Leo XIV Presses French Bishops on Holiness and Youth
His Nov. 1 letter, read in Lourdes Nov. 3, links Catholic schools, rising adult baptisms and care for abuse victims to the pastoral fruits of his Sept. trip.
Pope Leo XIV’s letter to the bishops of France, dated November 1, was read on Tuesday, November 3, at the opening of their autumn plenary assembly in Lourdes. The Pope thanked them for helping make his recent apostolic journey to France “an unforgettable experience,” and invited them to reflect on the pastoral fruits of that visit, which concluded on September 28.
The assembly, opened by Cardinal Jean-Marc Aveline, Archbishop of Marseille and president of the French Bishops’ Conference, runs from November 3 to 8 in the same Lourdes auditorium where the bishops welcomed the Pope on September 27. The Holy Father entrusted their work to Our Lady of Lourdes.
Catholic education and the common good
On Catholic education, the Pope wrote that “Respect for everyone’s freedom of conscience holds the promise of great fruitfulness for society and for the Church herself,” while insisting that Catholic education “cannot abandon its Christ-centered educational mission, which seeks the integral development of the human person in every dimension: spiritual, cultural, intellectual, moral, and social.”
He said society needs people formed in the Gospel’s values, “mindful of respect for the common good,” able to “confront the crises tearing it apart.” He urged the bishops to listen to younger generations, “including their sense of unease,” and to encourage a sincere commitment, “including in politics.” The appeal comes as high school and university students in France have protested in recent weeks over their lack of prospects for the future.
Catechumens, saints, and healing
The Pope urged the bishops to have the faithful, “especially catechumens and neophytes,” become familiar with the saints, who “make holiness accessible to everyone.” He asked for special attention to the formation of catechumens, given the recent rise in adult baptisms in France.
Finally, he asked the bishops to continue accompanying victims of sexual violence and “coercive control,” saying the Christian community must become “a place where men and women of all ages can find comfort and healing.”