Cardinal keen on synodal dialogue and meeting the sheep where they are cannot in reality be bothered with either when it does not suit him

The faithful of the church sold by the Diocese of Marseille pray to Cardinal Aveline to come.

HERE IS MY NEIGHBORHOOD - Put up for sale by the Diocese of Marseille, the Saint-Maurice church in the Pont de Vivaux district will soon be deconsecrated. A group is requesting the Cardinal's visit to preside over a ceremony so that the 1954 church does not disappear into anonymity.

Once the embodiment of modernity, the church, reminiscent of Le Corbusier, is being put up for sale by the diocese after five years of neglect. It will not be demolished. Its future is still unclear. Marseille religious authorities informed ICI Provence that the transaction is likely to be completed next fall.

The architecture leaves so much to be desired but that is not the point here.

Cardinal Aveline, whose whole career depended on his fidelity to Bergoglionism, ignores the Faithful in the 10th arrondissement of Marseille which is indeed one of the poorer areas of the city. Approximately 40% of its residents live below the poverty line, compared to 26% for Marseille as a whole and 15% nationally.  Some would call this hypocrisy.  He will be President of the French Bishops' Conference from next Tuesday.

Tireless pilgrims, Corinne and Bernard Franchi are beating the drum in this neighborhood of Marseille's 10th arrondissement. They fear a "quick" disappearance. Their petitions have collected more than 800 signatures, but the fate of the place of worship seems sealed. "Out of respect for the residents, for the parishioners, there must be a day of celebration, not a day of mourning," Corinne pleads. Her husband directly appeals to Jean-Marc Aveline, the Archbishop of Marseille: "Come, please! Don't leave the neighborhoods abandoned! Let's do like Michel Delpech's song, "The Divorced." If it's over between us, life goes on anyway. Come here and then everyone will go their own way."

We would have liked to give you a different perspective, but the diocese is sticking to press releases, not interviews. It does, however, specify that deconsecration can be done by decree; there is no obligation to hold a ceremony.

The glue of the neighborhood

In their quest, the unwavering faith of the defense collective led by the Franchi couple reaches out to the neighborhood's residents. Jean-Paul believes that "this church is a landmark, a link, the glue of the neighborhood." He is an atheist, but he got married there, and his son and granddaughter were baptized there. It's heartbreaking: "Since it was closed, it's been massacred, it's been looted." Karima, the closest neighbor, shares the same attachment. "It has a universal soul, it's the soul of the neighborhood. A neighborhood that has already changed a lot. It was a green setting. It was "concreted over." Now that's added to it..." Karima prays with the parishioners to save the place, even though she's not a believer. "It has nothing to do with religion. It's a place open to all."

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Cathcon: The Diocese has been on a frenzy of selling churches and property. More soon.

The City of Marseille protects Saint-Maurice church from demolition

The City of Marseille has asked the Metropolitan Council to classify the church, which has been closed since 2019, as a "remarkable heritage site". This will save the building from demolition once and for all.


Built in 1964, the Pont-de-Vivaux church was put up for sale a few weeks ago by the diocese of Marseille, which claims it can no longer afford to maintain it. The diocese has promised that it will not be demolished. There is an offer to buy it, which will guarantee "a social activity or one of collective interest". However, this does not reassure parishioners and local residents.

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