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In Lourdes, Pope Leo speaks of doing penance

12:09 PM ETConfirmed

Faith Desk

In Short: Pope Leo XIV issued a firm call to conversion from sin and error in the Church during his visit to the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes on Sunday.

The pope celebrated Mass on a prairie across the river Gave de Pau from the grotto of the apparitions, emphasizing the importance of repentance and penance.

Claire Banks, a nurse from the UK who has traveled to Lourdes over 100 times, said she worked for three papal visits and now came to enjoy the visit with her family and friends.

Libby Frank, another Mass attendee from the UK but living in Lourdes for 40 years, echoed Banks' sentiments, noting the excitement in the town.

Bishop Jean-Marc Micas of Tarbes and Lourdes announced the complete covering of Father Marko Rupnik's mosaics ahead of the pope's visit, a decision made two years ago.

Pope Leo XIV ordered the removal of artwork created by Father Marko Rupnik that was used on the Vatican News website, according to French media.

The Holy Father arrived in Lourdes on September 26 and will participate in the candlelight procession that evening.

The trip to Lourdes marks the first official papal state visit to France in 18 years, expected to attract more than 1 million people.

The site near the Spanish border draws millions of pilgrims annually, including sick and disabled believers hoping for a cure from the famed spring water in the Lourdes grotto.

Background

What's confirmed

• The pope celebrated Mass on a prairie across the river Gave de Pau from the grotto of the apparitions, emphasizing the importance of repentance and penance.
• Claire Banks, a nurse from the UK who has traveled to Lourdes over 100 times, said she worked for three papal visits and now came to enjoy the visit with her family and friends.
• Libby Frank, another Mass attendee from the UK but living in Lourdes for 40 years, echoed Banks' sentiments, noting the excitement in the town.
• Bishop Jean-Marc Micas of Tarbes and Lourdes announced the complete covering of Father Marko Rupnik's mosaics ahead of the pope's visit, a decision made two years ago.
• Pope Leo XIV ordered the removal of artwork created by Father Marko Rupnik that was used on the Vatican News website, according to French media.
• The Holy Father arrived in Lourdes on September 26 and will participate in the candlelight procession that evening.
• The trip to Lourdes marks the first official papal state visit to France in 18 years, expected to attract more than 1 million people.
• The site near the Spanish border draws millions of pilgrims annually, including sick and disabled believers hoping for a cure from the famed spring water in the Lourdes grotto.

What's still developing

• “There’s been a phenomenal amount of excitement locally waiting for Leo to come visit. The town [of Lourdes] has really gotten behind everything that’s happening,” she said.
• The pope noted that we can often forget this in an age and society focused on progress and material wellbeing.
• LOURDES, France — Pope Leo XIV issued a firm call to conversion from sin and error in the Church, and invited all to repent and do penance, at the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes on Sunday.
• Lourdes is an evocative backdrop to the private meeting, since it is among the first shrines to cover artwork by the accused sexual abuser Father Marko Rupnik, currently on trial at the Vatican.
• Both Mary and Scripture make a "call to conversion, both tender and urgent," the Pope said.
• Lourdes is blessed as a place for professing the beauty and sanctity of life, for life is welcomed here as a precious gift from God, and is called to flourish for ever in the love of the Father.
• We must therefore use our freedom to say yes to Christ Drawing from the readings of this Sunday's Mass, but also the message of Mary to Saint Bernadette, Pope Leo XIV considered repentance and penance in his homily at Lourdes this September 27.
• Later that afternoon, the Pope will fly from Paris to Lourdes, arriving in the evening.
• Pope Leo will spend Sunday at the Shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes, one of the world’s most prominent Catholic pilgrimage destinations.
• Pope Leo, he said, “immediately asked me how Lourdes was handling this issue” and expressed his support for “the way we have approached things,” following Lourdes’ covering of the priest’s mosaics at the entrance of the Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary.
• The trip is “important for the country hosting him, but more broadly … the pope will also have very important things to say to the entire world,” Cardinal Jean-Marc Aveline, president of the bishops’ conference, said on Tuesday.
• Sylvain Guillebaud, deputy secretary-general of the CEF, said the pope’s visit is expected to cost the Catholic Church 27 million euros ($31 million).

Sources

• EWTN Newslink
• aleteia.orglink
• Orthodoxtimeslink
• OSV Newslink
• Cruxnowlink
• Abcnewslink
• Heraldmalaysialink
• Ewtnvaticanlink
• Warpbeatlink
• Newscordlink
• Ncronlinelink
• Ewtnnewslink
• Russpainlink
• Englishlink
• WarpBeat — background on Pope Leo XIV Set to Visit Lourdes, Welcomed by Enthusiastic Pilgrims link
• WarpBeat — background on Pope Leo XIV to See Covered Rupnik Mosaics at Lourdes link
• MinnMax — video link