French Youth Answer Social-Media Call to Rebuild Christian France, by Bénédicte Cedergren 

By Bénédicte Cedergren, National Catholic Register, August 10, 2025

Bénédicte Cedergren is an Associate Producer for EWTN News Nightly. She is Swedish-French and grew up in Stockholm. After graduating from the University of Stockholm with a degree in Journalism, Bénédicte moved to Rome where she earned a degree in Philosophy at the Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas. She also sings sacred music and works as a photographer. ….

In rural locales, young Catholics are rediscovering faith and tradition by restoring crumbling convents and chapels under the guidance of priests from the Institute of the Good Shepherd.

THIVIERS, France — A 19th-century convent, long forgotten and in disrepair, is now being restored thanks to the efforts of a group of young people and the dedication of a Catholic priest.

For the fourth year in a row, Father Mathieu Raffray of the Institute of the Good Shepherd has been reaching out to French youth through social media, inviting them to join him in “rebuilding Christian France.”

In recent years, the Institute of the Good Shepherd has undertaken various restoration projects, including a seminary, as well as other Catholic structures near Chartres and Mont-Saint-Michel. Father Raffray has been particularly focused on engaging young people in these efforts. …

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