French bishops urge young Catholics to answer protest with love
In a letter addressed to young Catholics in France, the Conference of Bishops of France calls for avoiding pride, violence and greed, and for acting as Christians in the face of the concerns troubling young people.
The Conference of Bishops of France, through its leaders for Youth Ministry, has published a "Letter to the Young Catholics of France" to respond to the concerns and expectations expressed in recent weeks by many high school and university students. The text, signed by Bishop Jean-Philippe Nault, bishop in charge of Youth Ministry, and by Father Christophe Danset, national delegate for the same ministry, invites young believers to find in faith an answer to their doubts about the future.
The letter recalls that about three weeks earlier, young Catholics had gathered at the Stade de France around Pope Leo XIV for a prayer vigil described as joyful and fervent. A few days later, a large protest movement began in high schools and then in universities across the country. The authors believe this movement reflects a search for meaning, a deep anxiety about the changes in today's world, and the feeling, shared by many, of not having satisfactory prospects for the future.
While acknowledging the legitimacy of the demonstrations, which were authorized, the bishops deplore that they were accompanied by violence, damage, looting and clashes, which leave a great bitterness among those who believe in peace. The text thus addresses young people both as witnesses to a collective concern and as actors in a society they are called to transform.
The message echoes the words of Pope Leo XIV, who, during the vigil at the Stade de France, had declared: "You are the saints of France." He encouraged young people to take their place and to become "the actors of a history that moves from confusion to the search for truth." To accomplish this mission, the pope proposed three verbs that appeal to freedom: avoid, strive and fight.
To avoid, according to the pope, means "pride, violence, greed." To strive means aiming for "justice toward humanity; piety and faith toward God; charity toward all; patience toward those who make us suffer; the gentleness that characterizes those who seek peace with a pure heart." As for the fight, it must be waged for what one believes to be just, but always as a Christian. The pope specified: "Our struggle is not a struggle against others; it does not use the weapons of violence, contempt or oppression. Our only weapon is that of self-giving love."
The bishops invite each young person to seek, alone or in a group, within the chaplaincy, a prayer group or an association, the concrete way to bear witness to their faith today. They recall that France is a democracy in which everyone can get involved in what they believe is just and good and express their ideas. They recommend taking time for prayer and shared reflection in order to understand where the Lord is calling each one.
The letter concludes on a note of encouragement: young people do not walk toward holiness alone, but in union with their brothers and sisters, and they can count on the support of the saints. The authors rely on the victory of Christ, who, they say, "saves us from all evil and invites us to do every kind of good." "Courage! You are the Saints of France, and we count on you to joyfully bear witness to our faith!" they write.
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