Oldest Little Daughter, Arise

Pope Leo XIV recently visited France, where a large crowd gathered to see him. According to Father Benedict Kiely, one million people lined the Champs Élysées in Paris during the visit.

Kiely describes France as the "eldest daughter of the Church" that has been sleeping for a long time due to the effects of the French Revolution and the Enlightenment. He notes that Pope Leo XIV has described French society as deeply secularized. Kiely compares the current state of France to the biblical story of Jairus' daughter, suggesting that the Church in France can arise again despite historical challenges.