# Pope's France visit to champion life and peace > Cardinal Parolin previews Pope Leo's apostolic journey focused on protecting life, building dialogue, and reviving Europe's Christian roots. - Title: Pope's France visit to champion life and peace · Vaticannews - Summary: Cardinal Parolin previews Pope Leo's apostolic journey focused on protecting life, building dialogue, and reviving Europe's Christian roots. The Pope's visit… - Keywords: pope leo xiv, cardinal pietro parolin, france, apostolic journey, vatican, life protection, peace building, europe, diplomacy, unesco, lourdes, metz - Source: Vaticannews — https://vaticannews.va/en/vatican-city/news/2026-09/cardinal-parolin-pope-leo-france-visit-interview-life-peace-euro.html - Author: Vatican News - Published: 2026-09-24T12:03:20.936+00:00 - Read time: 4 min - Topics: pope leo xiv, cardinal pietro parolin, france, apostolic journey, vatican, life protection, peace building, europe, diplomacy, unesco, lourdes, metz ## Pope's fifth journey focuses on life Pope Leo's visit to France will address protecting life, building peace, artificial intelligence challenges, and Europe's identity to a multicultural, secular society with growing young adult catechumens. ## Journey motto centers on life The apostolic journey's motto is "That the world may have life," conveying three meanings: natural life from conception to death, spiritual life and faith, and human creative vitality in an increasingly technological world. > "That the world may have life." ## France must welcome life as gift Against declining European birth rates, the Pope's visit invites France to rediscover life as a gift to be welcomed with gratitude and responsibility, not merely as a biological fact. ## Young catechumens show spiritual hunger France stands out for its large number of young adult catechumens, revealing a thirst for spiritual life that marks the world today despite widespread secularization. ## Human creativity must guide technology Notre-Dame's reconstruction demonstrates human craftsmanship and intellectual capacity. The Pope warns that new technologies, including artificial intelligence, must never cause humanity to forget its creative vitality. ## UNESCO visit highlights culture's power The Pope will visit UNESCO to emphasize how culture and education build peace earlier than politics can, forming people to see others as brothers rather than enemies. ## Move from power to negotiation Pope Leo's encyclical Magnifica humanitas calls for shifting from a culture of power to a culture of negotiation where dialogue becomes the ordinary way of addressing conflicts. ## Church builds bridges through encounter The Church's role is to form consciences in the Gospel's light, build bridges, educate for encounter, and give voice to the voiceless in a space where different cultures learn to listen. ## Faith and reason address humanity Christian thought offers a unique contribution rooted in the Incarnation: understanding what it means to be human in light of Revelation, especially as technology and artificial intelligence accelerate. ## Church seeks civilization of love The Church points toward a civilization of love and integral human development, showing how faith and reason enrich one another and serve life amid technological challenges and human suffering. ## Dialogue happens between real people Authentic dialogue with non-believers requires seeking common ground without confining people to categories. Christians must respond with gentleness and respect while recognizing God's work precedes them. ## France can lead Europe toward peace France possesses spiritual and political resources to revive multilateralism and diplomacy. By drawing on its humanistic heritage and Christian roots, it can build authentic peace through reconciliation and dialogue. ## Peace requires creative efforts The Holy See rejects reducing peace to force balancing or deterrence. Authentic lasting peace is built with others through shared architecture of reconciliation, not against someone through arms races. ## Pope addresses France's assisted suicide law The Pope will speak compassionately about suffering without rigid admonition, calling for shared responsibility. True compassion means never abandoning the suffering, not facilitating death. ## Care, not death, measures civilization The Pope will urge France to strengthen palliative and holistic care. Human dignity is not linked to efficiency or biological health. Society must invest in social alliance that embraces fragility. ## Lourdes embodies shared human fraternity At Lourdes, the Pope will affirm Mary's tenderness toward humanity. The shrine manifests unity where suffering members are consoled and healed members lift the whole body through shared life. ## Schuman's Christian vision guides Europe Robert Schuman, founding father of Europe, grounded the European project in Christian fraternity. The fundamental values of freedom, equality, and work dignity find their foundation in this vision. ## Creative efforts replace arms race The 1950 Schuman Declaration called for creative efforts proportionate to peace threats. The European Coal and Steel Community made war unthinkable. Today, Europe can develop shared diplomatic outlook. > "World peace cannot be safeguarded without creative efforts proportionate to the dangers which threaten it." ## One voice stronger than military might A Europe speaking with one voice through negotiation exercises greater moral persuasion than military displays. Creative effort means making people understand that a convincing word is stronger than force. ## Journey seeds trust for next generation Cardinal Parolin hopes this visit inaugurates a long-term generative process engaging younger generations facing complex challenges. The Pope's presence offers seeds of trust against fragmentation and individualism. ## Key takeaway The Pope's visit to France aims to shift Europe from a logic of violence and deterrence toward a diplomacy of encounter and creative peacebuilding rooted in human dignity.