The bishops of France meet in plenary assembly in Lourdes, from November 5 to 10

It is a meeting anchored within the Marian city. Twice a year, the Conference of Bishops, made up of all the country's bishops and cardinals, meets in Lourdes for its ordinary plenary assembly. These meetings allow them to reflect together on the issues facing the Church and French society.

The next plenary assembly takes place this week in Lourdes, from Tuesday November 5 to Sunday November 10. Among the highlights, the bishops and cardinals of France will discuss various subjects such as the universal communion of the Church with an intervention by His Beatitude Mgr Sviatoslav Schevchuk, primate of the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church, and the presence of African bishops among the assembly. But also the missionary issues of the Church; the ecumenical views of Pastor Krieger and Metropolitan Dimitrios; or the fight against sexual violence and support for adult victims…

Since the outbreak of the sexual violence scandal within the Church, it has undertaken to implement measures to combat this scourge. The focus was initially placed on minor victims, notably since the publication of the report of the Independent Commission on Sexual Abuse in the Church (Ciase) in 2021. Today, Catholic officials are also seeking to take into account the adults who have been victims of abuse.

During the last plenary assembly, in March 2024, the Conference of Bishops notably announced a reflection on the establishment of a national system in favor of major victims of sexual violence in the Church. Work on the subject is therefore continuing this week in Lourdes, on the occasion of this new plenary assembly.