Catholics worldwide are encouraged to host or attend prayer services on February 8.
February 8, the feast day of St. Josephine Bakhita, is the annual day of prayer and awareness against human trafficking. Bakhita was kidnapped as a child and sold into slavery in Sudan and Italy. Once she was freed, Bakhita became a Canossian nun and dedicated her life to sharing her testament of deliverance from slavery and comforting the poor and suffering. She was declared a Saint in 2000.
Catholics worldwide are encouraged to host or attend prayer services on February 8 to create greater awareness about this human atrocity. There are numerous ways and levels in which you can become involved:
- Register to join the Vatican in solidarity against trafficking and find other resources like social media posts, daily messages, etc.
- Become a USCCB SHEPHERD to organize action or find ways to spot trafficking in your community.
- The U.S. Catholic Sisters Against Human Trafficking have several advocacy campaigns to help protect children and trafficking victims.
- Offer prayer intentions. The USCCB has a St. Josephine Bakhita Prayer card.
- View a PSA from the Coalition to Abolish Slavery and Trafficking and the California Department of Justice.