Pope Leo XIV meets new Catholics at Catholic Institute of Paris

Catholic IntelligenceSep 26, 2026Updated Sep 26, 8:26 AM PT1 min read

Pope Leo XIV met with catechumens, new Catholics, and provincial assembly members at the Catholic Institute of Paris on Saturday, Sept. 26. During the meeting, the pope encouraged the Church in France to balance welcoming new members with educating them on the faith. He noted that this growth is occurring despite a deeply secularized culture where more than half of French adults report no religious affiliation.

The pope expressed gratitude for the increasing number of adults seeking the sacraments, noting that France recorded more than 20,000 adult and adolescent baptisms in 2026. This figure represents a 20% increase from 2025. To prevent a void after baptism, Leo XIV said the Church must fully integrate these individuals into pastoral communities with compassion and tenderness.

Archbishop Laurent Ulrich of Paris welcomed the group, which included more than 350 people from eight dioceses and the Military Ordinariate. These participants are preparing for the new Provincial Ecclesial Assembly of Île-de-France, which is scheduled to hold three sessions beginning in mid-October.

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