All articles tagged with #lourdes
Pope Leo XIV concluded a four-day visit to France, describing it as a 'sign of rebirth' for Europe. He addressed massive crowds in Paris, criticized assisted suicide in Lourdes, and urged reconciliation in Metz, while emphasizing the dignity of human life in the age of artificial intelligence.
Pope Leo XIV visited the Lourdes shrine in France on September 27, 2026, to celebrate Mass for approximately 150,000 attendees and meet with survivors of clerical sexual abuse. During the visit, he condemned medically assisted dying as 'false compassion' and urged the Church to repent for its 'painful errors.' The trip also involved an interreligious dialogue in Metz, where he emphasized peace and human dignity, while addressing the ongoing canonical trial of accused abuser Marko Rupnik.
Pope Leo XIV concluded a four-day visit to France with massive crowds, drawing 800,000 to Paris and 150,000 to Lourdes. He urged Catholics to share their faith in a secular society while condemning assisted dying as 'false compassion.' The trip, the first papal visit to France in 18 years, included meetings with abuse survivors and a visit to the restored Notre-Dame.
Pope Leo XIV condemned medically assisted dying as 'false compassion' during a visit to the Lourdes shrine in France, reaffirming Catholic opposition to end-of-life legislation. He celebrated Mass for 150,000 attendees and met with seven survivors of clergy sexual abuse, urging French bishops to maintain vigilance against abuse. The visit highlights the Pope's focus on human dignity amidst rising secularization in France.
Pope Leo XIV has called on French bishops to root out the 'scourge' of sexual abuse within the Catholic Church, emphasizing the need for maximum vigilance. This directive was issued during a private meeting at the Sanctuary of Our Holy Lady of Lourdes on the third day of his four-day official visit to France. The Pope's remarks come ahead of a scheduled private meeting with abuse survivors. A 2021 inquiry revealed that approximately 330,000 children were abused by clergy or lay members in France over a 70-year period. The visit follows a massive turnout in Paris, where an estimated 700,000 people gathered to hear the Pope speak, and includes meetings with President Emmanuel Macron and young people.
Pope Leo XIV’s visit to France has generated massive turnout, with nearly 600,000 worshippers expected for a Mass at Paris’s Place de la Concorde on Saturday. The pontiff’s itinerary includes a visit to a migrant center in Paris and a subsequent pilgrimage to the Marian shrine in Lourdes, where he will lead prayers focused on global peace and healing.
Pope Leo XIV’s visit to Lourdes is marked by the covering of controversial mosaics by priest-artist Marko Rupnik, who faces a canonical trial for abuse. Survivors have appealed to the Pope for transparency, criticizing the Vatican’s silence.