France's Surprising Catholic Revival

Media chaplain Frank Ritchie joins host Andrew Urquhart to discuss the Pope's recent visit to France and a surprising surge in adult Catholic baptisms, up 40-50% this year, with most new converts under 40 and half of them Gen Z.

Ritchie unpacks French Bishops Conference research showing young converts cite personal hardship, a search for existential meaning in a secular society, and, notably, genuine spiritual experiences as reasons for turning to faith. He weighs this against reactions of alarm from a Muslim federation and secular journalists worried about a Catholic resurgence, and links the trend to wider questions of French identity amid rising migration and multiculturalism, while arguing the data points to more than mere geopolitics - a genuine spiritual movement.

Tune into Thoughts & Comments from 10:00am - 2:00pm on the Rhema Media App.

For more from the show, visit the Thoughts & Comments page at rhema.co.nz.

Produced using AI tools under human supervision.

Support Rhema: https://donate.rhemamedia.co.nz/?brand=rhema&utm_source=omnystudio&utm_medium=link

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.