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Newsletter June 2025

REPORT 2024

Foyer of Valais

“A home that radiates around the world”

As a regular visitor to the Sion “Notre-Dame du Silence” hostel, I get a very strong sense of the spirit of peace, calm, respect, sharing, curiosity and understanding that is alive in all the people who live at the hostel, those who work in the diocesan pastoral services, the caterer, and those who come for training, retreats, meetings or mass.

All these people, coming from different horizons, whether from the Valais, from regions all over Switzerland, from Europe and even further afield, also feel the spirit of Saint Justin, with arms wide open to the world, welcoming and caring for the well-being of those who pass through the door of peace received from the Lord.

This house is truly a haven of peace, and when I walk through the door I feel a wind of tranquility blowing through this place to flood the inhabited areas with its gentle mercy. What a joy it is to feel this spirit of love. That’s why I love being in this place, carried by the Lord’s love.

I could sum it up with this motto: “We listen, we hear, we understand and we live in God’s love”.

This was made possible by the understanding of the values of our Work on the part of manager Lara Kate and her colleagues Maria and Anne. I can only thank these people from the bottom of my heart for their commitment with and from the heart for all the people who enter the home to live the life path that has brought them to this point.

Shared moments of friendship in the garden.

At my request, Lara Kate wrote a few lines about her feelings about life at home in 2024, between joys and sorrows.

Through this testimonial, Lara Kate expresses her experience and her daily life with these young people from here and abroad.

As you know, we are in discussions with the Fondation Notre-Dame du Silence to acquire this site, so that we can continue to adapt it to the needs of the students’ hostel and the people who are accustomed to it, while maintaining the values of Saint-Justin and Notre-Dame du Silence. This is one of tomorrow’s challenges for our Work. Thank you to all those who give this place its mission of welcome.

“The pleasure when former residents come back just to visit
their friends found at Saint Justin.”
“Just like the pleasure of knowing that those who left
the home but still live in Sion have kept in regular contact
with the residents.”
“The pleasure of knowing that they have their own little routine
of activities:
on Tuesdays they go climbing, on Thursdays it’s bowling as well as
weekend outings
depending on the season.”
“The pleasure, as they leave,
and they tell me ”I’d like to come back“”
“The sense of welcome that has spontaneously established
towards new arrivals.”
“The pleasure when a mother writes to tell me that her child
has never felt so good.”
“The pleasure of hearing them laugh from my office.”
“Harder for me when they decide to give up pursuing
their training because they’re out of breath.”
“Harder for me when I see the heaviness of studying
today, the pressure they’re under.”
“It’s hard for me when I see that an individual
disrespects others and creates a rift in the group.”
“It’s hard for me when someone abuses our trust
to act dishonestly behind our backs.”

Marco Cattaneo / Lara Kate Crettaz

Summary

Saint-Justin

Fribourg

Lausanne

Genève

Zürich

Sion