Saturday, for the pascal vigil, more than 4,000 adult people have been baptized Catholics in France. Recently attracted by religion, believers forever or in conversion, they come through this sacrament in the Christian community.
by
“If I had told me, I would not have believed,” Loose laughing Yannick Nobile on the forecourt of the Saint-Victor Abbey, overlooking the port of Marseille. This convinced ex-atheist who thought the “old and dusty” church and the religion synonymous with “war” changed his mind. Yesterday, dressed in white and standing in front of the abbey altar, the priest spilled three times water on his forehead: Yannick is now a “son of God”. At his side, his parents, his sister, his grandparents and aunts have organized a “convoy” from Toulon to attend this special day, that of his baptism.
Like him, 4,278 catechumen adults in France, including a small hundred in Marseille, for the various ages and motivations, received baptism on the occasion of the Pascale Visle. “It’s the Mass of the Year!” Explains Father Philippe Rochas, priest of the Saint Vincent-de-Paul church located at the top of the Canebière, and commonly called “Church of Reformed”. “It’s always a pleasure to see that the Catholic faith affects people at any time of their lives. I’m happy to welcome adults who have finally found their way, especially since I think it’s is the good! “
For ten years, the number of adults baptized oscillates between 3,000 and 4,000, stabilizing rather in the high average, according to the Data from the Conference of the Bishops of France (CEF) . A constant, while the number of baptisms under the age of 7 increased from 270,000 to 180,000 in the same time, and that applications for apostasy have increased in recent years, in particular following the scandals of pedocinality. In this context, the demands of baptism emanating from adults are “true good news “, even if “we are not there to make the number!”, Ensures Father Rochas.
“No click”
For Yannick, “there was no click” but rather a succession of happy and unfortunate events that led him several times to the church. “I was touched by the words and the universal dimension of the Church that brings together people who have nothing to do.” He is the first surprised. Small, the churches “subjugated” already this architect today aged 31, but from a “structural, and non-spiritual” point of view.
During the confinement too, “Questions emerged”. In the sofa of his apartment in Endoume (7ᵉ arrondissement of Marseille), he has a direct view of Our Lady of La Garde. A presence that “reassures” and reminds him of his grandparents whose windows also gave on the “good mother”.
You have 73.47% of this article to read. The rest is reserved for subscribers.