Following its closure by the former archbishop over two years ago due to co-management issues, the community released a statement on June 12, expressing their gratitude for Archbishop Laurent Ulrich's decision to revive the group and find a permanent location for them.

In May of last year, Saint-Merry's pastoral team discussed the community's future with Archbishop Ulrich and his vicar general, Msgr Emmanuel Tois. Subsequently, Tois met with all community members in mid-June and unveiled three significant developments.

Firstly, the archbishop assigned a 'priest companion' to the community.

Secondly, a new 'mission statement' will be crafted to redefine the pastoral vision entrusted to Saint-Merry by the late Cardinal François Marty, who founded the community in 1975. The cardinal's vision urged Saint-Merry to seek alternative ways of practising their faith in society and to reach out to those who feel alienated or hurt by the institution of the Church.

Thirdly, Archbishop Ulrich has committed to finding a suitable location to embody this mission, effectively granting the community a fresh start.

Developments embraced by former members

Former pastoral centre members have warmly embraced these developments.

Guy Aurenche, the community's spokesperson, expressed their satisfaction, stating that the news was received "with great relief and without blame, but with a sense that our concerns were taken seriously at the diocesan level."

Although specific details regarding the appointed priest and the future location are still unknown, Aurenche welcomed Archbishop Ulrich's invitation to allow the community to continue playing a creative role, even if it may be modest, by introducing the new mission statement.

According to a press release from Saint-Merry, Msgr Tois stated on June 12 that this process is expected to yield results by the end of 2023.

The press release emphasised that the renewed dialogue and rebuilt trust have instilled hope for renewal within the community, which remains committed to proclaiming the Gospel and working in harmony with the Church of Paris.

The statement further conveyed that, in a time when the Church must be receptive to various forms of presence and expressing its mission, Saint-Merry- Outside-the-Walls, with its rich history and current relevance at the intersection of societal expectations and the Gospel message, desires to participate in this process wholeheartedly.

Sources

La Croix International

CathNews New Zealand

The archbishop, who on March 1st closed the Halles-Beaubourg Pastoral Center (CPHB) at the Parish of Saint-Merry, told a Catholic radio station the center's members had treated him unfairly.

"They beat me up because things unworthy of the Gospel are happening at Saint-Merry, and I have been called a fascist!" he said on April 17 during an interview on Radio Notre-Dame.

The comments angered members of the forcibly closed pastoral center.

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Archbishop Michel Aupetit announced his decision to close the Saint-Merry Pastoral Center, in a letter to the community in February. The centre closed on March 1.

The pastoral centre was created in 1975 by Cardinal François Marty, the then archbishop of Paris. Following the Second Vatican Council, the centre was intended to be a place to "invent new modes for the Church of tomorrow".

The centre quickly became a hotbed of Catholic progressivism.

Activities in the 16th-century Gothic church were overseen by both priests and laypeople. The lay could participate in the liturgy and preach during a Sunday Mass.

According to a well-informed source inside the parish, the poisonous climate was caused by a hardcore of the community. The group numbered about 20 people, mostly aged over 70.

Their "intolerance" and "sectarian mentality" also led to the departure of laypeople, many of them young.

The source told CNA: "These people were all in their twenties in 1968 and they shaped this community together with a beautiful initial intuition.

"But then they grew old together with their own codes, without ever renewing themselves or welcoming new people, cutting themselves off from reality."

"The youth fled because their proposals were systematically refused and they didn't recognize themselves in such a Church environment."

In response to Aupetit's letter, lay members of the community launched an online petition, which has gained around 12,000 signatures, urging the archbishop to resume dialogue and let them pursue their mission.

Karine Dalle, a spokesperson for the diocese, told CNA that the decision was in no way related to the pastoral nature of the centre, but rather to serious excesses at the parish dating back many years.

She said that the two last pastors of Saint-Merry, Fr Daniel Duigou (2015-2019) and Fr Alexandre Denis (2019-2020), resigned because they were unable to establish a dialogue with key figures at the pastoral centre.

Their predecessor, Fr Jacques Mérienne, left after nine years as head of the parish amid difficulties at the end of his tenure.

The spokesperson explained that the archbishop decided to revoke Saint-Merry's special status after Fr Denis departed a few months ago in poor health.

"The collaboration between priests and the lay was no longer working. Archbishop Aupetit took a decision of responsibility in the face of a hopeless situation where his priests were falling ill one after the other," she said.

Despite the archbishop's ruling, the centre's former leaders are seeking to reestablish the community. They recently launched the website Saint-Merri-Hors-les-Murs ("Saint-Merry Outside the Walls"), after the diocese regained control of the parish's official website. They intend to "set up think tanks and look to their ecclesial future."

Sources

• Catholic News Agency
• Cath News

The announcement has been greeted with disbelief, sadness and anger by the parish community. They launched an online "appeal" to keep the centre open. In the first 48 hours, more than 2,000 people had signed it.

Archbishop Michel Aupetit said he was closing the centre because of the difficult climate at Saint-Merry, especially regarding the people's attitude towards the most recently assigned priests.

"This is the second time in less than three years that the priest of your parish has been forced to leave his mission abruptly in the face of violent attacks against him," said Aupetit, who was installed as Paris's archbishop in January 2018.

In 1975, in the wake of the Second Vatican Council (1962-65), Cardinal François Marty entrusted the centre to a team of laypeople and Father Xavier de Chalendar.

The cardinal, who was Paris archbishop from 1968-1981, entrusted the fledgeling centre with the mission of "inventing new ways for the Church of the future".

Sources

• La Croix International
• Liberation