Asurprising revival of faith in secular France
During his apostolic journey to France, Pope Leo XIV expressed astonishment at the number of adults seeking baptism in one of Europe's most secularised societies. Speaking at the Catholic Institute in Paris, the Pontiff admitted being "surprised by the number of people looking again at the thresholds of faith and by how many adults ask for the sacraments of Christian initiation".
It may seem paradoxical, he observed, that such a phenomenon — where so many people rediscover the Gospel and embrace faith — should occur in a French society marked by a strongly secularised culture. Yet the experience and testimony of these new faithful, he said, represents "a tangible sign of God's grace at work, which goes beyond statistical and sociological analyses".
The numbers behind France's baptism boom
The French Bishops' Conference has documented what observers are calling a boom in adult baptisms. On Easter night 2026, 21,386 catechumens received the sacrament across France — 13,234 adults and 8,152 adolescents.
The increase compared to 2025 is nearly 20 per cent overall, with a more pronounced growth among adults at +28% versus adolescents at +10%. Perhaps most striking: in a decade, adult baptisms have more than tripled, rising from 4,124 in 2016 to this year's figure.
The profile of those seeking baptism reveals clear patterns. The 18-25 age group represents 42% of adult catechumens, followed by those aged 26-40 at 40%. Women account for approximately 62 per cent of all catechumens, regardless of age. Most live in urban areas, though rural representation remains significant.
Why young adults are returning to faith
Sociologists and religious experts point to several factors driving this unexpected trend. Many new faithful come from families without religious practice, seeking answers to what analysts describe as a "need for belonging" and a "question of truth" that secular society cannot satisfy.
About 40% of catechumens approach faith after personal crises — illness, bereavement, or profound difficulty. For them, faith becomes an anchor in troubled times. Others cite encounters with believers whose discreet but authentic witness proved decisive.
A survey conducted between January and March 2026 across 60 dioceses found that 34 per cent had begun asking questions about Christianity, while 32% reported a powerful spiritual experience. The proportion of catechumens declaring no religious tradition now matches those from Christian backgrounds — suggesting France is witnessing a transition from a Catholicism of inheritance to one of conscious choice.
A call to accompany new believers
Pope Leo asked that this rediscovery of faith by young people be accompanied by adequate spiritual formation.
French dioceses are responding. The dioceses of Île-de-France have convened a Synod to study baptism requests and propose pastoral guidelines. Parishes are being encouraged to become more "catechumenal" — capable of welcoming and guiding converts, even when their arrival disrupts established routines.
As one bishop observed, these catechumens have "entered through the window" — arriving by unexpected paths that require the Church to cooperate with the Holy Spirit rather than rely solely on its own programmes.
Recognition of Church's failings
At Lourdes, the Pope addressed another dimension of Church life: the need for institutional reckoning. During Mass, he spoke of the "conversion" that involves the Church itself.
"To heal from deep wounds, from infidelities and painful losses committed within, we must humbly place ourselves under the Lord's purifying gaze," he said. "Recognising our errors is indispensable".
That same day, 27 September, Pope Leo met privately with seven victims of abuse — first individually, then as a group. He thanked them for their "painful testimony" and reiterated his commitment that the evil suffered should not be repeated for others.
The Vatican Press Office said the Pope expressed his closeness to them and, through them, to all who have suffered and continue to suffer from wounds of abuse. He expressed hope of working together so that the community of faithful becomes ever more a place where men and women of every age can find comfort and healing.
Victims who took part described an emotional encounter. "We have hope that something can change," they told reporters. "He had something sincere about him, every word had meaning and he appeared very moved."
The survivors said they had presented concrete proposals to the Pope but received no immediate response. They indicated they would remain vigilant about what steps the Church takes next.
The Pope's return: political and ethical questions
On his flight back to Rome, Pope Leo addressed journalists' questions on other matters.
On the rise of far-right groups in Germany and elsewhere in Europe, he noted that "such political positions are combined with a certain form of religiosity" — one that, in his judgment and that of Church leaders in Germany, "does not represent an authentic expression of Christianity".
"We must return to the values of the Gospel, which are not founded on hatred and division, but on understanding, compassion and accompaniment," he said.
Earlier, during an encounter with the sick at Lourdes, the Pope had reiterated the Church's position on end-of-life issues. "No human law must make you lose the certainty of your dignity," he told patients. "No one has the right, ever, on the basis of laboratory algorithms, to decide the life of a given embryo or a given elderly person."
"What is legal is not necessarily moral", he said. "Medicine can never become the servant of programmed death."
A message of peace across borders
At an interreligious meeting in Metz, Pope Leo paid tribute to Robert Schuman, one of the founding fathers of the European Union, calling him "a true ambassador of unity in diversity" who knew how to transform old lines of fracture into bridges of hope for all Europe.
"Beyond borders, it is always possible to meet, to form friendships and to build peace," the Pope told representatives of different faiths. "Dialogue does not diminish our identity, but expresses it with simplicity and truth, opening ourselves to the diversity of the other".
During the outbound flight, the Pope had told journalists: "We are here to bring a message of peace that at this moment is particularly important for the world." Confronting images of war in a gift book presented to him, his expression changed. "War..." he murmured — as if to say it remains his principal preoccupation.
