杏MAP导航

By Linda Bordoni    

A prayer vigil takes place in Rome鈥檚 Basilica of St. John Lateran on the evening of February 8 to mark the International Day of Prayer and Awareness Against Human Trafficking that takes place, this year, on the theme 鈥淭ogether against Human trafficking鈥�.

The vigil is officiated by Fr Michael Czerny and Fr Fabio Baggio, Under-Secretaries of the Migrants & Refugees Section of the Vatican Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development.

St. Josephine Bakhita

People are also gathering across the world in prayer and observance of the Day which was established by 杏MAP导航 Francis in 2015, marking the feast day of St. Josephine Bakhita, who was kidnapped as a child and sold into slavery in her home country of Sudan. She gained her freedom in Italy, became a Canossian Sister, and dedicated her life to helping the poor and testifying against slavery.

At the launch on Thursday in the Vatican of this year鈥檚 International Day, Jesuit Father Michael Czerny said the Migrants and Refugees Section has just released an educational booklet entitled "Pastoral Orientations on Human Trafficking鈥� that aims to provide in-depth information about the phenomenon as wells as tools to help combat it.

Pastoral Orientations

The 鈥淧astoral Orientations鈥�, he says, help us to see more clearly why the depravity of human trafficking continues to persist in the 21^st century.

鈥淚s it simply,鈥� he asks, 鈥渂ecause human trafficking and slavery are very profitable?鈥�

Fr. Czerny explains the document also helps us to understand, even more deeply, 鈥渉ow the ugly, evil business of human trafficking operates.鈥�

鈥淚t stays hidden, and invisible, but it functions nearly everywhere, like corruption,鈥� he says.

He emphasizes that it is the State that must 鈥減rotect citizens and residents from entrapment and slavery鈥�, however he adds, there is no visible effort to prosecute and punish on the part of the State.

The Pastoral Orientations, Fr. Czerny says, are a tool that can help us to respond here and now, and to commit long-term.

What can you and I do?

鈥淭he question is: what can you and I do to help alleviate human trafficking?鈥� he says.

Pointing out that this is the core question behind the World Day of Awarness and Prayer,  Fr. Czerny notes that the testimonies of survivors describe the 鈥渦nimaginable deception, coercion and suffering鈥� they have been through and witness to 鈥渨hat can be stolen from a human life for the pleasure and profit of others鈥�.

鈥淚t is inconceivable 鈥� until you listen to a survivor 鈥� how it happened to him or to her,鈥� he says.

鈥淎t the heart of each survivor鈥檚 story is the inviolable, sacred dignity of every human person,鈥� he says, concluding that 鈥渁t the heart of each survivor鈥檚 liberation is the solidarity of others.鈥�