About the Pope's Visit to France

Pope Benedict has a lot going for him among people in the U.S. However, he is one thing that the U.S. is not these days, pro-French. In the words of Mr. John L. Allen Jr. in his Friday online weekly column, All Things Catholic, "He's far too pro-French."

The pope has his sights on and beyond France:

Benedict XVI will encourage these signs of life, and not simply because France has a rich Catholic tradition. A revitalized French church could also be a key point of reference for Francophone
Catholicism around the world, especially in Africa. The Democratic Republic of the Congo, for example, is destined to be one of the Catholic powerhouses of the 21st century. By 2050, it will be the fifth largest Catholic country in the world, at 97 million Catholics, behind only Brazil, Mexico, the Philippines, and the United States. Other sizeable French-speaking Catholic populations are found in Burundi, Madagascar, Haiti, Rwanda, Vietnam and Cameroon, in addition to Belgium to Quebec.

Read Mr. Allen's column and learn what "signs of life" Pope Benedict "will encourage" on his visit to France later this month.
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