International Day of Prayer and Awareness against Human Trafficking

The Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace has designated February 8 as an annual day of prayer and awareness against human trafficking. February 8 is the feast day of St. Josephine Bakhita, who was kidnapped as a child and sold into slavery in Sudan and Italy. Once Josephine was freed, she 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. Resources for prayer and action are available from the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops at http://bit.ly/2hXHo3Y and from the Interfaith Working Group on Human Trafficking at