Josephine Bakhita was born in Darfur in Sudan in 1869. At the age of nine she was sold into slavery. The trauma made her forget her name. Her kidnappers called her Bakhita, meaning ‘fortunate’.
She was sold and resold again and again, before being given as a present to an Italian family who took her to Milan. She became a nun noted for special charisma and reputation for sanctity. She was canonized in the year 2000.
On 8 February, her feast day, people will join in prayer and reflection for the first International Day Against Human Trafficking.
On the day, the faithful are invited to recite the following prayer:
“O God, when we hear of children and adults
deceived and taken to unknown places for
purposes of sexual exploitation, forced labour, and
organ ‘harvesting’, our hearts are saddened and
our spirits angry that their dignity and rights are
ignored through threats, lies, and force.
We cry out against the evil practice of this modern
slavery, and pray with St. Bakhita for it to end.
Give us wisdom and courage to reach out and
stand with those whose bodies, hearts and spirits
have been so wounded, so that together we may
make real your promises to fill these sisters and
brothers with a love that is tender and good.
Send the exploiters away empty-handed to be
converted from this wickedness, and help us all to
claim the freedom that is your gift to your
children. Amen”.
An interesting post in our BLOG SSCC, by Marie Lemert sscc. Click here to read it.
02/07/2015