So many people have said this! We'll have to brainstorm a good replacement...

Glad you appreciated it! I thought that shot of the wind rustling the pages was a very clear reference to John XXIII's words about "opening the windows of the church."
By the way, my upcoming book is all about grappling: www.colleendulle.com/main/#book

Thanks @themountaingoats.bsky.social for providing the lyrics that framed this piece, and that have accompanied me through grief time and again.

To be clear, I don't think the pope is meaning to send a negative message about the Notre Dame reopening, and Paris vs. Corsica wasn't necessarily a binary choice.

But I think his opting for Corsica reveals how he prioritizes uplifting both migrants and down-home Catholicism. (4/4)

Then there's the popular piety aspect.

Francis is going to Corsica for a conference on Popular Religion in the Mediterranean; Corsica is known for its deep religiosity.

While Notre Dame is also a place of devotion, I think it's safe to say that more people go there for tourism than prayer. (3/4)

Every time the pope has visited France, he's spoken about migration. And opting for Corsica adds to a long list of visits to Mediterranean islands he's visited where he's highlighted migration, so I would be surprised if he didn't do the same this time. (2/3)

And here is my article summarizing it: www.americamagazine.org/faith/2024/1...