The Church News is now accessible in French, allowing this living record of the Restoration to be available to millions more people globally.
The Church News is available in French online and on social media, making it the fourth language to be published, in addition to English, Spanish and Portuguese.
Jon Ryan Jensen, editor of the Church News, noted how rapid Church growth in French-speaking countries has inspired French-translation efforts.
Of the 54 countries on the African continent, more than a dozen have large French-speaking populations. Nearly 400 million people worldwide speak French.
“We hope that individuals who speak French will be blessed by the increased access to words of Church leaders as those leaders both testify of the Savior and teach in ways that help people know how to live faithful to their covenants,” said Jensen.
French translators will review and edit machine translations of articles published in English. The French-language content will be available on the Church News website (TheChurchNews.com) and app (both the the App Store and Google Play Store), YouTube and social media channels Instagram, Facebook and X (formerly Twitter).
The number of available articles will vary daily but will increase as translation resources and demand evolve. Some Church News content published before the French-language launch will also be translated.
Efforts to translate into French are “the tip of the iceberg,” said Valérie Gomm, the Church News’ French translation manager. “You’re opening a door into a world that hasn’t had as much content — and people are thirsty for it.”
In addition to those in France, hundreds of people from Haiti, Belgium, Switzerland, Canada and countries in Africa have already engaged with content on social media, said Gomm, with increasing numbers of interactions.
As The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints expands in native French-speaking countries, members of the Church and others will have access to consistent, updated and uplifting content.
New translations allow members of the Church to share the gospel of Jesus Christ with French-speaking friends in normal and natural ways.
Gomm pointed out that though the Church News is primarily directed toward members of the Church, having content available for all native French speakers makes it so gospel doctrine such as the mission of Jesus Christ and understanding a relationship with Heavenly Father are accessible.
In addition to other Church resources available in French, such as canonical scripture, conference talks and “Come, Follow Me” instruction, Gomm said, having translated news “brings the world together.”
The Church News app is free of charge and can be found on the App Store and Google Play.
