French National Congress 2026 in Lourdes

1,000 Pueri Cantores had the opportunity to gather in Lourdes for a convention. From October 19 to 23, 2026, they came together to sing, socialize, and pray. The theme of the week – “We are charged with singing it to you” – resonated particularly strongly in Lourdes. Saint Bernadette said, “I am not charged with making you believe it; I am charged with telling you”; these young people are charged with singing it.

The Congress featured a number of highlights

Group Sessions

• Monday, October 19: Opening ceremony
• Tuesday, October 20: Marian torchlight procession
• Wednesday, October 21: International Mass, Festival of the Regions
• Thursday, October 22: Vigil of Adoration and Confessions
• Friday, October 23: Sending Mass

Meeting Times

Age-group workshops gave young people from the 36 participating choirs the opportunity to meet one another. The adults also had their own workshops. Here are a few examples of the workshops.

• For 4th–6th graders: calligraphy of Gregorian chant, managing stage fright and emotions, praying with Mary, etc.
• For 5th–9th graders: introduction to choir conducting, being a role model for younger members of one’s choir, Gregorian chant
• For high school students: introduction to choral conducting, principles of music notation, a lecture by the chief medical officer of the department responsible for certifying recoveries.
• For adults: a meeting with the Voix Libérées collective, discussions on conducting and teaching practices.

Bonding activities for the choir

Various activities were offered so that the choirs could have some time to themselves:

• In the Footsteps of Saint Bernadette, a walking tour of Lourdes to discover the life of Saint Bernadette and the message of Lourdes.
• An orienteering challenge for our young singers, in which they had to decipher a musical score by searching for various clues throughout the sanctuary.
• Decorating a votive candle and placing it at the grotto. At the end of the spiritual vigil on Thursday evening, each choir placed a candle they had decorated at the grotto. This candle bore the group’s intentions and other intentions that had been entrusted to the group.

Festive moments

The Congress was a time of fellowship – spiritual, but also FESTIVE!

• Festive through play: each young person was given cards representing their choir and had to trade them with the other young people to put together a complete set of all 36 cards from the 36 choirs. Encounters, laughter, challenges, and a few minor mishaps: a very fun game!
• The Folk Dance: Wednesday afternoon – an hour and a half of traditional dancing and singing. This event was led by the Hungarian choir Vox Angelorum, the Ninos Cantores de San Miguelitos from Panama, and the Breton choirs. Lots of laughter, calories burned, and a bit of plaster that fell into the offices below – oops!
• The Regions Festival on Wednesday evening. A truly festive occasion where each region showcased its unique characteristics, repertoire, and energy. Thunderous applause, laughter, body percussion, and a fantastic dance performance by the high school students from St. Brieuc: a moment of great joy.

Spiritual moments, of course

• Mass was celebrated daily at the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception.
• Four major shared moments of the congress were deeply moving spiritual experiences: the International Mass; the Vigil of Adoration and Mercy; the Closing Mass; and the Marian torchlight procession.
• Confessions were offered during the group rehearsal sessions. The young people had the good fortune to be accompanied on Thursday and Friday by Bishop Olivier de Cagny of Évreux. As a former choirboy himself, he spoke to them with great insight about this very special and beautiful mission. Thank you, Your Excellency!
• Finally, the sending forth on mission. Thanks to the support of the Pontifical Mission Societies (PMS), all the young singers joined the Missionary Childhood program. Its secretary general presented each child with a rosary. Mr. Delrieu, the secretary general of the PMS, invited the young people to pray the rosary. The 1,000 young people present each represented one of the 1,000 dioceses around the world. The phrase “We are entrusted with singing this to you” took on its full meaning.

Welcoming other choirs

Vox Angelorum – Hungary

From Györ, Hungary. Forty young Hungarians came to discover Lourdes and French choral culture. The young Hungarians treated us to lively traditional dances, demonstrated a remarkable ability to blend in, and performed a unique repertoire that offered a refreshing change of pace. The Pueri Cantores Federation of Hungary is very young, but with choirs of this caliber, it is sure to grow rapidly.

Ninos Cantores de San Miguelitos – Panama

They crossed the Atlantic to come to Lourdes. They, too, treated us to absolutely mesmerizing traditional dances and the remarkable vocal talent of their 13-member choir. All the young people were captivated by the traditional costumes with their full skirts in every color. It was a source of pride to have, among the 1,000 young people, about fifteen who were able to cross the Atlantic to meet other choirs, explore other places, and experience other cultures.

The Voix Libérées collective

A group formed from the former choir of the Petits Chanteurs de Touraine. They came to remind us of the importance of paying special attention to the well-being and safety of children in choirs. On two occasions, they shared their testimonies with adults about lives that had been shattered – when the work of education turns into destruction. This was an important message for choir leaders, ensuring that choirs never forget their duty to help young people grow up in a safe environment. Notably, they sang a song during the regional festival, which concluded with a triumphant ovation from the young people – a deeply moving moment for everyone present. For the group, the Congress marked an important step in their healing process.

What happens next?

The choirs are back in action

Such a powerful unifying moment at the start of the year has helped create a strong community. For the young people, it’s now time to focus on the Christmas concerts and the choirs’ various projects. Next summer, some choirs will have the opportunity to attend the International Federation’s Congress in Málaga; more information here.

The federation is preparing its upcoming activities

Workshops (such as those in Mèze or Dinan last year) – a wide range of workshops will be offered in the coming days to choirs and young people. These workshops will also provide opportunities to share enriching and joyful experiences with other young people. Regional Congresses will be organized in the coming months by various regions. These events will give deep meaning to the theme of our conference, “We Are Charged to Sing It to You” – in Lourdes and throughout France.

And what about the next convention??

Less than a week after the Lourdes convention ended, a team met to plan the next convention: When? Where? The answers will be revealed at the Pueri Cantores France general assembly on the third weekend of January.

Images:
Stéphan Bonnet, Marc Taillebois