Pope Leo in France

When Pope Leo XIV spoke to the French bishops who had gathered at Lourdes this week, his message had echoes of Popes Francis, Benedict XVI and John Paul II.

Pope Leo XIV spoke about the regulation of AI during his return flight to Rome, stating that concerns expressed by tech industry leaders over the catastrophic risks to humanity posed by the technology are not "fake news."

At a moment in history when relations between nations "are becoming increasingly barbaric," dialogue and multilateralism remain "the best antidote to the desire for domination, which lies at the root of every conflict," Pope Leo XIV said on the last of his four days in France from a town near the German border.

In the city of Lourdes, the pope met individually seven victims of sexual abuse — four men and three women selected by the Bishops' Conference of France — before addressing them as a group.

Preaching to the infirmed, disabled and those who care for them at one of Catholicism's most iconic shrines, Pope Leo XIV said that "no human law should ever make you lose the certainty of your dignity."

The pope closed the Paris leg of his trip with enthusiasm, praying that faith and charity "blossom throughout France."

For many young Catholics, the pope's visit was a validation of the current cultural shift around Catholicism in France. Leo told 80,000 young people at a vigil, "You are the saints of France!"

"Great things happen in Chicago," the pope said on the plane to France.

The pope echoed his predecessor's vision, saying that the reconstructed cathedral offered an encounter "that has expanded horizons of welcome and participation beyond the boundaries of ecclesial affiliation."

In brief conversations with journalists during the papal flight from Rome to Paris, Pope Leo XIV also discussed immigration, France's Catholic revival, Blessed Fulton Sheen, Villanova basketball, and happiness.

Speaking at UNESCO, the pope brought his AI agenda to France at a time when the global conversation over AI regulation is exploding, with several tech industry executives leading the charge.

When the pope visits the Cathedral of Notre-Dame de Paris this week, he'll see a church that has stood as a religious and cultural French landmark for nearly 900 years. 

With more than a million expected to see him in France, Pope Leo XIV is set to make quite the splash during his four-day trip to the country, long thought to be hostile to the realm of religion.

Pope Leo XIV, during his four-day visit to France beginning Friday, will meet privately with seven survivors of sexual abuse by priests and other Catholic personnel. The outcome will be closely watched by critics who say the church hasn't done enough to confront the problem.

The two cases highlight the contrast in how local churches are dealing with the artist's legacy following revelations of his abuse, particularly after Pope Leo's own position on the case has begun to emerge.

Pope Leo XIV's forthcoming trip to France, which marks the first official papal state visit to the country in 18 years, is expected to attract more than 1 million people, according to the Bishops' Conference of France (CEF).

The pontiff's comments to people preparing for baptism will suggest where he wants to lead the next generation of Catholics and shape their spirituality.

Two recent decisions by French Bishop Jean-Marc Micas have positioned the Marian shrine at Lourdes as a microcosm for church issues ahead of the pope's visit there at the end of September.

Pope Leo XIV will meet with survivors of clergy abuse during a four-day trip to France next month that will include a visit to UNESCO headquarters, a meeting with French bishops in Lourdes and an interreligious meeting in the border city of Metz.

Ahead of the first anniversary of his election to the chair of St. Peter, it was announced that Pope Leo XIV is officially expected to visit France in late September, the French bishops' conference confirmed May 6.