Pope Leo XIV completed his apostolic journey to France, which he called a place of rebirth. His visit to Metz capped the four-day visit, which included a pilgrimage to Lourdes and Mass in Paris with 700,000 Parisian faithful. Watch a video summary here.
At his Mass in Metz’s 12th century cathedral, he preached that the choice of forgiveness and mercy over revenge and violence is a sign not of weakness, but rather one of strength.
From migration to artificial intelligence, the Christian roots of Europe, fraternal dialogue among religions and pressing ethical concerns regarding the protection of life, as well as appeals to pray the rosary and work for peace in the world, Pope Leo‘s discourses, homilies and presence at events shone a light on some of the biggest challenges facing Europe, the Catholic Church and French society.
Pope Leo recapped these and other significant themes with journalists aboard his flight back to Rome.
The remarkable influx of new Catholics in France is moving the local Church from an inherited to a chosen Christianity, according to several people preparing to receive the sacraments of initiation. They spoke about what Pope Leo’s visit to their country means to them.
For his part, during a synodal assembly Pope Leo called the Church in France to nurture the seeds of faith. French clergy say they are committed to serving young people because they “are looking for something greater, something higher,” and they show a desire for “a very demanding faith.”
Paying Attention in the Digital Age
The theme for the 2027 World Communications Day was released this week with the title, “A New Gaze: Paying Attention in the Age of Clickbait.” Read a local perspective on CatholicPhilly here.
In the U.S.: Artificial Intelligence, Migration, Death Penalty
Last weekend Cardinal Robert McElroy, Archbishop of Washington, D.C., addressed two of the defining challenges of the age: artificial intelligence and the treatment of migrants and refugees.
In Tennessee, Catholic and Episcopal bishops jointly urged the state governor to commute the death sentence of a woman who endured a botch execution by lethal injection.
Catholic-Lutheran Dialogue Grows ‘From Conflict to Communion’
In Rome, the Lutheran World Federation met with Pope Leo XIV to confirm the ongoing Catholic-Lutheran dialogue, which has “matured both spiritually and theologically over the decades,” said the pope.
The Holy Father said the world needs ecumenical witnesses to Christ. “Renewed communion in the apostolic faith, in the sacraments, and in the ministries,” he said, “is the goal of our ecumenical journey of grace, which we walk together guided by the Gospel.”
Vatican Envoy Visits Russia, Urges Family Reunification
Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, the pope’s special envoy for humanitarian issues, visited Russia for three days this week. In addition to visiting Ukrainian prisoners of war, he spoke with officials about military and civilian prisoners, the search for missing persons, the repatriation of children and family reunification, for which he urged increased speed.
Pope Leads Rosary for Peace for All Children
Pope Leo led more than 700 children in Lourdes, France — and around 1 million worldwide — in a rosary prayed in five languages with the intention of “peace for all the children of the world, especially those who live in places where there is war, in so many countries around the world,” he said.
In Ethiopia, where violence flared up again in the Tigray region, the country’s Catholic bishops issued a pastoral appeal for peace and reconciliation.
Ecological Challenge More Urgent Than Ever, Pope Says
In an address to Italian sanitation workers, Pope Leo reiterated the importance of creating a “culture of care” to counter the “throwaway culture” that permeates the world and threatens its resources. “The ecological challenge of our time is indeed more urgent than ever,” he said.
The Church Needs Artists
Because the human heart is restless in its search for truth, Pope Leo said the Church views art never as “a mere accessory,” but instead “a fundamental place of listening — a space where one allows oneself to be instructed about humanity’s aspirations and wounds, its thirst for beauty, justice, and peace, and its search for meaning.”
Artists help make the Gospel accessible and understandable, especially during the era of artificial intelligence, “when it has become urgent to distinguish human art from what is produced by machines,” the pope said.
Mental Health Ministry Theme of Pope’s October Prayer Intention
Presenting the theme for his October monthly prayer intention, Pope Leo prayed that the Church may be an “open house” where people facing challenges to their mental health find welcome, dignity and hope.
“Today we bring before you our brothers and sisters who struggle with challenges to their mental health, who suffer in solitude with anxiety, depression, or any other mental illness,” he prayed.
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