XIV began by recalling the fire that held the world in suspense and affirmed that the global reaction proved the cathedral represents far more than a historic monument. “In this place beats the heart of a people,” he said.

The Pope thanked those who worked on the reconstruction and highlighted the pastoral project developed after the reopening. Yet he wished to recall the ultimate reason why Notre-Dame—and every other Catholic church—exists.

“We must not forget that the purpose for which this temple, like all others, was built is prayer and the praise of God,” he noted.

The center of that life is the Eucharist, in which the Christian community renews “the redemptive sacrifice of Christ.” Hence, according to Pope Leo XIV, a cathedral deprived of liturgical action would lose “its soul.”

Celebrations “with dignity and decorum”

The Pontiff devoted one of the central passages of the homily directly to French priests and bishops. In an age he described as “lacking fullness, depth, and promises,” he maintained that liturgy can become “a glimmer of hope” and “an oasis of peace” within a “hyper-connected and noisy” society.

“To those of you who celebrate the Eucharist daily, I ask that you ensure liturgical celebrations are always marked by dignity and decorum, even in smaller communities,” he exhorted.

Pope Leo XIV urged them to be “conscious heirs of the Fathers and Saints of the Church” who, over the centuries, handed on “the profound meaning and beauty of the liturgy,” always showing humility before the Mystery celebrated.

The Pope linked this heritage to the Second Vatican Council and, specifically, to the constitution Sacrosanctum Concilium, before calling on bishops, priests, deacons, and consecrated persons to “cultivate an authentic love for the liturgy.”

“The Christian community is not a refuge”

Another key theme of the homily was the Church’s mission in a secularized society. Drawing on St. Paul’s words—“God sent his Son”—Pope Leo XIV argued that the Incarnation prevents us from viewing Christian faith as an escape from the challenges of our time.

“The Christian community is not a refuge in which to withdraw and protect itself from its age,” he stated. Rather, it must offer itself as “a space of welcome, respect, revelation, and meaning for all.”

The Pontiff asked the French clergy and consecrated persons to let themselves be inspired by the reconstruction of Notre-Dame and to give priority to the “missionary conversion” proposed by Pope Francis in Evangelii gaudium.

This mission, he added, must not be limited to Paris or major urban centers. Pope Leo XIV explicitly mentioned peripheral and rural areas and called for a Church that is “living, multiform, and close,” from the north of the country to the Mediterranean and France’s overseas territories.

He also highlighted the role of the laity, whom he described as “the living vanguard of the Church at the crossroads of daily life.”

Communion with the Successor of Peter above “personal sensibilities”

Pope Leo XIV also connected liturgical celebration with ecclesial unity and made a specific request of those present: “Place communion with the Successor of Peter and with the Church above personal sensibilities, in order to foster the unity of the people of God.”

For the Pope, liturgy must reflect a reality in which “authority becomes service” and eucharistic communion generates fraternity and solidarity.

“Together we will be the prophecy that a reconciled world is possible,” he affirmed.

The Pope asks the French clergy to recover silent prayer

In the final part of the homily, Pope Leo XIV addressed especially those called to priestly or religious life and urged them not to neglect their personal relationship with Christ.

Citing a reflection by the French mystic Madeleine Delbrêl, he recalled that personal prayer is “the essential foundation of every vocation” and called on priests, seminarians, and consecrated persons to nurture their interior life “by always drinking from the source of God’s infinite love in silent prayer.”

Mission, he insisted, does not arise primarily from structures or programs, but from “that intimate relationship with the Lord.”

Pope Leo XIV concluded by turning his gaze toward the medieval image of the Virgin and Child that survived the fire at Notre-Dame and entrusted the future of the French Church to Mary: “Holy Mary, Notre-Dame of Paris and Mother of the Church, pray for the French people, sustain their shepherds, and walk always at our side.”

Full Homily of Pope Leo XIV at Notre-Dame de Paris

Dear brothers and sisters:

Evening prayer gathers us in this place which, for centuries more than any other, invites Paris to lift its gaze to heaven. Seven years have passed since the whole world, holding its breath, watched the cathedral consumed by a terrible fire. Even then we raised our eyes, bewildered, aware of human powerlessness before the unforeseen. That pain was not only that of Catholics, nor even of believers. In that dramatic hour we understood that Notre-Dame is much more than a monument. Everyone’s participation in its reconstruction and, today, the splendor of the result, show that in this place beats the heart of a people; that we stand at the vital center of a civilization; that here past and future embrace and heaven and earth meet.

I wished to meet you in this emblematic place of the Church in France. It is a joy for me to have crossed its threshold only moments ago, as thousands of brothers and sisters do each day, arriving here from every corner of the world. Simply entering places us before a beauty that speaks to our restless heart and calls it to peace. By returning this space to all humanity, we have understood how deeply each visitor can be renewed by what is seen, heard, and experienced. The public, ecclesial, and private institutions involved in the restoration of Notre-Dame have thus contributed, each with its specific gift, to reactivating the cultural, existential, and spiritual paths the cathedral offers. In this context, the Church has understood its mission not only in terms of preservation but also of creativity, living tradition with the boldness of those who have faith and look toward Hope. I therefore thank Archbishop Laurent Ulrich, his collaborators, and the diocesan community of Paris, who have likewise conceived a pastoral itinerary of first proclamation and Christian initiation accessible to all. The baptistery, placed at the entrance as a blessing and an invitation, is a sign of this.

The reconstruction of the cathedral has been an occasion for an encounter that has widened spaces of welcome and participation beyond the borders of ecclesial belonging. Dear bishops, priests, deacons, consecrated persons, and seminarians of France: let yourselves be inspired by what has happened here! Give priority to Evangelii gaudium, that is, to the missionary conversion of which Pope Francis gave witness from his very first Apostolic Exhortation.

In the Letter to the Galatians we heard the reason why we must not be afraid: “God sent his Son” (Gal 4:4). He sent him among us, into our world! In the Pauline text the verb describes a real, historical event, not ideal circumstances. Christians do not flee from complexity, because God himself has called them to follow his Son in a world already inhabited, already in motion, already marked by the miseries and goodness of human beings. The way of the cross certainly reveals the darkness that runs through the world, but even more radically the love of God that triumphs over death.

The cruciform plan of the cathedral, where stone and light merge, evokes the meeting of earth and heaven. It gathers and orders the events of history, woven of human joys and sufferings. It holds them together in a symbolic dynamic that builds a living language from diverse expressions, integrating them into a unity.

Dear friends, from the Incarnation—“God sent his Son”—flows the identity of the Church, called always to be “on the way out.” As disciples of Christ, you know well that the Christian community is not a refuge in which to withdraw and protect itself from its age. On the contrary, like the ancient cathedrals, it offers itself as a space of welcome, respect, revelation, and meaning for all. Herein lies the strength of a living Church: to welcome the periphery already present in its heart, to welcome those who are far yet in reality already near, to welcome the stranger in whom Christ already knocks at the door.

If Notre-Dame is a sign of this encounter at the heart of Paris, all the more so may the other cities and regions of France, even the most peripheral and rural, be transfigured by a missionary presence that is simple and benevolent, helping also to harmonize cultural differences and heal the wounds present in our societies. From the coasts of the North to the Mediterranean, from the inland regions to the Overseas Departments, be a living, multiform, and close Church. Poverty of means does not prevent mission, because it is the grace of God that makes possible interior freedom and simplicity of life, so that an evangelical style may shine forth. In all this, confidently value the missionary presence of the lay faithful, who are the living vanguard of the Church at the crossroads of daily life.

Brothers and sisters: we must not forget that the purpose for which this temple, like all others, was built is prayer and the praise of God. It is the place where the Christian community celebrates the highest form of prayer and praise, renewing in the Eucharist the redemptive sacrifice of Christ. The cathedral is not a stone shell meant to be admired: it lives from the sacred mystery celebrated within it. Deprived of liturgical action, it would lose its soul. Here at Notre-Dame this truth is evident in the placement of the altar at the center of the space. Thus the community that praises the Lord stands at the heart of the building, and visitors, even during celebrations, walk around it and contemplate it. The Church thus appears as it is: a living organism, a believing community that gathers in praise all that culture and Tradition hand on to it. It is a body that, in celebrating, manifests to all the reason for its existence.

Today more than ever we live in an age that seems to lack fullness, depth, and promises. The noble simplicity of chant, word, and liturgical gesture can represent for many a glimmer of hope, an oasis of peace in a hyper-connected and noisy society, where it is possible to experience the presence of the Author of the greatest love: “When the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son” (Gal 4:4). The celebration of the liturgical year, of Sunday and the feasts, also makes us contemporaries of Christ, attentive to the different moments of his life, entirely given to the Father for the world. In this way we become more sensitive and open to the signs of the times. Indeed, the communal listening to the Scriptures and prayer allow us to contemplate historical events in the light of God, becoming more aware of our responsibilities, capable of unmasking unjust power relations and preserving the seeds of justice and peace. It is hope, then, that animates us, not resignation. From this are born bonds of greater fraternity and networks of solidarity, the fruit of communion in the one Sacrifice of Christ.

To those of you who celebrate the Eucharist daily, I ask that you ensure liturgical celebrations are always marked by dignity and decorum, even where smaller communities gather. Be conscious heirs of the Fathers and Saints of the Church who, over the centuries, have handed on to us the profound meaning and beauty of the liturgy, always bearing witness to great humility before the Mystery celebrated. The Second Vatican Council, whose richness owes much to France, eminently received and deepened this heritage, recognizing its central place in ecclesial life (cf. Sacrosanctum Concilium, 10). I therefore exhort all of you—bishops, priests, deacons, and consecrated persons—to cultivate an authentic love for the liturgy and to be witnesses and servants of the prophetic, priestly, and royal vocation of the entire people of God.

In this, liturgy remains a reflection of life. Eucharistic joy is affirmed and spreads wherever harmony is recovered, wherever dignity is reborn, wherever authority becomes service, wherever freedom opens a path anew. This is the greatest gift we can share. Therefore, place communion with the Successor of Peter and with the Church above personal sensibilities, in order to foster the unity of the people of God. Together we will be the prophecy that a reconciled world is possible.

Dear bishops, priests, seminarians, and consecrated persons: to you who have been called to follow Christ, I thank you for your response and your fidelity to the Lord. Never neglect that friendship, desired by the Lord, which must be cultivated in personal prayer, the essential foundation of every vocation. As Madeleine Delbrêl said: “Without prayer, we will not love God with love. Perhaps we may be his servants or his fighters, or even his disciples; but we will not be loving children of our Father nor friends […] of Jesus Christ” (The Joy of Believing, Santander 1997, p. 213). Therefore, care for your interior life with the Lord in the light of the school of the many saints who have preceded you, always drinking from the source of God’s infinite love in silent prayer. Your mission springs above all from that intimate relationship with the Lord, who awaits you there.

In the heart of the city, the open cathedral is a sign of a community that praises the Lord and lives hospitality as the very form of its existence, so that all may feel at home, without being dominated or marginalized in a changing world. “God sent his Son, born of a woman, […] so that we might receive adoption as children” (Gal 4:4-5). And “if a child, then also an heir” (Gal 4:7). Heirs by grace, brothers and sisters gathered here, it now belongs to each of you, to this praying and living assembly, to become flesh and voice of this promise. Shepherds and consecrated persons of France, you are called to be the first guardians of this open house, living stones of a Church that hopes and does not fear the future. This cathedral has been reborn so that you may be reborn with it in a new impulse of holiness and daily mission. In the midst of your people, be a transparent expression of the divine motherhood of the Church which, bearing witness to God’s love, rebuilds and heals the human family.

Let us lift our gaze toward the fourteenth-century image of the Virgin and Child, which the fire did not reach and which shines anew before us. May Mary, who bore the Word in her womb, keep her fidelity and be the star that guides the mission of the Church in France. Holy Mary, Notre-Dame of Paris and Mother of the Church, pray for the French people, sustain their shepherds, and walk always at our side.