The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in France
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has had a presence in France since 1849, and the first Latter-day Saint convert in the country was Augustus Saint d'Anna, in Le Havre. The church claims a membership of about 39,000 in the country, representing less than 0.1% of the population. History. The first Mormon missionary to preach in France was John Pack who entered the country in 1849 with John Taylor. William Howells, who entered the country in 1849. Soon afterwards, he was joined in his preaching  by his daughter, and later by William C. Dunbar. In April 1850, the first congregation was composed of six members in Boulogne-sur-Mer. Elder John Taylor, who was at the time a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, presided over the first mission in France. In 1853, there were only 337 members for the mission of France. In 1863, Louis A. Bertrand, an early convert to the church involved in its establishment, wrote to Brigham Young that France was not a good field mission for the church. The mission was closed between 1864 and 1912 and between  1914 and 1923. The first place of worship was erected in 1962 in Nantes. There were only 77 people baptized in 1933 and 116 in 1951, but the number of baptisms increased from 1960. The first edition of the Book of Mormon in French-language was printed on 28 January 1852. A second edition was made in 1907 in Zurich by Serge Ballif, then a third in 1952 in Lyon, then a fourth in 1962 by Marcel Kahne, a young missionary and editor of "L'Etoile", who also revised Doctrine and Covenants and the Pearl of Great Price, and a sixth  one in 1977. From 29 May 1851 to April 1852, "L'Etoile du Deseret" periodical was printed. In 1861, Jules Rémy published a book entitled "Journey to the land of Mormons". As response to this book, Louis Bertrand published several articles in "La Revue contemporaine", and the next year, gathered his articles under the title "Memoirs of a Mormon". The Mormon Tabernacle Choir performed in the Palais de Chaillot in Paris in 1955, in Strasbourg in 1991, and in Marseille in 1998. Several presidents of the church have visited France, including Lorenzo Snow in February 1851, then member of the Quorum  of the Twelve, David O. McKay in July 1952, and Gordon B. Hinckley on 4 June 1998. Temples. On July 15, 2011 the Paris France Temple was announced by President Thomas S. Monson. The temple was dedicated on 21 May 2017 and was the 156 operating temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Status and membership. In 1952, the church was registered as a voluntary association (1901 law), and on 4 July 2009, it officially became a religious association, as reported in the Official Journal. Membership Statistics. As of March 2022, branches in French Guiana, Guadeloupe , and Martinique are located in the Guadeloupe District of the Barbados Bridgetown Mission. The Guadeloupe District office is located in Les Abymes, Guadeloupe. Branches in Réunion are located in the St Denis Reunion District of the Madagascar Antananarivo Mission. Regardless of size, all congregations not part of a stake are called branches. Table and membership info is as of December 31, 2019. Stakes. As of May 2021, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has 10 Stakes in Metropolitan France: Sociological profile. In 2000, a study led by Professor Bernadette Rigal-Cellier did appear that the majority of  LDS in France were former Catholics. The church members felt then that the non-conversion of French people to their church came from a lack of interest in spiritual matters and a mistrust towards new beliefs. LDS surveyed thought that the growth of their church would accelerate and that the prejudices against them would disappear in the future years. The author concluded that the church has become well established in France and that French LDS showed the same attachment to their country than other French people. In 2009, an investigation directed by writer, sociologist of religion and philosopher , also member  of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, revealed that Mormons of France are demographically and politically similar to other French people. 30% were regular churchgoers, and their marriage rate, as well as their birth rate, were higher than the national average. Primarily urban and with foreign origins, they considered the hardest doctrine of their religion is the order of not drinking alcohol, coffee, tea. Only 30% of them participated in an association and 83% believed that all religions have some truth. However, LDS differed from French people in their moral choices: 93% of them are opposed to  gay marriage. Reception. The church was not mentioned in the list of dangerous cults in the reports established by the Parliamentary Commission on Cults in France in 1995 and 1999. As there was no complaints from former members, the MILS deemed in 2000 that the church is "a religious group that does not generate problems in France". In its 2001 report, it stated that "seeing the definition of cultic nature of an association by the exclusive examination of its behavior in the light of human rights and public policy (...) the LDS Church shouldn't be considered as a cult". However , in its 2006 report, the MIVILUDES expressed a concern about the Calvin Thomas society, specialized in organizing linguistic travels, "as children has been placed in LDS families. The file of this society (...) is the subject of an investigation". In its periodical, anti-cult association ADFI stated that it is "regularly contacted by families or individuals facing conflictual and painful situations because of the membership of a relative into this movement". Criticisms include methods of evangelization, progressive split with family and friends, women status, lack of free thought and children education considered as indoctrination. The ADFI of Lille deemed that "it  is unhelpful to try to classify this church as cults or non-cult" and that "the likelihood is high that the genealogy becomes a major means of mormon proselytizing". It also describes the English courses offered by the church as "disguised way to recruit new followers". To ADFI president Catherine Picard, the LDS church was "a movement with cultic deviances". As for Marie Drilhon of Yvelines ADFI, she publicly said that the Mormon religion is "a demanding church for the faithful", described some cases of pressure under former members so that they return into the church, and considered that "people  who are more fragile don't do well in this church."