France prepares for significant papal apostolic journey

Archbishop de Moulins Beaufort, the Metropolitan of Reims, has noted that France is preparing for a significant papal apostolic journey, the likes of which the country has not experienced since the visit of Benedict XVI in 2008. While previous visits by Pope Francis to locations like Strasbourg, Marseille, and Corsica occurred, they were not characterized as official visits to France.

The Archbishop highlighted a duality within the French Catholic Church: a shortage of priests and religious members, which he described as a “great tragedy,” contrasted with a renewed spiritual vitality among the youth and a rise in new baptisms. He expressed hope that the upcoming visit would provide encouragement to French Catholics, similar to the Pope's recent travels to Spain and Africa.