SW News: There is a glimmer of hope for the Church which is battling systematic Christophobic attacks and rampant de-Christianization of society. A host of new churches are being built in several cities across the country to accommodate the bourgeoning number of believers.

On January 16 there was a celebration in Voisins-le-Bretonneux in the diocese of Versailles where the foundation stone of the new church was laid. The ceremony was presided over by Bishop Luc Crepy and the new church dedicated to St Joseph will accommodate as many as 800 worshippers at a time. The parish covers a vast area having 35,000 residents. In the parish that has thousands of members, Holy Mass is offered every Sunday in a rented gym for want of a spacious building.

The proposed Saint Joseph-le-Bienveillant Church that reflects the modern trends in architecture is expected to be opened for worship before Christmas next year and the total cost is estimated to be 10 million euros.

In the same manner, another Catholic church will be constructed in Serris. After the pandemic-induced delay, construction will begin later this year. Dedicated to St Colomban, the church will also have a school on its premises. Bishop Jean Yves Nahmias of the diocese of Meaux is spearheading the construction project of the church whose hallmark will be a 36-meter high bell tower. Once completed, it will accommodate 900 believers for Mass and other ceremonies.

The growing number of Catholics in the city of Chelles has prompted the authorities to demolish the small chapel dedicated to Saint Bathilde and build a much larger church on its site. It is estimated that construction would be over in 2024. The new church will accommodate 800 people and it is expected to be more visible from the city square.

Another new church is coming up in the diocese of Saint-Denis. As the chapel dedicated to St John XXIII had become too small for the growing number of faithful, a larger one had to be built. The new church will be able to accommodate hundreds of believers for mega events hosted by the diocese.

The French bishops had published a survey in 2016 in which they said that out of 43,258 churches and chapels in the country, 255 were either decommissioned or sold since 1905 while 1,886 new churches have come up. As many as 2,190 churches have been demolished and rebuilt since the early part of the 20th century.