Maison Bakhita in Paris, a laboratory of fraternity

During his Apostolic Journey to France from September 25 to 28, Pope Leo XIV will visit Maison Bakhita in Paris, a center run by the Archdiocese that welcomes migrants and works to integrate them. Isabelle Cauchois, the outgoing director, speaks about preparations for the Pope’s arrival and the importance of assisting migrants today. Read all  

By Isabella H. de Carvalho On February 21, 2017, in an address to participants in the international forum on migration and peace, Pope Francis exhorted the world “to welcome, to protect, to promote and to integrate” migrants as it is “a duty of justice, of civility and of solidarity.” This appeal did not go unheard by the then Archbishop of Paris, Cardinal André Vingt-Trois, who began working with other diocesan actors to create a centre to fulfil this mission. Four years later, in 2021, Maison Bakhita opened its doors in the 18th district of the city, as a place to welcome and support migrants and also put them in contact with the local population.

Now, Pope Leo XIV will visit this center on September 26, during his upcoming Apostolic Journey to France from September 25 to 28, 2026. “When you’re face-to-face with a person who has a name, a story, a child in their arms, we’re convinced that this completely changes the way migrants are seen,” explained Isabelle Cauchois, the outgoing director of Maison Bakhita, who ended her term on September 15 after having headed the center since its inception. “Many people don’t know migrants personally; they only hear statistics on television, the internet, or