A French bishop has said the destruction of the recent riots and the peaceful scenes of Pope Leo XIV’s visit stems from a “thirst for hope” among the country’s youth.
Speaking to Crux Now, Bishop Matthieu Rougé of Nanterre, near Paris, explained why he believed there was a common thread linking the pope’s successful visit to France in late September and the violent riots that took place this month.
“Perhaps the peaceful atmosphere of the pope’s visit and the violence that followed are two sides of the same coin: Despite their differences, young people are driven by the same thirst for hope,” he said.
“Some have begun to find an answer through faith, while others are still searching for one, sometimes expressing the frustration of discouragement or even despair through violence,” he added.
Rougé also went on to argue that drawing too sharp a contrast between the two events was a false dichtomy and not an accurate representation of France.
“We should be wary of simplistic, caricatured oppositions, such as the idea that privileged young people attended the pope’s invitation-only event, while disadvantaged young people were responsible for the violence,” he said.
“In reality, the Parisian secondary schools where the protests were most intense are among the most privileged educational institutions,” he added.
“Meanwhile, the prayer vigil with the pope and young people took place at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis, in the heart of the most cosmopolitan department in France,” Rougé argued. “French Catholicism today is indeed deeply multicultural, and people of Afro-Caribbean origin make up a significant and enthusiastic part of its faithful.”
Students began protesting against schooling conditions in September, but throughout October the protests got progressively more destructive, culminating in violent rioting that saw thousands arrested and the burning of public buildings and looting.
RELATED: A ‘spiral of violence’: France’s bishops condemn the weekend’s riots
Rougé said an atmosphere of “pervasive nihilism” was driving students to lash out in violence.
“At its root, the crisis we are experiencing is spiritual: how can we build our lives if we do not understand their purpose?” Rougé asked.
“Our times are marked by a kind of pervasive nihilism, which expresses itself through acts of nihilistic destruction that are entirely gratuitous, such as the destruction of Limoges City Hall, for example,” he added.
“A lack of quality education and personal development means that some young people do not have the words to express what they are feeling, and consequently express themselves through violence,” he said.
The full interview with Crux Now and Rougé is below.
Crux Now: In your opinion, what are the main causes of these student protests?
Rougé: There are multiple causes behind these protests. Some are genuine concerns related to the changes made to the education system in recent years, particularly regarding curricula, elective subjects, and educational and career guidance.
But above all, there is a widespread sense of distress linked to the feeling that the future holds no prospects. The economic, geopolitical, and ecological crises are combining to fuel fear of what lies ahead.
Furthermore, the transformation of the world of work, driven by the rapid integration of artificial intelligence into businesses, is causing many young people, even those with degrees, to fear that they will struggle to find a job that is interesting, secure, and sufficiently well paid.
You have stated elsewhere that some of the violence can be explained by the fact that certain young people “have not found meaning in their lives.” Why is this, and how does it manifest itself in violence?
I was indeed struck by Pope Leo XIV’s statement at UNESCO: “No education is complete if it does not address the question of meaning.”
At its root, the crisis we are experiencing is spiritual: how can we build our lives if we do not understand their purpose? Our times are marked by a kind of pervasive nihilism, which expresses itself through acts of nihilistic destruction that are entirely gratuitous, such as the destruction of Limoges City Hall, for example.
A lack of quality education and personal development means that some young people do not have the words to express what they are feeling, and consequently express themselves through violence.
Added to this are the growing radicalization of opinions and the tendency for groups to become increasingly inward-looking and divided along community lines, both of which are accelerated by social media.
You have also argued that it is essential for young people to feel that they can shape their own future. Why do so many young people in Western countries no longer share this feeling today?
I have already listed a number of reasons for this feeling. We should probably also mention the French political climate during this election year, torn between confrontations involving the political extremes and the ego-driven rivalries of a so-called “central bloc”, which claims to be more rational but lacks even a basic grounding in an understanding of human nature.
In France, as in many Western countries, the political landscape has been reduced to a wasteland, leading people to doubt democracy’s ability to seriously address contemporary challenges.
In short, the future is uncertain and therefore worrying.
Many people have drawn parallels between the scenes surrounding Pope Leo XIV’s visit to France and these protests. Which of these two situations better reflects the reality of France today?
We should be wary of simplistic, caricatured oppositions, such as the idea that privileged young people attended the pope’s invitation-only event, while disadvantaged young people were responsible for the violence.
In reality, the Parisian secondary schools where the protests were most intense are among the most privileged educational institutions. Meanwhile, the prayer vigil with the pope and young people took place at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis, in the heart of the most cosmopolitan department in France.
French Catholicism today is indeed deeply multicultural, and people of Afro-Caribbean origin make up a significant and enthusiastic part of its faithful.
Perhaps the peaceful atmosphere of the pope’s visit and the violence that followed are two sides of the same coin: despite their differences, young people are driven by the same thirst for hope.
Some have begun to find an answer through faith, while others are still searching for one, sometimes expressing the frustration of discouragement or even despair through violence.
What message is the Church offering this younger generation to help them? Is that message being well received?
For several years now, the number of people knocking on the Church’s door, particularly young people, asking to be baptised has continued to increase.
The Church’s task is to welcome and accompany these people with great kindness and understanding, while helping them discover the heart of the faith, both its beauty and its demands.
In this respect, the prayer vigil at the Stade de France with the pope was exemplary and could serve as a model. The diversity of musical styles and ways of expressing faith allowed everyone to find something to which they could relate.
Above all, the quality and beauty of the event as a whole gave everyone the feeling of participating in a major event that had real meaning in France today.
The task of genuinely responding to the hopes of young people is immense, but it is not an impossible mission!
