French bishops

The Pope has told French bishops that the Catholic Church carries a prophetic authority and has a legitimate place in the public square. The remarks, reported by Vatican News, affirm the Church's role in public debate on moral and social questions. The message is being read as encouragement to the French hierarchy to speak out publicly despite secular traditions in France.

Pope Francis met with the bishops of France in the Sainte-Bernadette hemicycle of the Lourdes sanctuary. The gathering opened with a prayer and a hymn to the Holy Spirit before the Pope addressed the French episcopate. The meeting is being followed closely in France, where Lourdes remains the country's most important Catholic pilgrimage site.

Pope Leo XIV has called on French bishops to defend the Catholic Church's public witness, according to Radio Veritas Asia. The appeal underscores the Vatican's concern over the Church's role and visibility in French public life. Further details of the meeting and the Pope's remarks have not been widely reported yet.