Pope Leo XIV points to young people as a sign of hope for France

Pope Leo XIV devoted his general audience on Wednesday, September 30, in St. Peter's Square to his apostolic journey to France, which ran from September 25 to 30. He called the trip "a great gift" for himself and for the people of God in France, and thanked civil authorities, pastoral leaders and the many faithful who came out to welcome him.

Notre-Dame: a symbol of Church renewal

The pope built his account of the visit around the Cathedral of Notre-Dame in Paris, where he presided at Vespers of the Blessed Virgin Mary. "I would like to gather the thoughts and impressions, still very vivid, of this pastoral visit around a single great symbol: the Cathedral of Notre-Dame in Paris," he said.

He used the fire that devastated the cathedral seven years ago as an image of the renewal the Church can undergo. "Now it has been rebuilt and shines more splendidly than ever," he said. The music and the solemnity of the liturgy in the restored cathedral drew those present into prayer.

Church, state and civil society

Leo said the restoration had shown that "a real collaboration between the Church, the state and civil society" is possible. "Synergy for the common good should be the normal style of institutions," he said.

He also said that "the dignity of the person must be the fundamental criterion in any joint effort" by the French authorities and international institutions such as UNESCO.

Young people at the Stade de France

Leo described the vigil with young people at the Stade de France as a "great sign of hope" and said it was spiritually joined to the liturgy in the cathedral, despite the very different setting. "The Church is not made of stones or of cement, but of people who love Jesus Christ because they have been loved by him," he said, referring to the young French Catholics who filled the stadium.

He said he had been struck by "the energy and the desire for truth and love of the young people present."

Place de la Concorde

"The high point of my visit to the capital was the Mass in the Place de la Concorde," the pope said, describing how "the liturgical assembly extended along the Avenue des Champs Élysées." The crowd numbered 800,000 people. He called the Mass the "visible expression of that restoration" he sees in France.

Baptisms

Leo pointed to the "growing number of young people and adults asking for Baptism in France" and said he reads it as "a sign of ecclesial rebirth." During his stay in Paris he took part in a provincial synodal assembly and encouraged catechumens and neophytes.

Lourdes

The journey ended in Lourdes, where Leo venerated the Virgin Mary and repeated "his commitment to listen to and accompany victims of abuse, recognizing the suffering they carry." The meeting was one of listening and prayer.

"Lourdes represents for the whole world a shrine of the civilization of love," he said at the Marian shrine. He said he wanted the Church to "accompany these people in their process of healing and work to prevent future abuse."

The pope mentioned the Maison Bakhita, a center that welcomes people in vulnerable situations.

Metz and Robert Schuman

In Metz, the pope spoke about Robert Schuman, one of the main architects of European unification. He recalled that "Europe was born as a project of peace after the devastation of war" and that "the principles of democracy, solidarity and fraternity must be the basis for the future of the continent."

He said "the European project was born from the ruins of the Second World War" and asked that "interreligious dialogue continue to nourish peace and solidarity among peoples." He said "interreligious dialogue is a key element for the renewal of Europe, which must be grounded in its Christian roots."

The motto of the journey

Closing his catechesis, Leo encouraged the faithful not to hide their faith and recalled that the journey was guided by the motto "That the world may have life," words of Jesus that sum up his mission of salvation. He said he trusts that his experience in France will bear "abundant and lasting fruits for the Church and society."

"On those foundations and with that vital strength, the European project can be renewed," he said.