Each year on February 8, the Church observes the International Day of Prayer and Awareness Against Human Trafficking, a Vatican-supported initiative that coincides with the feast of St. Josephine Bakhita. This day serves as both a call to prayer and a challenge to take concrete action against the injustice of modern slavery.
In his message for this year’s observance, Pope Francis urged Catholics not to lose hope in the battle against human trafficking. “With the help of God, we can avoid becoming accustomed to injustice and ward off the temptation to think that certain phenomena cannot be eradicated,” the Holy Father stated, according to Vatican reports. He called for “courage and effectiveness” in opposing the “economic and criminal mechanisms that profit from trafficking and exploitation.”
St. Josephine Bakhita: A Witness of Hope
The choice of February 8 for this day of prayer is deeply symbolic, as it honors St. Josephine Bakhita, a woman who endured the horrors of slavery before discovering Christ and joining the Canossian Sisters in Italy. Kidnapped from her homeland in Sudan at the age of seven, Bakhita suffered brutal treatment at the hands of her captors. However, her story did not end in despair. After gaining her freedom, she became a nun and devoted her life to serving others. Today, she stands as a powerful intercessor for victims of human trafficking worldwide.
Pope Francis emphasized the importance of faith in addressing the darkness of modern slavery, asking, “Where do we get new impetus to combat the trade in human organs and tissues, the sexual exploitation of children and girls, forced labor, including prostitution, drug, and arms trafficking? How do we experience all this in the world and not lose hope?” He answered, “It is only by lifting our eyes to Christ, our hope, that we can find the strength for a renewed commitment.”
The Global Challenge and the Role of the Church
Human trafficking remains a pervasive issue affecting millions across the world. The Holy Father pointed to war, conflict, famine, and climate change as factors exacerbating this crisis, stressing the need for a united response. “Together—trusting in the intercession of St. Bakhita—we can make a great effort and create the conditions for trafficking and exploitation to be banned and for respect for fundamental human rights to prevail, in fraternal recognition of common humanity,” he said, according to Vatican sources.
The Church continues to lead the fight against human trafficking through organizations like Talitha Kum, a global network of consecrated women dedicated to assisting victims. Pope Francis commended their work, urging them to keep “making victims and survivors your primary concern, listening to their stories, caring for their wounds and enabling them to make their voices heard in society at large.”
A Call to Prayer and Action
Catholics are called not only to pray for an end to human trafficking but also to take concrete steps in their communities. This includes raising awareness, supporting anti-trafficking initiatives, and advocating for policies that protect vulnerable individuals.
As we commemorate the International Day of Prayer and Awareness Against Human Trafficking, let us turn to St. Josephine Bakhita and ask for her intercession. May we have the courage to confront the evil of human trafficking with unwavering faith, trusting that, as Pope Francis reminds us, “the commitment against human trafficking and exploitation can ignite flames of light, which together can illuminate the night until the dawn breaks.”
