Pope Leo XIV visits Paris integration center

Pope Leo XIV visited the Maison Bakhita integration center in the Archdiocese of Paris on September 26, 2026. During the visit, the pope listened to the testimonies of migrants and prayed with the center's staff and volunteers.

The center, named after St. Josephine Bakhita, provides support and integration services for immigrants through workshops in cooking, sewing, computer skills, and visual arts. Since opening in late September 2021, the facility has welcomed 2,500 people representing 84 different nationalities. The center is operated by five permanent staff members and 100 volunteers.

During his visit, the pope spoke about the importance of women in building a civilization of love as an alternative to loneliness and social division. He heard from a 31-year-old Nigerian woman named Blessing, who shared how her life changed through the help of the Catholic charitable organization Aux Captifs, la Libération. This visit marks the fifth anniversary of the center and occurs during the pope's trip to France from September 25 to September 28.