Pope Leo XIV urges French bishops in Lourdes to defend Catholic education, foster unity in liturgy, and renew trust amid spiritual and cultural trials.
Newsroom (25/03/2026 Gaudium Press ) Gathered in Lourdes for their spring plenary assembly from March 23 to 27, 2026, the bishops of France received a powerful message from Pope Leo XIV, transmitted by Cardinal Pietro Parolin. The Holy Father’s words were both pastoral and prophetic, addressing the deep social and spiritual challenges facing the Church in France with remarkable clarity and moral authority.
From the outset, Pope Leo XIV invited the prelates to place their deliberations under a spiritual horizon: the search for “God’s Will for the Church in France.” Yet as his message unfolded, it became evident that the Pope’s vision extended beyond pious exhortation. He confronted, with precision and concern, the concrete issues that are redefining Catholic life in contemporary France.
A Call to Defend the Soul of Catholic Education
Foremost among these concerns was Catholic education. The Pope described the prevailing climate as one of “growing hostility toward Catholic institutions,” lamenting how their distinctive character is increasingly “called into question.” In his view, this challenge is not purely administrative or political—it touches the very soul of Catholic schools and their mission.
Pope Leo XIV drew a sharp distinction between Catholic education as a mere academic alternative and Catholic education as a witness to a Christian understanding of humanity. “Without references to Jesus Christ,” he warned, “it would lose its raison d’être.” His call was unequivocal: to defend the Christian dimension of education with determination, even amid cultural pressures for religious neutrality or conformity with secular norms.
In France, where many Catholic schools operate under contracts with the state, this tension is especially acute. The Pope’s message thus reaffirms the Church’s commitment to openness but sets clear boundaries: welcoming diversity does not mean erasing one’s faith identity.
Healing the “Wound” of Liturgical Division
The second major theme of the papal message concerned the liturgy—a subject Pope Leo XIV described as a “painful wound” within the Church. His choice of words was deliberate and pastoral. The liturgical debate, particularly regarding the Vetus Ordo (the pre-Vatican II form of the Mass), has become a focal point for broader tensions about authority, tradition, and unity.
“The celebration of Mass,” he reminded them, “is the very sacrament of unity.” Yet that unity continues to suffer where mutual understanding is lacking. The Holy Father therefore appealed for a “new way of looking at one another,” one marked by empathy and respect for different sensibilities. He urged the bishops to find “concrete solutions” that could foster “the generous inclusion of those sincerely attached to the Vetus Ordo,” while remaining faithful to the liturgical reforms of the Second Vatican Council.
This delicate balance—between inclusion and fidelity, charity and discipline—lies at the heart of Pope Leo XIV’s ecclesial vision. His message was not a call to abolish difference but to heal it, ensuring that diversity serves communion rather than division.
Rebuilding Trust and Hope After Crisis
Beyond education and liturgy, Pope Leo XIV also expressed his pastoral concern for the wounds still open within French Catholicism: the pain of abuse scandals and the exhaustion of clergy under persistent strain. He acknowledged the bishops’ ongoing efforts toward prevention and reparation but insisted that this work “must persevere in the long term,” animated by both justice and mercy. Even priests found guilty of abuse, he said, “should not be excluded from mercy” but remain within the Church’s pastoral reflection.
The Pope’s tone, however, was not confined to sorrow or correction. He paid tribute to the many priests of France who, “after several years of painful crises, have suffered greatly.” To them, he sent a message of “encouragement and confidence,” reminding them that even in adversity, “signs of God’s presence in hearts are not lacking.”
The Eldest Daughter of the Church and Her Mission
Cardinal Parolin, relaying the Pope’s words, reaffirmed the Holy Father’s abiding affection for France—“the Eldest Daughter of the Church.” Pope Leo XIV’s blessing extended to all Catholics of the nation, urging them to persevere in faith and to proclaim the Gospel courageously amid a culture often indifferent or even hostile to religion.
Entrusting the Church of France to the intercession of Our Lady of the Assumption and the saints of the nation, Pope Leo XIV closed his message with an appeal to courage, unity, and faithfulness. His words resonate as both a warning and a promise: the Church in France, though tested, remains called to rise anew—not by retreating from its heritage, but by fully embracing it.
- Raju Hasmukh with files from Tribune Chretienne
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