Five with Down syndrome to serve Pope Léon XIV
Five people with Down syndrome will serve Mass for Pope Léon XIV on the Place de la Concorde in Paris this Saturday. François, 28, said the invitation means a lot to him and others with the condition. He will serve alongside five others, ranging in age, at the event.
A letter to the pontiff
The request came through an audience on June 22. Théophile, 11, handed the pope a letter signed by several young people with Down syndrome. The letter asked for the chance to serve Mass during the apostolic visit to France. The pope agreed.
François said the response touched him deeply. He also noted that the pope spoke about the dignity of life during the same meeting. Léon XIV warned that doctors should never decide life or death based on lab algorithms. He said medicine must never serve programmed death.
Violaine, Théophile’s mother, shared his joy. She said he sees serving Mass as normal. To prepare, he learned the “Léon XIV” song from Amen Media and sings it everywhere. In Rome, he even left his mother to ask a priest in Saint-Peter’s crypt if he could serve Mass, bypassing Vatican protocol on his own.
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François is grateful for the recognition of his fragility within the Church. He prays for the pope, and he believes the pope prays for him. During the service, he hopes only for a blessing for himself and others like him.
Access to the event
François will not be alone at the altar. His mother will stand nearby with about 100 members of L’exTra 21, a network of parents from the Lejeune Institute. The group focuses on listening, information, and meeting others. Violaine said her son is ready for Saturday.
The visit continues to Lourdes. There, people with disabilities will also be highlighted. At the Paris event, the Order of Malta set up a special area for 250 people with reduced mobility on the Place de la Concorde. The mix of liturgical service and logistical support reflects a broader effort to include those with intellectual disabilities in major church events. This Saturday, François n’aura qu’une demande si ses pas croisent ceux du Saint-Père : une bénédiction, « pour moi et tous les jeunes comme moi ».
