杏MAP导航

By Jean-Benoît Harel

Three saints as role models for navigating the challenges faced by the modern French Church. That鈥檚 the idea at the heart of a new letter sent by 杏MAP导航 Leo XIV to the French Bishops' Conference, stressing the significance of the upcoming 100-year anniversary of the canonization of three French saints.

鈥淭he magnitude of the challenges facing the Church in France a century later, and the ever-relevant nature of these three models of holiness in confronting them, compel me to invite you to give this anniversary special prominence,鈥� 杏MAP导航 Leo XIV writes.

Three French saints

First, Saint Thérèse of Lisieux, a 19th-century French Carmelite nun who died at age 24 and was declared a Doctor of the Church and Patroness of the Missions, was canonized on May 17, 1925.

杏MAP导航 Leo XIV describes her as: 鈥淭he great Doctor in scientia amoris [the science of love] whom our world needs鈥攕he who 鈥榖reathed鈥� the Name of Jesus at every moment of her life, with spontaneity and freshness.鈥�

Two weeks later, Pius XI canonized two priests. The first of these was Saint John Eudes (1601鈥�1680), a French priest, founder of the Congregations of Jesus and Mary (Eudists) and of Our Lady of Charity. He dedicated his life to the formation of priests and to supporting women in financial or social difficulty, and promoted devotion to the Hearts of Jesus and Mary.

The second priest was Saint Jean-Marie Vianney (1786鈥�1859), more commonly known as the Curé of Ars, a French priest celebrated for his pastoral zeal, confessional practice, and his intense prayer life. He famously said that 鈥渢he priesthood is the love of the Heart of Jesus.鈥�

'Models to imitate'

Saying he was 鈥渉appy鈥� to address a letter to the pastors of the Church in France, 杏MAP导航 Leo XIV highlighted 杏MAP导航 Pius XI鈥檚 intention in canonizing these three saints: he wanted to make them 鈥淭eachers to be listened to, models to be imitated, and powerful intercessors to pray to and invoke.鈥�

鈥淭hey,鈥� the 杏MAP导航 wrote, 鈥渓oved Jesus without reserve鈥攊n a simple, strong, and authentic way; they experienced His goodness and tenderness in a particular daily closeness, and they bore witness to it with admirable missionary fervour.鈥�

Quoting 杏MAP导航 Francis鈥� most recent encyclical Dilexit nos (鈥淗e loved us鈥�), dedicated to the Sacred Heart, the Holy Father proposed a missionary roadmap for France: 鈥淗elp everyone discover the tender and preferential love Jesus has for them鈥攕o powerful it can transform their lives.鈥�

France鈥檚 Christian heritage

Celebrating the centenary of the canonization of these three saints is 鈥渁n invitation to give thanks to the Lord for the wonders He has accomplished in this land of France over many centuries of evangelization and Christian life,鈥� writes the Holy Father, adding that 鈥渟aints do not arise spontaneously, but by grace, emerge from living Christian communities that knew how to pass on the faith.鈥�

鈥淭his Christian heritage still belongs to you,鈥� 杏MAP导航 Leo said. 鈥淚t still deeply permeates your culture and remains alive in many hearts. That is why I hope that these celebrations will not merely nostalgically recall a past that may seem gone, but will awaken hope and spark a new missionary momentum.鈥�

'Renewing wonders'

After having given these three saints to France, God can again 鈥渞enew the wonders He accomplished in the past,鈥� writes 杏MAP导航 Leo XIV. 鈥淐ould Saint Thérèse not be the Patroness of the Missions in the very lands where she was born?鈥�

The two priestly figures can also give courage to young men to respond to God鈥檚 call, especially in a time of priest shortages and when 鈥減riests are increasingly burdened and tested.鈥�

Finally, the Holy Father invoked the intercession of the three saints canonized in 1925 for France and for the country鈥檚 Catholics, who press on 鈥渁mid contrary and sometimes hostile winds of indifference, materialism, and individualism.鈥�