CC BY
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Balabeykina O. A., Popova E. V., Malinin E. A. rcTPPni/l
Social significance and some manifestations of economic activity i \ ^ \/11LJI 1i/1
of the dominant religious institution: The Roman-Catholic Church of France , . „ .n/"Y r~l Dl 1/1
/KYI HAJ I
Olga A. BALABEYKINA
Elena V. POPOVA
Evgeniy A. MALININ
UDC 338.48 EDN: LTBWLF
DOI: 10.24412/1995-042X-2022-1-45-56
St. Petersburg State University of Economics (St. Petersburg, Russia) PhD in Geography, Associate Professor; e-mail: olga8011@yandex.ru
St. Petersburg State University of Economics (St. Petersburg, Russia) Senior Lecturer; e-mail: write-to-elenna@yandex.ru
St. Petersburg State University of Economics (St. Petersburg, Russia) Bachelor of International Relations; e-mail: mission2010@mail.ru
SOCIAL SIGNIFICANCE AND SOME MANIFESTATIONS OF ECONOMIC ACTIVITY OF THE DOMINANT RELIGIOUS INSTITUTION: THE ROMAN-CATHOLIC CHURCH OF FRANCE
Abstract. The research is focused on manifestation of the social role and economic activity of the country's dominant religious institution, Roman Catholic Church of France (RCCF), in the conditions of functioning of the model of state-church relations in France. Research hypothesis: RCCF, despite the secular trends in European society and other factors restricting its influence at present stage, remains an important religious institution in French society that has a significant impact on the socio-economic development of the country and its individual regions. The work substantiates culture-creating role of the RCCF in the country, based on the analysis in the dynamics of the initial statistical data concerning the degree of active participation of the population in religious ceremonies and rituals. The authors reveal nature, directions and main methods of implementation of the RCCF activities related to its social responsibility. Among them, the key ones at present stage are the fight against the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic; measures aimed at adaptation of migrants, provision of financial, advisory and other types of assistance to the segments of the population in need. It is concluded that, without the status of a state religious institution, the RCCF largely at its own expense duplicates the social functions of the state, carrying out its activities in the field of social responsibility in the areas most relevant for the society development. Based on the results of the calculation of the ratio of territorial concentration / diversification, it is confirmed that the cult infrastructure of the RCCF (parishes) is evenly distributed throughout the country, which creates an opportunity for everyone to take part in religious ceremonies and events not related to cult activity, and for those in need - to use numerous resources, offered at the parishes of the RCCF. Research results can be used by government and public authorities while developing and implementing measures related to church-state relations.
Keywords: France, Roman Catholic Church, social responsibility, economic activity, religious organization
Citation: Balabeykina, O. A., Popova, E. V., & Malinin, E. A. (2022). Social significance and some manifestations of economic activity of the dominant religious institution: The Roman-Catholic Church of France. Servis v Rossii i za rubezhom [Services in Russia and Abroad], 16(1), 45-56. doi: 10.24412/1995-042X-2022-1-45-56.
Article History
Received 20 January 2022 Accepted 1 March 2022
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УДК 338.48 EDN: LTBWLF
DOI: 10.24412/1995-042X-2022-1-45-56
БАЛАБЕЙКИНА Ольга Александровна
Санкт-Петербургский государственный экономический университет (С.-Петербург, РФ) кандидат географических наук, доцент; e-mail: olga8011@yandex.ru
ПОПОВА Елена Владимировна
Санкт-Петербургский государственный экономический университет (С.-Петербург, РФ)
доцент; e-mail: write-to-elenna@yandex.ru
МАЛИНИН Евгений Андреевич
Санкт-Петербургский государственный экономический университет (С.-Петербург, РФ)
бакалавр; e-mail: mission2010@mail.ru
СОЦИАЛЬНОЕ ЗНАЧЕНИЕ И НЕКОТОРЫЕ ПРОЯВЛЕНИЯ ЭКОНОМИЧЕСКОЙ ДЕЯТЕЛЬНОСТИ ДОМИНИРУЮЩЕГО РЕЛИГИОЗНОГО ИНСТИТУТА: РИМСКО-КАТОЛИЧЕСКАЯ ЦЕРКОВЬ ФРАНЦИИ
Предмет исследования - проявление в условиях функционирования модели государственно-церковных отношений, принятых во Франции, социальной роли и экономической деятельности доминирующего религиозного института страны - национальной Римско-католической Церкви (РКЦФ). Гипотеза исследования: РКЦФ, несмотря на секулярные тенденции в европейском обществе и иные факторы, лимитирующие ее влияние на современном этапе, остается значимым в обществе Франции религиозным институтом, оказывающим существенное влияние на социально-экономическое развитие страны и ее отдельных регионов. Обосновывается культурообразующая роль РКЦФ в стране, с опорой на анализ в динамике исходных статистических данных, касающихся степени активности участия населения в религиозных таинствах и обрядах. Раскрываются характер, направления и основные способы реализации деятельности РКЦФ, связанной с ее социальной ответственностью. Среди них ключевыми на современном этапе выступают борьба с последствиями пандемии COVID-19; мероприятия, направленные на адаптацию мигрантов, оказание финансовой, консультативной и иных видов помощи нуждающимся слоям населения. Делается вывод о том, что не имея статуса государственного религиозного института, РКЦФ во многом за счет собственных средств дублирует социальные функции государства, осуществляя виды деятельности с области социальной ответственности в направлениях, наиболее актуальных для развития общества. На основании результатов расчета значения коэффициента территориальной концентрации/диверсификации подтверждается, культовая инфраструктура РКЦФ (приходы) размещена по территории страны равномерно, что создает возможность всем желающим принять участие в культовых обрядах и мероприятиях, не связанных с культовой деятельностью, а нуждающимся - воспользоваться многочисленными ресурсами, предлагаемыми на приходах РКЦФ. Результаты исследования могут быть использованы органами государственной власти и управления при разработке и внедрении мероприятий, связанных с церковно-государственными отношениями.
Ключевые слова: Франция, Римско-католическая церковь, социальная ответственность, экономическая деятельность, религиозная организация.
Для цитирования: Балабейкина О.А., Попова Е.В., Малинин Е.А. Социальное значение и некоторые проявления экономической деятельности доминирующего религиозного института: римско-католическая церковь Франции // Сервис в России и за рубежом. 2022. Т.16. №1. С. 45-56. DOI: 10.24412/1995-042X-2022-1-45-56.
Дата поступления в редакцию: 20 января 2022 г. Дата утверждения в печать: 1 марта 2022 г.
Introduction
The realities of modern European society development, associated with the religious sphere enable us to single out some clearly emerging trends. First, a significant part of the native population of the countries of the region, where Christianity has been spread for many centuries, demonstrates a refusal to belong to the national Church. This is manifested in the withdrawal, sometimes numerous 1 , from membership in religious organizations of traditional confessions, which in a number of countries (Germany, Sweden, Finland, etc.) is recorded by official statistics2; in a low degree of religious activity, confirmed by the number of parishioners who regularly participate in religious services, church ceremonies and rituals [9]. An important peculiarity, demonstrating the intensively proceeding processes of secularization among European society is the adherence of its representatives to liberal tendencies that run counter to the ethics and moral norms of Christianity (a bright example is the legitimation of same-sex marriage in many European countries).
But paradoxically, simultaneously with the indicated tendencies, the opposite ones are also observed, indicating a high role of religious institutions in the development of European societies [16; 17]. The actualization of the importance of religions in various spheres of social life can be traced at international level: within the framework of the official provisions of the UNO, high importance of religious organizations in achieving the goals of sustainable development is declared [11]. In many states, the doctrinal and institutional influence of the Christian Church on the mentality of the population, as well as on social and economic processes, still remains essential [12; 21].
France deserves researchers' attention as a special example of a national territory with a major religion as the dominant confessional space.
The share of the Roman Catholic Church (RCCF) followers among the population of the country is over 60%3, with the role of the above mentioned religious institution in the social and economic life remaining high.
Theory
Modern domestic and foreign experts have repeatedly shown keen interest in the coverage of a wide range of problems associated with social and economic manifestations of the functioning of the institutional and structural elements of the geo-confessional space. The authors also focused on the processes caused by the influence of the doctrine of religious teachings on the formation of quantitative and qualitative characteristics of social capital, mentality, models of consumer, reproductive and other types of population behavior. At the same time, modern studies on the subject raise theoretical and methodological issues [13] and make attempts to scientifically understand particular problems. If we consider the latter in more detail, the subject of research is most often the influence of religions on certain industries [1], directions for the implementation of social responsibility of religious institutions [10], religious tourism [2; fourteen; 15], etc. consequences of the spread of Islam [20; 22].
Scientific works of a comprehensive nature using institutional-territorial approach to regional-confessional research, which presents the characteristics of the religious space of individual states of the world or Europe [8], are not common in scientific research, although the need for them is high.
The authors of this article focus on the model of church-state relations in France, manifestation of the economic aspect of the activities of its dominant religious institution, the RCCF, and the forms of the latter's influence on social processes in the country.
Due to its history, rich in events, developed culture, a dense network of religious infrastruc-
1 Katholische Kirche in Deutschland - Zahlen und Fakten 2019/2020. Bonn, 2020. P.43. URL: https://www.dbk.de/kirche-in-zahlen/kirchliche-statistik.
2 Svenska Kyrkan. Review and financial summary 2019. URL: https:// www.svenskakyrkan.se/default.aspx?id=2069380.
3 Catholic Church in French Republic (France). URL: http://www.gcatholic.org/dioceses/country/FR.htm
ture and a diverse religious composition of the population, France has repeatedly attracted the attention of scholars. But turning to the issues of state-legal relations [3], the problems associated with the diffusion of the values of Islam [7; 18] or the influence of the religious spheres on the educational system in the country [5; 19], researchers left aside institutional and territorial-organizational structure of the national Church and did not pay enough attention to its role in the economic and social development of the country.
Lack of scientific developments that would characterize the model of the functioning and development of the confessional space of France exemplified as a religious dominant idea - the RCC, as well as using modern methods of statistical processing of primary information, revealed the role of the RCC of the country in some areas of economic activity and social processes, predetermined the main the purpose of this article, which is to conduct this kind of research.
Research data and methods
The source of the main empirical materials for the analysis and data processing was the data of the official websites of the RCCF4, as well as of its individual metropolises 5 and dioceses 6.
In addition to analyzing and synthesizing information, methods of scientific processing of statistical information, typical for the regional economic studies (calculation of the ratio of territorial concentration / diversification) were used.
The model of a comprehensive study, whose subject is the dominant structural element of the national confessional space, its social significance and some peculiarities of economic activity, is based on the institutional-territorial approach to scientific work on regional confessional issues.
Results
Social role and peculiarity of economic activity of confessional organizations of the state depend on a number of factors, among which one of the leading factors is legal status of religious
institutions. The separation of the Church from the state in the country dates back to 19057. At the same time, the objects of religious infrastructure were transferred, depending on their status and historical and cultural value, into the possession of local self-government bodies or the state. Since then, heads or governing bodies of religious organizations have had the right to dispose of church property (buildings of churches, parish houses, territories and buildings of monasteries, etc.), but do not own them. In general, the existing model of economic relations between the state and the Church in modern France resembles the one adopted in Russia: the main source of income for religious associations is voluntary contributions in the form of donations from parishioners. The funds collected in this way are not subject to taxation, because they belong to the category obtained by a non-profit organization to ensure its own functioning. Religious associations in France are exempt from land tax in case the building of worship, which they own was erected before 1905.Temples dating back to a later period, as well as other types of real estate that the Church uses for the implementation of its main activities, are taxed accordingly.
Not only separation of the Church from the state, but also the manifestation of the weakening of the influence of the RCCF on the mentality and way of life of the French, the reduction in the number of regularly practicing believers in the structure of the population of France [6] dates back to the early XXth century. Currently, secular trends have become widespread among the population of the country.
But for almost two millennia, Catholicism has been and remains the majority religion in France and has become an integral part of the material and spiritual culture of the French.
RCCF has a continuous distribution area. At the national level, it is headed by a cardinal, followed by the division of the territory into macro-
4 Église Catholique en France. URL: https://eglise.catholique.fr/
5 Catholic Dioceses in French Republic (France). URL: http://www.gcatholic.org/dioceses/country/FR-type.htm#metr
6 France. Current Dioceses. URL: http://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/country/dfr2.html
7 Séparation des Eglises et de l'Etat. URL: https://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/loda/id/JORFTEXT000000508749.
units, called metropolises, uniting several dioceses. The latter consist of deaneries, including 10-15 parishes. In addition, there are extraterritorial units in the RCCF, for example, the military ordinaries, as well as separate dioceses of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church of the Eastern Rite, the Maronite and Armenian Catholic churches.
Overall, the RCCF forms 15 metropolises, 9 archdioceses and 72 dioceses on the "mainland" of France. Two bishoprics - the dioceses of Metz and Strasbourg are not included into the metropolinate and are directly subordinate to the Holy See in the Vatican.
There are 10,873 church parishes - minor territorial units of the French RCC with a temple building in the center, which are precisely the main focus of the religious life of practicing Catholics, the main objects of religious tourism and points where the main activities of the Church related to social responsibility are implemented,
including those located abroad. Mainland France numbers 10,576 8Catholic parishes. To identify the degree of uniformity of their location, the ratio of territorial (geographical) concentration for 2000 and 2020 was calculated using the following formula:
KrK= in=i(0i^°-si^s) (1)
with Oi as the quantitative value of the studied attribute (Catholic parishes) for the i-th territorial unit (archdiosece) of the RCCF); O - the total quantitative value of the studied attribute O (Catholic parishes) for all territorial units of the region under consideration (mainland France); Si -the area of the territory of the i-th territorial unit (each of the RCC metropolises of mainland France); S is the total area of the territory of all territorial units of the considered region (mainland France); n is the total number of territorial units of the region considered [4].
Table 1 demonstrates calculation results.
Table 1 - Ratio of territorial concentration of RCCF parishes according to 2000 and 2020 data
№ Archdioceses Area (square meters) 2000 2020
Number of RCCF parishes RGC Number of RCCF parishes RGC
1 Besancon Metropolis 28343 744 -0,019 289 -0,025
2 Bordeaux Metropolis 42245 1607 -0,005 748 -0,007
3 Clermont Metropolis 25651 1171 0,006 376 -0,012
4 Dijon Metropolis 31578 1019 -0,012 154 -0,044
5 Lille Metropolis 12379 1198 0,031 247 0,001
6 Lyon Metropolis 45249 1910 0,003 667 -0,020
7 Marseilles Metropolis 40429 1698 0,002 1331 0,052
8 Montpellier Metropolis 27443 1447 0,015 507 -0,003
9 Paris Metropolis 12036,4 1497 0,046 671 0,041
10 Poitier Metropolis 42750 1217 -0,024 435 -0,038
11 Reims Metropolis 45145 705 -0,051 322 -0,053
12 Rennes Metropolis 59768 1702 -0,033 679 -0,046
13 Rouen Metropolis 29110 695 -0,022 283 -0,027
14 Toulouse Metropolis 45372 3252 0,063 1910 0,097
15 Tours Metropolis 39349 819 -0,036 513 -0,024
16 Metz Diocese 6216 649 0,018 649 0,050
17 Strasbourg Archdiocese 8280 767 0,019 767 0,057
Total: 541343,4 22097 0,203 10548 0,298
8 This information is presented on the official website of the RCCF. At the time of the preparation of the manuscript of this article (spring 2021), an asymmetry of information is recorded: the total number of Catholic parishes is indicated as 12054, but in total this number does not coincide with the parishes distributed among individual dioceses. URL: https://eglise.catholique.fr/guide-eglise-catholique-france/statistiques-de-leglise-catholique-france-monde/statistiques-de-leglise-catholique-france/
The number of RCCF parishes in the first two decades of the XXI century in general, nearly halved, but they remain dispersed throughout the country more or less evenly, which enables French citizens interested in this to satisfy their religious needs, take part in various parish events,
450000 400000 350000 300000 250000 200000 150000 100000 50000 0
According to statistical data information presented on the official website of the RCCF (available until 2018) for the first decades of the XXI century the number of people who are baptized annually at the RCCF has halved, falling from 400 thousand (approximately 51% of the total number of births per year) in 2000 to slightly more than 200 thousand people (about 28% of the total number of births per year) in 2018. At the same time, the number of those who join the RCCF through baptism at the age of over 7 years old, throughout the period under consideration remains stable, but low (about 20-25 thousand people a year).
The number of confirmations performed annually at the RCCF is even less than that of baptism. It is understood that the person resorting to it expresses a conscious acceptance of the belief system of the confession being professed. If in 2000 62 thousand parishioners of the RCCF were confirmed, in 2018 their number was
and receive the necessary assistance within the framework of the social activities of the RCCF.
Among the objective indicators, one of the most significant is quantitative data indicating the number and proportion of the population participating in religious rituals and sacraments (Fig. 1).
approximately 45 thousand, having significantly decreased. Slightly rough calculation shows that out of 400 thousand baptized in 2000, in 20122016, having reached adolescence, traditional for participation in confirmation, only 10% of those whom the RCCF considers to be their flock began this sacrament upon baptism.
The data reflecting the dynamics of the number of marriages taking place in the RCCF is of interest as well for the assessment of the rate of active participation of the French population in religious rituals and sacraments. For example, in 2000, according to the Catholic rite, 120 thousand married couples were married in churches in France, i.e. 40% of the total number of registered marriages per year. But by 2018, the number of weddings had more than halved, reaching about 50 thousand (about 22%).
Taking into account the level of secularization of the population of modern France, the
2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018
specifics of the secular model of church-state relations, it still cannot be argued that the above mentioned indicators are very low. This is confirmed by comparison of similar statistics for other European countries [8].
Despite the peculiarities of the legal status of religious organizations in France, the military ordinaries are preserved here. The main purpose of the clergy in the troops is to provide spiritual and psychological support to officers and soldiers who need it. The Catholic bishopric, under which the parishes of the military units are united, was established in 1949. Since July 21, 1986, it operates as a military ordinaries centered on the cathedral L'église Saint-Louis-des-Invalides in Paris. The state partly shares the responsibilities for financing the ministry of military priests with the RCCF, although, in principle, budgetary funds in the country are not allocated for the activities of religious organizations9.
In general, the revenue of the RCCF consists of voluntary donations. Figure 2 demonstrates the analysis of the main revenue sources of the RCCF. These include the following types:
- voluntary donations (Fr. "Сontribution volontaire") consisting of regular voluntary
300000
Contribution volontaire ■ Les quêtes Le
contributions in favor of the RCCF by its followers;
- donations collected during the Mass (French "Les quêtes"), allocated to cover the household and operational needs of the parishes;
- voluntary donations for the performance of individual church sacraments and rituals (Fr. "Le casuel"). In the parishes of the RCCF, there is no requirement for a certain fixed monetary payment for the performance of the sacraments of baptism, confirmation, marriage or funeral rites. However, the amount of the recommended donation in monetary terms is declared. For example, as regards the parishes of the Metropo-linate of Dijon, the recommended fee is 80 euros for baptism, and 180 euros for a wedding or funeral rites;
- voluntary donations for ordered masses (Fr. Les offrandes de messe);
- revenue from property and funds received by the RCCF as a gift and by inheritance (Fr. Les legs). Members of the RCCF can dower real estate, cash deposits, life insurance. Over the course of many years, this source item of revenue has been enough to cover financing of construction and repair work of temples and other structures, and to carry out social responsibility activities.
casuel
Les offrandes de messe ■ Les legs
250000
200000
150000
100000
50000
2012 2013 2014 2015
Fig. 2 - Key sources of revenue of RCC of France
2016
L'aumônerie militaire. URL: https://www.cairn.info/article.php?ID_ARTICLE=INFLE_010_0083 (p.12)
0
Statistical information enabling to analyze the economic activity of the RCCF is presented in the official electronic resources of a religious organization without details and is limited to the period 2012-2016. Based on these data, we can conclude that in the indicated period, with the exception of 2015, the total revenue of the RCCF increased. It should also be noted that the structure of revenue sources as a percentage remains practically stable, and most of them are voluntary donations in the form of regular contributions from Church members (39.5 - 40.6%). Voluntary donations for ordered masses (7.6% in 2016) account for the smallest degree of influence on the economic life of the RCCF /
The income of the RCCF related to voluntary donations for the performance of church rituals and sacraments is quite substantial. In addition, their share is stable throughout the period under consideration and accounts for nearly 13%. It turns out that the culture-forming and ethno-identification role of the RCCF turns out to remain remains significant for the population of France, and its representatives prefer to accompany the birth, marriage, death of loved ones with appropriate church rituals, despite the fact that payment is required.
Participation of more than 20-25% of the French population in the sacraments of baptism and wedding according to the traditions of Catholicism, as well as the presence of military ordinaries, which is provided by the budget funds, are not the only evidence confirming the significant role of the national RCC in the economic and social processes of France. The designated religious institution actively carries out a variety of activities related to social responsibility, partially duplicating some of the functions of the state.
Analysis of the information posted on the official websites of territorial structures of the RCCF of various ranks made it possible to identify several key areas of social work of its religious organizations at the present stage. They differ in a variety of areas of activity and forms of implementation.
First of all, it should be noted that the RCCF, represented by the leadership of the metropolises, dioceses, clergy and parishioners of individual parishes, responded to the need to address social and economic problems associated with the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic. Thus, the Archdiocese of Avignon of the Metropolinate of Marseille, starting from April 2020, has carried out a number of measures aimed at helping the victims, allocating money and other funds for this purpose. The clergy of the designated bishopric raised 50 thousand euros in order to further distribute the amount among the parishioners of the RCCF, who faced the problem of unemployment due to the pandemic. In addition, with the help of attracting the labor of volunteers - active parishioners, distribution of food packages for homeless people, large families and other categories of citizens in need was organized in individual parishes. Due to the activities of the Archdiocese of Avignon at the territory of Vaucluse, one of the French departments, for a year from spring to spring 2020-2021 about 40 tons of food were distributed.
Providing material, advisory, accompanying and other types of assistance to those in need at the expense of its own resources is traditional for the RCCF, not only during the pandemic. In some dioceses, local charitable Catholic organizations of various target orientations have been operating for a long time. One of them called "Saint-Vincent de Paul" is registered in the Archdiocese of Aix-en-Provence and Arles. Members of this charity provide care for elderly people living alone and for elderly people who need special care. The wards are provided with material assistance, home visits are carried out to provide food. If necessary, free psychological and legal advice is offered.
Another charitable organization of the Archdiocese of Aix-en-Provence and Arles, the Saint Vincent Team, provides the most diverse assistance to women in difficult situations (those left without a livelihood, lost their jobs, single mothers, etc.). For the designated and other categories of socially unprotected women in the Catholic
parishes of the Archdiocese, classes are organized in groups of 8-15 people, where training in cooking, cutting and sewing, the use of information technology, and various types of arts and crafts is conducted. The purpose of such classes is not only to help women in difficult situations acquire skills that can become a source of income if they wish, but also to provide them with psychological support. In addition, a small cash allowance is allocated to the permanent participants of the project, a nursery is offered for children under 3 years old.
As support to those in need in the dioceses of the RCCF, a variety of charitable undertakings are being implemented. For example, in Clermont-Ferrand, the center of the Diocese of Clermont, where the cathedral is located, hot breakfast is served outside on Sundays on from November 01 to late spring (before Easter) to those in need. Often, Catholic parishes distribute free clothes, household items, food sets to socially unprotected categories of citizens.
The results of work with socially unprotected categories of citizens in the southern archdiocese of Montpellier look quite large-scale. During 2019, from, about 7,800 people who found themselves in dangerous or difficult life situations received individual assistance from 610 volunteers of the organization Secours Catholique Caritas France. In terms of individual actions, support is provided to single mothers, as well as to families without permanent housing (places in shelters and temporary accommodation centers are provided), clothing and food are distributed among those in need.
In many dioceses of the RCC, projects are being implemented (sometimes simultaneously) aimed at helping people with disabilities. For example, in the diocese of Koutance there is a large volunteer movement, whose main activities are the following:
- providing psychological support to people with limited abilities, disabilities, mental disabilities;
- provision of adaptive assistance to the disabled;
- attracting the attention of RCCF members to the problems of people with limited abilities and disabilities to assist them;
- communication and cooperation with other similar target volunteer organizations (church and secular) for the exchange of experience and constructive interaction.
In Lozere, one of the dioceses of the south of France, there are several charitable associations that provide assistance to people with disabilities and people suffering from serious illnesses. The list and main directions in the functioning of these organizations gives an idea of a wide range of targeted types of social responsibility:
- FCPMH (La Fraternité Chrétienne des Personnes Malades et Handicapées) - Christian Brotherhood of Persons with Serious Diseases and Disabled Persons. The representatives of the clergy and volunteers organize the celebration of the Nativity of Christ and other holidays of the Christian calendar in the nursing homes of Luc and Oourou, Saint-Nicolas-de-Langogne, etc., and also provide the most diverse assistance to their sponsored contingent;
- The mission of St Privat Hospitality provides people with disabilities and those suffering from serious illnesses with assistance to participate in the pilgrimage to Lourdes - once every 2 years: in April-May special bus transportation is provided for 80 pilgrims. On an ongoing basis, community volunteers accompany those in need to Sunday masses and other parish events.
- Lourdes Cancer Espérance is a diocesan charitable organization with about 9 thousand members, which since 1985 has been taking care of people suffering from cancer.
The system and coordination of volunteer assistance in medical institutions in France by the structures of the RCCF is widely represented and accessible. For example, the management and staff of any hospital or nursing home located on the territory of the Diocese of Agen (Metropoli-tanate of Bordeaux) are supposed to contact the Diocesan Pastoral Health Service operating there in order to receive volunteer assistance for
patient care10.
Another area of social work of the RCCF, which is being implemented in some of its dioceses, is helping orphans and children left without parental care. For example, in the region of Con-drieu (Lyon), a shelter has been opened in a Catholic monastery, where 120 adolescents aged 16 to 18 years11 old live on full support and receive the skills necessary for successful socialization and further independent life.
There are examples when in individual parishes of the RCCF active work is carried out with school-age children in the form of organizing their leisure time and assisting in the preparation of homework. In particular, since 2015, the Catholic parish of St. Peter and St. Paul in Val d'Azergues (Lyon) has taken over the implementation of such a project. In the village, where 2,700 people live, schoolchildren after school can come to the parish Catholic church, where volunteers help them cope with homework, and then they offer music, cooking, outdoor and board games, a theater group, etc12.
Quite often, in some parishes, assistance is provided in terms of free family psychological counseling for married couples, whose purpose is to help maintain marriage and warm family relationships13.
The development of the qualitative characteristics of the human capital of the country and its individual regions is also facilitated by the activities of the RCCF, aimed at the adaptation of migrants. In general, in the countries of foreign Europe, this problem is very topical and religious institutions are actively involved in solving it [9]. The parishes of the RCCF also carry out all sorts of targeted activities aimed at helping migrants in mastering the French language, familiarizing
themselves with national culture and traditions, as well as in finding work, housing, etc.
For example, the Metropolitanate of Lyon has a program, which implements the following areas of work with migrants by the clergy and volunteers:
- courses of teaching French as a foreign language;
- cooperation with the state employment service to assist in the employment of migrants;
- drawing the attention of the general public and government institutions to the problems caused by the need for adaptation of migrants.
Another example is the Catholic parish of Saint Bernard de la Chapelle, located in the northern part of Paris. Since 2010, a local organization called Solidarités Saint Bernard (SSB14,) has been operating under its supervision, whose members provide material assistance to migrants in need who live near the parish. Among the regular specific activities carried out by the parishioners and volunteers of the Catholic Church of Saint-Bernard de la Chapelle in this direction, we can name the following ones:
- distribution of free breakfasts for migrants on weekends (except during Ramadan)
- free distribution of clothing for migrants on weekends;
- organization and maintenance of a parish shelter for migrants, where 8 people can stay at the same time (migrants who have received a recommendation from France Terre d'Asile or Secours Catholique organizations can live in the shelter).
RCCF implements social activities outside the country, but this issue is a matter of a separate research10.
Conclusions
10 L'Église en Lot et Garonne. URL: https://www.diocese47.fr/current/site/
11 Famille, culture, santé et société. URL: https://lyon.catholique.fr/agir-servir/famille-culture-sante-et-societe/famille/2017/10/12/trois-soeurs-inspirees-120-enfants-catechises/
12 Un patronage en milieu semi-rural. URL: https://lyon.catholique.fr/vivre-sa-foi/initiatives-missionnaires/2019/02/06/messes-des-familles-avec-temps-deveil-a-la-foi-2/
13 Forever : 3 soirées pour son couple. URL: https://lyon.catholique.fr/vivre-sa-foi/initiatives-missionnaires/2019/05/13/forever-3-soirees-pour-son-couple/
14 Somewhere Between Love and Justice: a Roman Catholic Church in Paris Responds to the European Migration Crisis. URL: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10767-018-9289-7#Sec10
Despite the long period of existence as an institution separated from the state, the lack of budgetary funding for the activities of religious organizations, secular trends in society, the spread of Islamic values, the RCCF retains a significant social and cultural role in the country.
In France, there is still a high proportion of the population who prefer the Catholic church rituals to the most important events of the life cycle - birth, marriage, death. At the same time, none of them has a legitimate status, and the ceremony implies payment.
The RCCF not only dominates in terms of the number of followers and the degree of dominance of cult infrastructure in the national territory, but in its activities related to social responsibility, it duplicates many functions of the state in terms of its own financial and other means, thereby influencing the development of the country and its regions.
Priority areas of social activities, proactively carried out in the parishes of the RCCF, are aimed at solving the most topical problems in the country - combating the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic, successful adaptation of migrants
and their subsequent employment, the provision of material and other types of assistance to socially vulnerable groups of the population, those with disabilities and in crisis situations.
All socially significant parish events, as well as the professional assistance offered (psychological, legal advice, teaching French as a foreign language, crafts, various types of arts and crafts) are positioned as public ones and do not require payment from participants.
It can be stated that the social role of the RCCF in the country and due to the activities of foreign missions outside its borders is high. The activities of the designated religious organization significantly affect the qualitative characteristics of the social capital of the indigenous population of the country, migrants who arrived to its territory, residents of countries where missionary work is carried out.
Subject areas related to confessional entre-preneurship due to the activities of the RCCF, as well as the development of religious tourism in the country open up further prospects for research in this direction.
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