Young people in France are tired of the ‘superficiality’ of the world and are looking for serious answers, which they are finding in the Catholic Church, according to Father Gian Strapazzon.
The number of catechumens — people preparing to receive baptism — continues to grow robustly in France. After reaching the highest number in two decades in 2025, with a total of 10,384 baptisms during the Easter Vigil, several French dioceses indicated that this year the number could reach 20,000.
Young people are seeking something transcendent
Father Gian Strapazzon, rector of St. Vincent de Paul Seminary in France, arrived in the country 12 years ago from his native Brazil. In an interview with ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News, he said there he encountered exemplary priests whose witness confirmed his vocation: “They were like lights amidst the darkness.”
St. Vincent de Paul Seminary serves as the primary formation center for the Institute of the Good Shepherd, founded in 2006 in Courtalain within the French Diocese of Chartres. It is distinguished by its formation of priests utilizing the traditional Roman rite.
The record number of conversions in France, particularly among young adults, stems from “reaction to a
