French Catholics attached to the traditional Latin Mass but loyal to Rome are expressing deep sadness after the Society of St. Pius X consecrated four bishops without papal approval, prompting the Vatican to declare the group in schism and excommunicate six SSPX bishops.
The events occurred just as French traditionalist Catholics were actively mobilizing to welcome Pope Leo XIV to France Sept. 25 to 28. Philippe Darantière has served since 2025 as president of the association Notre-Dame de Chrétienté, which organizes the annual Pentecost Pilgrimage to Chartres for pilgrims attached to the traditional liturgy. Darantière highlighted the unprecedented mobilization of the association in helping to organize the pope’s upcoming visit to France.
“We were asked to contribute to the preparations for his visit to Paris specifically, on September 25 and 26,” he told . “The Archdiocese of Paris estimates that it needs 10,000 volunteers.”
“They turned to us because Notre-Dame de Chrétienté is known for its ability to organize large-scale gatherings that require significant logistical support,” he said about his organization, which every year draws close to 20,000 people to walk from Paris to Chartres with traditional Latin Masses concelebrated en route.
The first major papal event in France is to be a meeting and prayer vigil with Leo and young people, scheduled to take place on the evening of Friday, Sept. 25, at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis in the northern suburbs of Paris. The second event is the main Mass that is to be celebrated the afternoon of Saturday, Sept. 26, at the Place de la Concorde – the largest square in Paris -with Massgoers expected all along the Avenue des Champs-Élysées, which leads to the Arc de Triomphe. Leo will celebrate Mass in the presence of all the bishops of France and a crowd that could number nearly 500,000 people.
