Papal visit: balm for the soul of France?
Pope Leo XIV is visiting France from 25 to 28 September. The trip has taken him to Paris, Lourdes and Metz. Church services attended by hundreds of thousands of people, discussions about abuse within the Church and a message on European integration were all on the agenda. Europe's media take a positive view of the visit.
A model for politicians to emulate
The papal visit has had a salutary effect for France, La Tribune writes:
“The huge crowd gathered on the Champs-Élysées illustrates the impact and emotional power of this papal visit. The fact that a pope who champions peace, refugees and those forgotten by capitalism inspires such hope is cause for celebration. He is presenting himself as a man of goodwill at a time when the warmongers and sorcerer's apprentices of the tech world pose a threat to the very dignity and greatness of humanity. Leo XIV may not succeed in halting the decline of Christianity in France, but he has helped to make our country more humane. ... If the presidential candidates prove receptive to this aspect of the papal message, Leo's journey will not have been in vain.”
Striking a chord
The pope's message of peace, diplomacy and inclusion is going down well even in secular France, comments The Irish Times:
“Just days after the UN General Assembly, he reprised important themes of its discussions, echoing an insistence on multilateralism and building peace through diplomacy and reiterating long-standing Vatican opposition to nuclear weapons. ... Despite its secular ethos and the rise of the French far-right, the Pope's message of peace and inclusion and his linking of the church's teachings to current events and themes – including artificial intelligence – clearly found favour with large numbers of the French public.”
Following in Schuman's footsteps
Leo XIV is sending an important message about the importance of European integration, Rzeczpospolita writes:
“The pope will conclude his pilgrimage through France in Metz. This city is associated with Robert Schuman, the foreign minister who on 9 May 1950 presented his plan for the establishment of the European Community. This date is regarded as the beginning of European integration. With this gesture, the Pope hopes to counter populist nationalism and emphasise the importance of the EU. If the polls are to be believed, the far-right candidate Marine Le Pen could win the race for the Élysée Palace in seven months' time. ... The Church has initiated the beatification process for Schuman, who lived near Metz and whose ashes rest in the nearby fortified church of Saint-Quentin.”
Leo not avoiding subject of abuse
This pope is taking the fight against abuse seriously, La Stampa notes:
“At first glance, the meeting between Leo XIV and the victims of clerical abuse – seven people in this case – took place discreetly, in accordance with protocol. What was different this time, however, is that it took place in France, the country where, on the initiative of the Catholic Church itself, the most thorough independent investigation ever conducted on the subject of abuse was carried out and published in 2021. ... An example that has not been followed by the Italian Church – facilitated by Pope Francis's decision back then not to grant an audience to the authors of the French inquiry, despite their express request for him to do so.”