New French cardinal elected head of bishops' conference

Published: 2007-11-07

PARIS (CNS) -- Cardinal-designate Andre Vingt-Trois of Paris was elected president of the French bishops' conference, less than three weeks before being made a cardinal by Pope Benedict XVI. "After a generation that was not interested in religion, we now have a generation ignorant about it -- a largely areligious society where many no longer have any Christian memory," the cardinal-designate told France's Catholic Jour de Seigneur TV channel Nov. 5 after his election at the bishops' meeting in Lourdes. "Christians must take their full place in society and involve themselves in the organizations of social life," he said. "The persuasive force of our voice depends on the strength Christians muster in society." The cardinal-designate replaced Cardinal Jean-Pierre Ricard of Bordeaux as conference president. The bishops also elected Archbishops Laurent Ulrich of Chambery and Hippolyte Simon of Clermont as vice presidents at the Nov. 3-8 assembly, which was preceded by a congress on catechesis at the Marian shrine in Lourdes.

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