Reopening of Notre-Dame de Paris: “We are looking for 500 volunteers”

You are launching an appeal to recruit 500 volunteers. For what reason?

We are predicted to have 15 million visitors just for this first year of reopening. We would like, despite the crowds, despite the wait outside to enter, each of them to leave happy to have been, from the square, welcomed with a smile, words of welcome and some explanations about the facade of the cathedral. This first moment is crucial for the visit experience to start well. Also, alongside the professionals of the diocese, we are looking for people who would agree to make a long-term commitment to regularly provide volunteering hours and best welcome all this public.

We are also looking for volunteers who could guide groups of adults or schoolchildren. And finally, volunteers to help prepare the liturgies. That’s a lot of people!

What skills are needed?

Know how to smile, be friendly, helpful! This is the first quality we ask for. It is also necessary to be in good physical shape because you will have to walk and trample for several hours alongside the lines of visitors. And of course, we ask our candidates to know what a cathedral is, to understand and accept that it is a Catholic building raised to the glory of God

Shouldn’t you speak English?

It is not obligatory but speaking a foreign language is an additional quality that interests us. English, but also Spanish, Italian, Korean or Portuguese… We are interested in the mix of profiles. We have already started to form the first teams of volunteers and we are taking care to mix skills, ages and origins. It’s also interesting to see that we bring together families, couples of all ages, students, young retirees… Everyone recognizes that they have a very personal link with the cathedral. They express the desire to offer visitors a look at it that goes beyond the simple monument.

Do you provide training?

Yes, we give them basic information on the history of the cathedral, on the diocese’s project and on the attitude to adopt towards visitors in different situations. I would like to point out that these volunteers will not have to perform any security role. Professionals take care of these tasks.

What do you say to a future volunteer to convince them to devote time to Notre-Dame?

This is not a trivial approach: this operation is at the center of the diocese’s project. Because the volunteer is the face of Notre-Dame’s generosity. In addition, by joining this adventure, he joins a real community. After all, that is the meaning of the word “ecclesia”, church.