As Pope Leo XIV concluded his historic visit to France in Metz, the birthplace of the « Père de l’Europe”, Robert Schuman, the One of Us Federation warmly welcomes the message he delivered throughout his visit — and particularly today in Metz, at the heart of Europe, where he called on young Europeans to build a continent rooted in peace, fraternity and human dignity.
Throughout his visit to France, Pope Leo XIV has consistently returned to three essential milestones: the love of freedom that lies at the heart of the French and European spirit; the inviolable dignity of every human person, together with the rights and responsibilities that flow from it; and the profound value of life itself — a life to be welcomed, cherished and protected from its very beginning.
At the Élysée Palace, Pope Leo XIV reaffirmed that “the protection of the right to life constitutes the foundation of every other human right”, calling for societies that know how to welcome life without condition and protect those who are vulnerable or without a voice.
In Metz, his message became explicitly European. Speaking from the birthplace of Robert Schuman’s European vision, the Pope recalled the Christian roots that helped shape Europe’s understanding of the dignity and responsibility of the human person, while emphasising freedom, democracy, solidarity, peace and the rule of law.
But it was his direct message to Europe’s young people that brought together the different strands of his visit. Pope Leo XIV urged them to “love life at every moment”, not to fear the future, and “not to be afraid to start a family, to bring children into the world, and to defend the dignity of every person, from the first moment in their mother’s womb until their last breath.”
For the One of Us Federation, these words express an essential anthropology: when the dignity of every human person is respected, Europe has the foundations to build a civilisation of freedom, fraternity and love — for believers and non-believers alike.
The Pope’s visit was also marked by powerful moments of inclusion and emotion. At the Mass celebrated in Paris on Saturday, six young people with Down syndrome participated as altar servers alongside the other young people serving at the Mass. Their presence offered a concrete and deeply moving expression of a fundamental reality: within the Catholic Church, the whole of humanity has a place, including people with disabilities — who are still too often rejected or marginalised by our societies, sometimes even before birth. By welcoming them not simply as recipients of care, but as active participants in the life of the Church, Pope Leo XIV gave a visible and tangible expression to the principle that every person has a place, a dignity and a contribution to make.
Ségolène du Closel, CEO of the One of Us Federation, said:
“The One of Us Federation thanks His Holiness Pope Leo XIV for having placed the human person, human dignity and the love of life and freedom at the heart of his message to France and to Europe. From Paris to Metz, he reminded to believers and not believers that the greatness of mankind means that freedom cannot be separated from responsibility, that rights cannot be separated from duties, and that the weakest must never be left behind.
His message to young Europeans is a profound invitation to hope. This vision of the human person also has an evident social and political dimension: a true democracy is one in which the strong exercise their freedom and power to protect the weak. Pope’ s words can inspire as well Catholic people, to strengthen their faith, as each human being, because the social principles of the catholic doctrine are not a matter of faith, but of a respectful organization for human societies.”
As Pope Leo XIV concludes his visit, the One of Us Federation echoes his call to Europe’s younger generations: do not fear the future, love life, build communities and have the courage to build a Europe founded on peace, freedom, solidarity and the dignity of every person from “the mother womb”.
