VATICAN CITY (VATICAN CITY)
The Holy See [Vatican City]
September 27, 2026
By Pope Leo XIV
Saint Bernadette auditorium at the Shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes
Sunday, 27 September 2026
I am very pleased to meet you, dear brothers in the episcopate, in this blessed place, just a short distance from the grotto where the Virgin Mary appeared to Saint Bernadette, and where you regularly gather for your plenary Assemblies. By choosing this place, you clearly express your desire to place the Church in France under the protection of the Mother of God, the Immaculate Virgin, so that she may guide her more surely according to the Lord’s will. Indeed, there is no better way to come to Jesus than through Mary. Everything about her leads us to her Son.
In this way, you carry forward the heritage you have received from your forefathers in the faith, stretching back to the earliest times of the evangelization of your country. Indeed, devotion to the Mother of God took such deep root here that France was soon called the “Kingdom of Mary” (Pius XI, Apostolic Letter Galliam, Ecclesiae Filiam Primogenitam, 2 March 1922). This special bond between your nation and the Blessed Virgin was expressed in a singular way when France was solemnly consecrated to her on 10 February 1638, a beautiful depiction of which I was able to see in Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris two days ago. In reference to this pledge, my predecessor Pius XI declared Our Lady of the Assumption Patroness of France (cf. ibid.).
This long journey of trust and tenderness with Mary is shown by the numerous devotions and answered prayers — often amid tears — in places that bear her name: sanctuaries, pilgrimages and cathedrals. This journey continues, despite obstacles, and bears witness to the living faith of the People of God entrusted to your care. In the face of the immense challenges of our time, dear brothers, I urge you to show courage, boldness and missionary creativity. Do not be discouraged by the errors, inconsistencies or even falls that have marked the history of this pilgrim people. Always have the courage to acknowledge failings with a love of the truth and a determination to bind up wounds with the charity of the Good Shepherd, who knows his sheep and calls each of them by name. Rise up, then, with hope, and never grow weary of proclaiming the Gospel!
The history of the Church in France is immensely rich. In building the future of your communities and country, it is important to draw upon her beautiful and fruitful history. The Church has indeed both witnessed and contributed to the gradual establishment of your nation. Today she still remains an important part of France’s culture, identity and role in the world. For this reason, the voice of the Church has every right to be heard in the public square. By its nature, it possesses a prophetic authority. Even if it is not always understood, her voice is nonetheless needed. Even when her teaching is not followed, particularly on essential questions touching the foundations of civilization, it remains necessary. Do not doubt this. I know of your steadfastness and courage — as you showed clearly during the recent debates on end-of-life issues — and I encourage you to persevere, together with all people of good will who uphold the same values.
You currently live under a particular form of secularity (laïcité), born of a turbulent history that is now more peaceful, but which must allow the Church to carry out her mission. The fact that this hard-won balance is gradually being called into question, as is happening elsewhere in the Western world, must not lead you to give up. I urge you to remain vigilant in defending the freedom and rights of the Church to evangelize, to educate about true freedom, and to worship publicly, so that charity may be exercised visibly in the name of Jesus Christ.
Pope Francis wrote to you on the occasion of the reopening of Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris: “I invite all the baptized who will joyfully enter this Cathedral to feel a legitimate sense of pride, and to reclaim their faith heritage. Dear faithful of Paris and France, this dwelling, which our heavenly Father inhabits, is yours; you are its living stones. Those who preceded you in the faith built it for you” (Message of Pope Francis on the occasion of the Reopening of Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris, 7 December 2024). Encouraging the baptized to “reclaim their heritage of faith” is now part of your mission as Pastors, as you seek the renewal of the Church in France.
What the Lord has entrusted to you, the Catholics of France, the “eldest daughter of the Church,” is indeed more than enough to inspire thanksgiving. We think of the unbroken succession of holiness down to our own day; the flourishing of the arts, literature and sciences under the inspiration of faith and the action of the Holy Spirit; the irreversible deepening of awareness of the inalienable worth of the human person, of his or her dignity and the need to protect human rights and freedoms; and, not least, that remarkable missionary impetus which has borne fruit to the ends of the earth. Yes, Jesus has given you much, and in his love he wishes to give you still more.
That is why, looking to the future, Pope Francis added to the words I have already quoted, “May the rebirth of this admirable church be a prophetic sign of the renewal of the Church in France” (ibid.). I too believe that the time is ripe for many in our society who are waiting to hear the hope-filled message of the Gospel and see the light of the risen Christ shine before their eyes. The message of peace that has its source in Jesus is all the more needed when, in France as elsewhere in the West, we see a troubling polarization, a decline in fraternity, cordiality and the quality of social life, and a resurgence of violence, inequality and poverty. Faced with such challenges, the false promise of a world where God is absent, is relegated to the private sphere, and where the help of his grace is deemed unnecessary for “building the City” has given way to disillusionment and disorientation. Yet Jesus clearly warned his disciples: “Apart from me you can do nothing” (Jn 15:5).
Young people in particular harbor great aspirations. Concerned about the world being left to them and anxious about the future, they are ready to work with courage and generosity for all that is beautiful, true and good. Show them the way of the Gospel, the only sure path — even when it is demanding — which has already borne so much fruit in this land of France. Yesterday, in Paris, we spoke of the encouraging sign of the catechumenate, which is now made up mostly of young adults. This is a grace and a joy for the whole People of God. It is important that you carefully nurture this grace, above all by welcoming young people into living communities that practice charity and live in solidarity, and providing solid doctrinal formation rooted in the word of God, which will help them to answer their objections and doubts.
To renew hope and give fresh impetus to the Church’s mission in France, which I earnestly desire, there is only one “roadmap,” which is always the same: to make Jesus Christ known and loved, authentically, passionately, again and again. In the present context, you are confronted with several major challenges. Education is of particular importance. It is very commendable that your Assemblies are giving this subject further consideration. Education is an especially broad mission, touching many different areas of life. I would like simply to mention Catholic education, whose distinctive character is currently being called into question. It is good that Catholic schools are widely open to those who do not share our faith. This generous welcome, respectful of each person’s freedom of conscience, promises great fruitfulness for everyone — for society and for the Church herself. At the same time, Catholic education can in no way renounce its educational mission, which is centered on Christ and directed towards the integral development of the human person in all his or her dimensions: spiritual, cultural, intellectual, moral and social. No one, therefore, should be surprised that every Catholic school offers opportunities to encounter Jesus Christ and hear his word. Still less should any pupils ever find themselves marginalized in the classroom simply because they believe in Jesus.
In recent years, you have faced with determination the painful scourge of abuse committed against minors by members of the clergy or in an ecclesial context against minors. You have taken courageous measures to respond through listening, the search for truth, justice, forgiveness and making amends, and through a firm commitment to a culture of prevention and protection against these crimes. I thank you for what you have done, and I know that some moments have been very difficult for your Conference. You must continue along the path you have begun, maintaining the greatest vigilance. At the same time, your clergy need to be supported and encouraged. I know that they are the object of your paternal care. Moreover, if priestly vocations are to flourish, priests must be eagerly wanted, welcomed and loved, and their identity as men configured to Christ should also be clearly understood by the People of God, for the sake of the joy of the Gospel and its mission.
I would also like to mention the sad decline in vocations to consecrated life, particularly to the contemplative life. I have learned with sorrow of the recent or impending closure of ancient and renowned monastic communities who have exercised such a profound influence throughout history. To give one’s life to following Jesus along such a demanding path requires, alongside the work of grace, a special generosity, a deep-rooted faith, a sustained interior life and a privileged closeness to him. These conditions are most often found in Christian families, which therefore deserve the greatest attention and support. Deepening and strengthening the life of faith within families is certainly key to resolving many of the crises facing the Church and society. For it is within families that we learn how to live together, respect others, accept diversity, support one another, be generous, give of ourselves freely and embrace the spirit of sacrifice. Perhaps this is our main challenge: that Jesus may live fully in the families of French Catholics and illumine them with his presence.
In addition to these issues, another which could give cause for concern about the future is that of unity. In this regard, allow me to recall how essential it is for Jesus’ disciples to be united in charity, as Jesus asked of his Father, “that they may all be one… so that the world may believe that you have sent me” (Jn 17:21). The Church in France is a little flock that must gather her strength for the mission. Ideological divisions would render her witness in vain. Throughout the history of the Church there have always been tensions, but when they arise they can also help us appreciate more deeply the gift of unity. This unity is not a flat uniformity, but rather allows every sensibility that is authentically Catholic to converge naturally in a common profession of faith, through obedience to the legitimate Pastors and especially to the Successor of Peter, who is the “lasting and visible source and foundation of the unity both of faith and of communion” (SECOND VATICAN ECUMENICAL COUNCIL, Dogmatic Constitution Lumen Gentium, 18). This is a dynamic unity, nourished by the tradition of the Church — from the Fathers to the Second Vatican Council — and by the post-conciliar Magisterium. At the same time, it is a unity that is enriched through reciprocal dialogue, rooted in faith and expressed in the synodal style that we have been seeking to deepen in recent times.
My brothers, the Church in France is dear to the Pope’s heart. How I would like to acknowledge the enthusiasm and hope that arise whenever I think of you.
The People of God in your country are richly blessed with fervently fraternal communities that are open to the world; with ardent young people committed to countless initiatives; and with a heritage that sustains you but that also places a responsibility upon you. I am sure that the Church in France will continue with zeal in her mission to proclaim Jesus Christ and lead others to love him, that the world may have life (cf. Jn 10:10).
Entrusting your Assembly, diocesan communities and nation to the maternal protection of Our Lady of Lourdes, I gladly impart to you my Apostolic Blessing. Thank you.