French Bishops Praise Pope Leo XIV's Visit as a Moment of Grace and Mission
Following Pope Leo XIV's apostolic journey to France and UNESCO, the Permanent Council of the French Bishops' Conference issued a message of gratitude and called for renewed commitment to peace and evangelization amid national tensions.
The Permanent Council of the Conference of French Bishops has published a message to the people of God following Pope Leo XIV's apostolic journey to France and his address at UNESCO. The bishops describe the visit as an immense grace for the Church in France and for the entire country, comparing the experience to a new Pentecost.
In their message, the bishops express profound gratitude for the days of joy and communion shared with the faithful. They highlight the gentleness of the pope's gestures and the clarity of his words, which consistently invited people to cling to Christ and to care for the dignity of all life and the unity of the human family. «Pastor for us, pilgrim among us, the pope strengthened our faith, stimulated our charity and revived our hope,» they write.
The bishops give thanks for the vast crowds that gathered in Paris, Saint-Denis, Lourdes and Metz to pray with Pope Leo XIV. People came from all corners of France, of all ages and backgrounds, in the diversity of their states of life. This gathering, they say, encouraged them to move forward in unity and with boldness on the paths of mission.
They also acknowledge those who do not share the Christian faith but were touched by a word, a gesture or an encounter during the visit. In a French society marked by anxieties, the bishops see the event as a moment of fraternity that reached millions of people in France and around the world.
Looking ahead, the bishops emphasize that their joy is also a call, a responsibility and a sending forth. They believe that what the Holy Spirit began through this journey is far broader than what was programmed in parishes, dioceses and communities. They invite the faithful to learn to collaborate with the Spirit, to care for the seeds sown during the visit and to accompany their growth.
Amid grave tensions currently affecting the country, the bishops urge the memory of these moments to help them become artisans of peace. At the school of the Virgin Mary, they ask that what they experienced be kept in their hearts and meditated upon, so that their joy may remain and transform into commitment to proclaim the Gospel and serve the common good, so that the world may have life.
The message is signed by Cardinal Jean-Marc Aveline, president of the CEF and archbishop of Marseille, along with the two vice-presidents, Bishop Benoît Bertrand of Pontoise and Bishop Vincent Jordy of Tours, as well as other members of the Permanent Council, including Archbishop Laurent Ulrich of Paris and several bishops from dioceses across France.
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