PARIS (OSV News): Speaking on May 28, ahead of events marking the 80th anniversary of the Normandy landings on June 6, a date known as D-Day, Bishop Jacques Habert of Bayeux-Lisieux, whose diocese includes Omaha Beach, said, “Peace is fragile, fragile, fragile. We must encourage young people to practice justice, respect and fraternity on a daily basis. These are the inner attitudes that foster the peace we must constantly build.”
The diocese organised a gathering of over 2,000 young people from Catholic schools, on Sword Beach—the code name for one of the five beaches—the others being Utah, Omaha, Gold and Juno—involved in the in the 6 June 1944 landings. Nearly 160,000 troops from Britain, the United States, Canada and other nations came ashore in what is considered the largest seaborne invasion in history.
It marked the beginning of the liberation of France and Europe from Nazi occupation during World War II.
Bishop Habert spent the whole day with young people, listening to speakers. “The June 6 ceremonies have two main objectives,” he said, adding, “There is a look to the past, to remember what happened 80 years ago, and to show our gratitude to these soldiers. And there is a look to the future, leading us to reflect on how their shattering example can inspire us today.”
A general, Laurent Michon, invited the youth not to be frightened by the news of the conflicts of their time, but to commit themselves daily to the service of others, in the activities that are theirs, and thus concretely contribute to building peace at their level.
Peace is fragile, fragile, fragile. We must encourage young people to practice justice, respect and fraternity on a daily basis. These are the inner attitudes that foster the peace we must constantly build
Bishop Jacques Habert of Bayeux-Lisieux
Together with Bishop Habert, they listened to a 92-year-old man recount the landing he witnessed at the age of twelve. He said at the time they wrote a huge “thank you” on the sand to the soldiers who fought for the freedom of France and Europe 80 years ago.
Commemorations began on May 26, when more than 400 people gathered at the immense American cemetery in Colleville-sur-Mer—a place marked with its white marble crosses, home to the graves of 9,387 American soldiers. Among participants was Bishop Habert, whose diocese includes Omaha Beach.
“It is important for the Catholic Church to be present at the heart of these commemorations,” Father Laurent Berthout, diocesan communications liaison, said.
“The Church is keen to pass on the duty of remembrance we owe to those who gave their lives at the time of the D-Day landings, especially to young people,” he said.
“Peace and freedom are messages carried by the Church, and unfortunately, they cannot be taken for granted, especially at the moment. We have to tell young people that they have to work on it every day,” Father Berthout said.
The Church is keen to pass on the duty of remembrance we owe to those who gave their lives at the time of the D-Day landings, especially to young people
Father Laurent Berthout
On the evening of June 5, Bishop Habert was scheduled to welcome a British delegation to Bayeux Cathedral, including Princess Anne, sister of the British monarch, for an ecumenical liturgy with representatives of the Anglican Communion. The ceremony will be followed by a torchlight procession to the British cemetery for a joint prayer.
The Associated Press reported that Buckingham Palace said on May 17 that King Charles III would also travel to France but will skip the larger international event as he continues to be treated for cancer. However he is scheduled to attend the British Normandy Memorial at Ver-sur-Mer on June 6. Queen Camilla was also slated to be present.
French president, Emmanuel Macron said that Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy was slated to be among other world leaders in Normandy. US president, Joe Biden, along with dozens of World War II veterans, is also scheduled to attend this year’s commemorations of the landings. Many veterans will have returned to Normandy’s beaches for the last time.
From dawn on June 6, a dozen parish Masses were celebrated on the landing beaches. The official international commemoration ceremony took place in Saint-Laurent-sur-Mer, the small town bordering Omaha Beach.
On June 8, in Bayeux cathedral, Bishop Habert was scheduled to bless a marble plaque bearing the names of 138 priests, seminarians, religious men and women who disappeared during World War II, either as victims of air attacks or deported to death camps for acts of resistance.
For the first time, the names of religious sisters who died in the Allied bombing raids that accompanied D-Day will be honoured.
