Over 12,000 people, both adults and adolescents, were baptized in France on Easter, a record number in the country that experiences what many church leaders have called an accelerated “de-Christianisation.” Requests for adult baptisms have increased in France for the past ten years. In a report released just before Easter, representatives from the French bishops’ Read more
Posts Tagged ‘Catholic Church France’
Catholicism to be more traditional in France
Thursday, June 29th, 2023
Over recent decades, a significant decline of Catholicism in France suggests it could become a minority religion. France is the homeland of St Joan of Arc and St Louis. The significance of the decline has sociology of religion expert Guillaume Cuchet suggesting that in a few decades time it could be overtaken by Islam, evangelical Read more
Archbishop resigns after turbulent six-year tenure
Monday, April 24th, 2023
A prominent French archbishop has resigned but strongly defends his turbulent six-year tenure. Luc Ravel, the Archbishop of Strasbourg, announced his resignation on April 20. However, he gave no reason for his resignation. “Peace being the supreme good (…), I have presented my resignation to the Holy Father, for whom I pray every day”, he Read more
French Catholic Church to sell assets to compensate sex abuse victims
Thursday, November 11th, 2021
The bishops of France will sell real estate assets to compensate sexual abuse survivors who were victims of clergy and staff of the French Catholic Church. “We will not take money from the Church’s yearly parish contributions, we will not use donations that the faithful make to us for [our missions]”, Éric de Moulins-Beaufort, president Read more
French Catholic Church accepts it allowed “systemic” abuse
Monday, November 8th, 2021
The French Catholic Church allowed the child abuse to become “systemic,” said Archbishop Eric de Moulins-Beaufort, chair of the country’s Bishops Conference. In a statement on Friday, the conference said the French Catholic Church bears “institutional responsibility” for the thousands of child abuse cases documented in a report released in October. “This responsibility implies a Read more
Confronting sexual abuse in the Catholic church is a must
Thursday, October 14th, 2021
When Pope Francis met with the Archbishop of Paris and other French bishops at the end of September, he observed on the matter of the then-forthcoming report on sex abuse in the church of France: “Look the truth in the face.” It is not only the hierarchy that is now doing so, but all of Read more
Call for bishops in France to resign en masse over sex abuse scandal
Thursday, October 14th, 2021
There have been calls for the mass resignation of all bishops in France over the sex abuse scandal rocking the Catholic Church throughout the country. The “Appeal for a Renewed and Trustworthy Church”, was posted on Monday. It is an online petition calling for the en masse resignation of the country’s bishops. “As a sign Read more
Abuse in France a matter of shame
Thursday, October 7th, 2021
Pope Francis expressed shame and sadness after learning that around 3,000 people (2,000 clergy and 1,000 laypeople) abused some 216,000 children in the Catholic Church in France over the last 70 years. Francis first thoughts were for the victims. It is “with a deep sadness for their wounds and gratitude for their courage in coming Read more