St. Josephine Bakhita, pray for us! – February 8, 2018

Today is the feast day of St. Josephine Bakhita (c. 1869-1947), the patron saint of human trafficking victims. The Church has declared today the International Day of Prayer and Awareness against Human Trafficking. It is estimated that there are more slaves now than in any time in human history:  27, 000,000 men, women and children.  That is double the number taken from West Africa during the transatlantic slave trade of the 16th, 17th, and 18th centuries.  The Department of Homeland Security defines human trafficking as “a form of modern-day slavery, and involves the use of force, fraud, or coercion to exploit human beings for some type of labor or commercial sex purpose.”  It happens all over the world and here in the United States.  In the US, most human trafficking is sex trafficking.  The Sisters of Mercy report on their website that 100,000 children are commercially sexually exploited in the United States every year (and the number may be as high as 300,000!).  Statistics and data vary and conflict, but surely one child is one too many. 

The good Sisters also say, “Most people in America have worn, touched or consumed a product of slavery at some point, often without knowing it.  Products can include coffee, chocolate, rice, fresh produce, gold jewelry and athletic shoes.”   

Saint Josephine Bakhita, pray for us!

Josephine was born in the Darfur region of southern Sudan.  She was kidnapped at the age of 7 and sold into slavery. She was resold several times – and tortured, branded, beat and cut by her masters.  In 1883 when she was 14 she was sold to an Italian government official living in Sudan.  When he returned to Italy two years later, he took Josephine with him and gave her to a friend.  While still a slave she was drawn to the Catholic Church and was baptized and confirmed when she was 21.  When her then-owner wanted to take her back to Africa the Conossian Sisters who had taught her catechism and the bishop of Venice intervened on her behalf – and a judge ruled that, since slavery was illegal in Italy, Josephine had actually been free since 1885.  Josephine eventually became a nun and served through cooking, sewing, embroidery, and welcoming visitors at the door.  Her biography states, “she was well-loved by children.” 

I can’t help but think about the childhood that was robbed from Bakhita.  How amazing that her loving spirit survived such loss.  A miracle!

And today we pray for another miracle.  An end to using people for profit and pleasure.  An end to human trafficking. 

May our eyes be open.  May our hearts be broken.  May we take action.