Feb. 8, International Day of Prayer and Awareness against Human Trafficking

Feast Day of Sudanese slave St. Josephine Bakhita who, after being freed, became a Canossian Sister. Canonised in 2000, entitled: “A light against human trafficking.” “Millions of people today – children, women and men of all ages – are deprived of freedom and are forced to live in conditions akin to slavery. For those who cry out – usually in silence – for liberation, St Josephine Bakhita is an exemplary witness of hope. We entrust our efforts to her intercession.

The Holy Father invites us all to recognise that we are facing a global phenomenon which exceeds the competence of any one community or country. In order to eliminate it, we need a mobilisation comparable in size to that of the phenomenon itself”.

The International Day against Human Trafficking constitutes “a mobilisation of awareness and prayer on a global scale. “Our awareness must expand and extend to the very depths of this evil and its farthest reaches … from awareness to prayer … from prayer to solidarity … and from solidarity to concerted action, until slavery and trafficking are no more”.

On the occasion of this first day of prayer and reflection, all dioceses, parishes, associations, families and individuals are invited to reflect and pray in order to cast light on this crime, culminating in the Angelus prayer in St. Peter's Square on 8 February. 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 labor, 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”.