Maison Bakhita elated for Pope Leo’s visit

By Deborah Castellano Lubov – Paris

Valérie Moniod, the President of the Association Maison Bakhita, which is run by the Archdiocese of Paris, is ecstatic for Pope Leo XIV’s visit to their structure and his recognition of their work to help people in vulnerable situations, especially migrants and those in exile from their homeland.

Q: What is your emotion for the Holy Father’s visit to Maison Bakhita?

It’s an immense joy. A joy. It’s an honor. And I can tell you that when the the news that the the Pope will come to Maison Bakhita had been confirmed by the Vatican in August, we have received a full of of messages from the, from the people that we, welcome here.

The people who are in exile, who have flew there from their countries, to come to this country where they think they could live better and safer. Not all of them, but plenty of them have sent messages to say it is great and wonderful. We are very glad, so glad that the Pope comes to us.

Q: What reality will Pope Leo find here?

The reality is that this is a home, first of all. And in this house, we welcome people, any person who are in exile, migrants, refugees, whatever.

We don’t ask them why they have come to France or about their administrative situation. We just welcome them with a name, eventually their country of origin, their homeland, and that’s all. And they can come here just to relax, to meet French people, to learn French, to enjoy some activities with other people like arts or sport or sewing.

All these activities are carried out by volunteers; we have a 130 volunteers in this house. Because of them we can welcome almost 150 people in the house every day.

But we don’t address their primary needs. For these primary needs, we are part of a network with other structures structures of parishes which take care of that aspect. We are at the second level, and our doors are open only during the daytime.

Q: Would it be fair to say that some of the activities here are also pretty useful in enabling some of the people who come here to eventually think about getting work?

Oh, yes. And I like the word you used, “enabling,” because, this is something that is very profound here. Some of the activities are quite useful for people who would like to work because they have to know French. They have to know the culture, our democracy, and institutions, including a little of our history.

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And then they have to be empowered with themselves in order to earn money. We cannot train them for a certain diploma, but we can help prepare them to serve in a cafe, for example, to be a waiter. We also can teach them to be carpenters or ateliers. These are small things, but important for them.

Q: You mentioned ‘cafe’. There’s a special initiative here that has to do with that very focus. Could you share a little bit what that looks like?

This cafe is the Cafe Bonjour. Cafe Bonjour is an activity that we opened at the beginning of this year, twice a week. Its goal is to stimulate interest of local Parisians, who can come into the house and meet around coffee and cakes. They can chat with migrants about whatever they choose.

It opens a window onto the external world, so that everyone can learn not to be afraid to approach a reality which is just humanity like ourselves.

Q: You’ve had a long history with this institution. Is there a certain person or story that comes to mind that gives you a great sense of peace of thinking how it helped someone?

Yes, certainly. We know two or three people at least, and the people who work here full time probably know more people.

There are people who have come to Maison Baquita to learn French who have endured many difficulties to have a proper legal status and gain lodging. Now they are able to give back what they have received to other people who have migrated. They’re happy because they are in peace, and they can transmit that very profound internal hope and peace to others.

Q: Was there ever a human trafficking victim?

Certainly, but we don’t ask their story. Their story is too fragile, and we don’t ask anything. Sometimes they tell us things. 

I have a lot of hope for the future, and I think the visit of the Pope can help remind the French people that there are people who have come here after enduring terrible journeys to arrive at a safe place. But they are human like everyone, and then they learn not to be afraid.

Q: I did want to to hear about your history. We have Pope Leo visiting, but Maison Baquita was founded with the thoughts of his predecessor.

Maison Bakhita was founded five years ago because of the call of Pope Francis to act and protect and promote and integrate migrants.

St. Bakhita is a holy woman who died around 1947. She came from Africa and had been slave from the age of seven. She found Christ, and discovered her humanity. She found a way to forgive those who had taken her from her family and from her homeland. She didn’t know even her own name. She didn’t know her language. She didn’t know where she came from. She forgave and she became a religious sister.