Pray Against Trafficking

Today, 8 February, is the Feast of St Josephine Bakhita, a Sudanese nun, who as a child had the traumatic experience of being a victim of human trafficking.  St. Josephine was beatified in 1992 and canonised shortly after on October 2000 by Pope John Paul II.  She is the first person to be canonised from Sudan and is the patron saint of that country.

We pray today together through her intercession, for all who live a similar experience today, especially on this Sr. Josephine Bakhita’s feast day (8^th February).  This date is set aside to #Prayforthosetrafficked and #prayeragainsthumantraffickingandslavery  #PrayAgainstTrafficking

God of hope and peace
Touch our hearts
and energise our ongoing efforts
in abolishing human trafficking,
a heinous crime against humanity.

So that every victim is freed
and every survivor’s life is renewed.

You blessed Sr. Josephine Bakhita of Sudan
with compassion for others.

May her prayers conform and strengthen
the women, men and children who are in search of freedom.

Amen

Day of Prayer & Awareness

The ninth International Day of Prayer and Awareness against Trafficking in Persons will be held on Wednesday February 8, 2023.

The theme of this edition, chosen by an international group of young people involved in the fight against trafficking, is  Journeying in Dignity.

The steps, the journey, and the shared road between those who are committed to combatting trafficking and those who are victims and survivors. All of these are at the heart of this Day when we will witness thousands of people around the world – in many parishes, communities, groups – come together, reflect, pray and send a message to the world against this global phenomenon.

The central moment of the week will be the online Pilgrimage of prayer and awareness on Wednesday, February 8th, the feast of Saint Bakhita, the universal symbol of the commitment of the Church against trafficking. The pilgrimage of prayer starts at 9.30 am CET time and, crossing the different time zones, will involve all the continents starting in Oceania, then Asia, the Middle East, Africa, Europe, Latin America, and closing at 16.30 in North America. The event will be live-streamed in 5 languages    (English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, Italian) on www.prayagainsttrafficking.net

“The theme chosen this year “Journeying in dignity” is an invitation to all people of good will to walk with the victims and survivors of human trafficking, and in particular  the migrant populations, as pilgrims of human dignity and hope. Young people, adults and children, people of different religious traditions, cultures and generations. Only together, as a community, we can put an end to this scourge. Safeguarding the dignity of every person is only possible if we know how to uphold peace and protect the environment – Sister Abby Avelino, MM, coordinator of the day, said.

Talitha Kum’s Study, Prayer and Action Pack: Migration and Human Trafficking “The crisis of migration cannot be ignored.” – Pope Francis

EN_Talitha_Kum_3rd_Study_Packet_Migration_CK0Bbre

See also about this day HERE

And https://presentationsistersne.ie/recognise-discover-promote-build/