Pope Leo intervenes to save the Church from schism.

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Please consider subscribing to my substack https://drgavinashenden.substack.com/ Dear Brothers, His Holiness Pope Leo XIV has entrusted me with conveying to you his warmest wishes for the smooth and fruitful progress of your Plenary Assembly. He assures you of his fraternal prayers and hopes that this gathering may serve as a renewed opportunity to strengthen the bonds of brotherly charity among you, in the shared pursuit of God’s will for the Church in France. The Holy Father has taken note of the topics you intend to address, several of which have particularly drawn his attention. In particular, in response to the Apostolic Letter Drawing New Maps of Hope, you will reflect on the theme of education—a theme that had especially engaged Pope Francis, given its vital importance both for the future of the world and for the proclamation of the Gospel. Your work takes place within a context of growing hostility toward Catholic institutions, with their distinctive character increasingly questioned. With respect for each person’s convictions and a constant commitment to broad welcome, the Pope encourages you to defend resolutely the Christian dimension of Catholic education, which, without reference to Jesus Christ, would lose its very foundation. One focus of your reflection will be the ongoing fight against the abuse of minors and the process of reparations, which you have undertaken with determination. Indeed, it is essential to persevere in the long-term prevention measures already put in place and to continue demonstrating the Church’s care for victims, alongside God’s mercy toward all. It is important that priests guilty of abuse are not excluded from this mercy and remain the subject of pastoral reflection. Moreover, after several years of painful crises, the time has come to look resolutely to the future and to convey to the priests of France—who have endured great trials—a message of encouragement and confidence. Finally, dear brothers, you intend to address the delicate subject of the Liturgy, to which the Holy Father pays particular attention, in the context of the growth of communities attached to the Vetus Ordo. It is concerning that a painful wound continues to persist within the Church regarding the celebration of the Mass, the very sacrament of unity. Healing it requires a renewed openness to one another, with deeper understanding of each other’s sensitivities—a perspective that can allow brothers, enriched by their diversity, to welcome one another in charity and in the unity of faith. May the Holy Spirit inspire you with practical solutions that generously include those sincerely attached to the Vetus Ordo, in harmony with the directives of the Second Vatican Council regarding the Liturgy. Dear brothers, the Supreme Pontiff assures you of his deep attachment and of the special interest he takes in the Eldest Daughter of the Church. He prays for all Catholics in France, for their clergy, that they may persevere in the faith and in the courageous proclamation of the Gospel, in times which are certainly challenging, yet marked by signs of hope and of God’s presence in hearts. Renewing his encouragement to you, and entrusting you to the intercession of Our Lady of the Assumption and of all the Saints of France, the Holy Father gladly imparts to you the Apostolic Blessing. Cardinal Pietro Parolin Secretary of State of His Holiness From the Vatican, 18 March 2026

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• Church & Fellowship
• The Church