DAY OF ATONEMENT

 

“Journeying in Dignity: Listen, Dream, Act” is the theme of the International Day of Prayer and Awareness against Human Trafficking to be held on Feb. 8, a date established by Pope Francis on the feast of St. Bakhita. She is the patron saint of those suffering even today from slavery. She was born in the Sudan in Africa and was herself enslaved before becoming a nun.

A press release from the organizers explained that “human trafficking is the process by which people are coerced or lured by false prospects, recruited, relocated, and forced to work and live in exploitative or abusive conditions. It is a phenomenon, as recent United Nations reports warn, in continuous and dramatic evolution.”

In Rome, 50 young representatives from partner organizations of the Day are are participating in training and awareness sessions on trafficking. They are students, volunteers, researchers, creatives, communicators, activists, and operators against trafficking.

“Trafficking is around us, in our cities, but is often invisible to our eyes. With this Day, we want to increase awareness of trafficking, reflect on the situation of violence and injustice suffered by the victims of this global phenomenon, and propose concrete solutions. We invite everyone to listen and observe attentively, to dream together with the young people of a better world and to act for change, starting from personal, community, and institutional commitment to effectively counter the causes of trafficking and exploitation,” said Sister Abby Avelino, MM, coordinator of the Day. 

May St. Josephine intercede for an end to violence and human trafficking and all forms of exploitation. May all come to see we are all children of God, worthy of dignity.  "I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance." Father, we beg for the liberation of people who are being trafficked. Please bring freedom to the 40 million people who are being oppressed through human trafficking.