February 8th St. Josephine Bakhita

 St. Josephine Bakhita

Patroness of Trafficking Victims

 

Human trafficking continues to be a supremely important issue during Pope Francis’ pontificate, with an estimated 20 million victims worldwide. St. Josephine Bakhita, enslaved during her own childhood, undergoing immense suffering throughout her adolescence before discovering the faith in her early 20s has been named, Patroness of Human Trafficking Victims.  February 8th, St. Josephine’s feast day, marks the fourth international day of prayer and reflection against human trafficking.

Biography

Born in 1869 in a small village in the Darfur region of Sudan, Bakhita was kidnapped by slave traders at the age of seven. So terrified that she could not even remember her own name, her kidnappers gave her the name, “Bakhita,” which means “fortunate” in Arabic.  This was the last time she saw her natural family, being sold and resold into slavery five different times.

Eventually, she was purchased by the Italian consul Calisto Legnani, who later gave her to a friend of the family, Augusto Michieli, who brought her to Italy as a nanny for his daughter. This time was the first time she was not mistreated.

After being freed, and remaining with the Canossian Sisters in Italy, she dedicated her life to assisting her community and teaching others to love God. She died on February 8, 1947. She was beatified in 1992 and canonized in 2000 by St. Pope John Paul II.

“Realizing that this evil is but another manifestation of slavery and bondage, we choose to combat it in whatever ways possible as Anne-Marie Javouhey worked for the abolition of slavery in the society of her day.

To this end we will endeavor to direct our spiritual, financial, and human resources to educating ourselves and others about this evil and will do whatever is in our power to work for an end to this moral depravity.”

Prayer to St. Josephine Bakihta

O St. Bakihta, assist all those 

who are trapped in a state of slavery.

Intercede with God on their behalf

So that they will be released from their

Chains of captivity.

Those who we enslave

Let God set free.