For a ‘measured diplomatic figure’, Pope Leo’s visit to France has been ‘deeply political’

Erin Ogunkeye is pleased to welcome Colleen Dulle, Vatican correspondent for America magazine and author of “Struck Down, Not Destroyed”. She came to Pope Leo’s visit to France expecting measured diplomacy but was struck by how deeply political the trip became. She observed a pope trying to articulate a vision of Europe shaped simultaneously by its Christian inheritance, its history of conflict, its encounter with other cultures, and its responsibility to pursue peace. His choice of Metz itself was significant. For Leo, this is a place where historic enemies transformed their relationship through reconciliation and cooperation, making Europe itself part of his message.