Isidore Bakanja: Episode Two

The Saints

This episode presents a courtroom reconstruction of the trial surrounding Isidore Bakanja in the Belgian Congo, 1909. Witnesses testify to h

Key takeaways

• Bukele Lenganga met Isidore at a work site named Mandaka when Isidore was known as Lokito.
• Father Hubert Laurent, a Trappist monk, performed Isidore's baptism and described his spiritual curiosity.

Main topics

• Courtroom Testimony
• Catholicism in the Congo

Notable quotes

He was hungry for faith.

Conclusion

The episode illustrates the profound impact of personal faith on indiv

Transcript preview

Speaker 3 (0:00) Belgian Congo, 1909. Today, new witnesses step forward to recount how Isidore received the scapular and how that small brown rope began to unsettle Van Cotter's rubber camp. Speaker 1 (0:20) The Saints. Adventures of faith and courage. Isidore Baconga. Episode 2. Men in White. Listen to all the episodes and discover new shows at thesaintspodcast.com. Speaker 1 (0:41) How Speaker 4 (0:41) much longer Speaker 1 (0:42) do we have Speaker 3 (0:42) to go through this farce? Monsieur Van Cotter, please. Speaker 6 (0:45) Before we proceed, I remind counsel this court will not be used as a forum for religious debate. Speaker 2 (0:54) Understood, Your Honor. Of Speaker 6 (0:56) course. This is absurd. Monsieur Van Cotter? Your Honor? Compose yourself. I am composed. See that you remain so. Monsieur Regnier, call your next witness. Speaker 2 (1:10) The prosecution calls Bukele Lenganga. Speaker 6 (1:13) State your name. Bukele Speaker 5 (1:16) Lenganga. Occupation? Mason, Libra. Speaker 2 (1:20) Monsieur Lenganga, did you know the deceased, Isidore Bakanja? Speaker 5 (1:24) Yes. Speaker 2 (1:26) Where did you meet him? Speaker 5 (1:27) At a work site named Mandaka. When I met him, his name was Lokito. Speaker 2 (1:32) What were your first impressions of the young man? Speaker 5 (1:46) He was quiet at first, watched everything. Speaker 4 (1:56) Mr. Vinganga, please, you should rest. Your hands, they are bleeding. The stone does not care about blood, Okito, lest it is the fruit of thy Speaker 5 (2:09) womb, Jesus. Speaker 4 (2:12) Those words. Those words you are saying. What are they? Prayers. They bring you peace? They do. Speaker 5 (2:22) What brings you peace, Elkito? I am still trying to find out. The missionaries teach us. Ask and it will be given to you. Speaker 4 (2:30) Seek and you will find. The Christian missionaries? Yes. Can you teach me those prayers, Mr. Linganga? Which ones? All of them. Tell me what the words mean. I want to understand. I will teach you. Speaker 3 (2:44) Repeat Speaker 4 (2:45) after me. Our Father, who art in heaven. Our Father, who art in heaven. Hallowed be thy name. Hallowed Speaker 2 (2:55) be Speaker 4 (2:56) thy name. Speaker 2 (3:02) After that encounter, what was your impression of Isidore? He was hungry for faith. Speaker 7 (3:08) Objection. He's Speaker 6 (3:09) speculating on what Isidore felt. Rephrase the question, Monsieur Regnier. Speaker 2 (3:14) Of course, Your Honor. Monsieur Langanga, tell us, why did you teach Isidore those prayers? Speaker 5 (3:22) These prayers connect our hearts and minds to God. We deepen our knowledge and love for Him. By praying together, we become a community of brothers. united in the Lord. Speaker 2 (3:33) Thank you, Monsieur