The Cross : Pope Francis received, Friday, January 10, around fifty leaders of the Mission Congress, in the Consistory room of the Apostolic Palace at the Vatican. What did he say to you on this occasion?
Gabriel Rochette de Lempdes: This is the second meeting with the Pope. He had already received two leaders from the Mission Congress in 2020, who presented our project to him. This time, there were around fifty of us: national leaders, but also regional ones, representatives of partner communities (Emmanuel, Chemin-Neuf, Aïn Karem…), young people working on the 2025 Congress… There were, in a way, all the “workers” of the Mission Congress.
What I remember above all are these words from Pope Francis: “I encourage you to never be afraid to go out”. It’s really something that drives us. He also said that being a missionary means agreeing to “let yourself be moved by the Holy Spirit” even calling on us to make a bit of a mess. And he insisted a lot on the place of young people, a very important issue for us. In 2025, during our next big gathering planned in Bercy, there will be an evening especially for them.
The Pope finally also distanced himself from his speech by recalling that France was the “eldest daughter of the Church”, provider of many saints, and said he hoped that our 2025 Congress would be a “moment of joy and renewal for the Church in France. I really took it as an encouragement to the mission.
In 2025, the Mission Congress will celebrate its 10th anniversary, with a gigantic gathering planned for November 7 to 9 in Bercy (Accor Arena). Can you tell us more?
G. R. : Over the past ten years, the Mission Congress has grown considerably, first at the national level, then it has expanded to the regional and local level (more than 140 Mission Congresses have been organized in different cities in France in 2024). There is an element of dispossession in this. This year, we wanted a large gathering at the national level (1) that could accommodate everyone.
When we interact with the delegates, we see that there are very strong expectations at the local level, but also the desire to experience something in common, to come together around what motivates us, in the big family of the Mission Congress . This is something that was discerned at the same time: first ultra-local editions in 2024, then a very large gathering in 2025 (one of the major themes of which can be summed up in the question “How can we propose faith today in France? , Editor’s note) .
What do you think are Pope Francis’ priorities for mission today? And in what state of mind did you emerge from this meeting with him?
G. R. : The Pope has not given us a road map. For him, I believe, the mission is not a civilizational battle, it is first and foremost an overflow of joy. It’s about bearing witness to what makes us live. This is something that he often mentions and in which the Mission Congress fully identifies. I also have the impression that the Pope knows us well, that he understands our DNA well. His speech was very personable, he really spoke about the issues facing us today at the Mission Congress. So I come away with the joy of having met the Pope, and of having been able to hear such words of encouragement from him.
(1) Clean. : https://congresmission.com/congres-mission-2025/
