Pensés about Paris ... and points beyond

The Holy Father returned from his apostolic visit to France just a few days ago. This morning, during the weekly General Audience, he reflected in a spirit of gratitude with the pilgrims who were gathered in Saint Peter's Square about his voyage and about the faith he encountered while he was there.

Here's a snippet from the text of his speech from this morning:

Our encounter today gives me the opportunity to retrace the
steps of my recent Pastoral Visit to France. After a warm welcome in Paris, I
met with men and women from the world of culture, with whom I reflected on the
monastic ideal of seeking God—quaerere Deum—as the bedrock of European culture. I wished to emphasize that meditation on the Scriptures opens our minds and hearts to the Logos, God’s Creative Reason in the flesh. In the magnificent
Cathedral of Notre-Dame, I gathered with bishops, priests, religious and
seminarians, sharing with them the treasures of the Holy Spirit and the Cross.
My brief stop at the Institut de France was followed by the joyful Eucharistic
celebration on the Esplanade des Invalides. I then made my way to Lourdes to
join thousands of pilgrims in this Jubilee year commemorating the apparitions of
Our Lady to Saint Bernadette. The Holy Mass near the Grotto of Massabielle
providentially coincided with the Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross, the
perennial sign of the "mystery of death and of glory". The Cross demonstrates
that God so loved the world that he gave us his only Son. It teaches us that
there is no genuine love without suffering, and no gift of life without pain.
Lourdes is thus a school of faith and hope because it is a school of charity and
service. I am deeply grateful to God and to all who made this trip a blessed,
memorable success. Thank you!

In case you're interested, an entire list of the texts of the Holy Father's speeches and greetings during his voyage in France is also available. Happy reading!