Day of Prayer for Victims of Human Trafficking on 8 February

8 February is the feast day of Saint Josephine Bakhita (1869-1947) who, as a young woman, was kidnapped into slavery in Sudan before meeting and entering the Canossian Daughters of Charity in 1893. St Bakhita is the patron of trafficked persons.

Sisters of Mercy across the globe continue Catherine McAuley's ministry of outreach with distressed women today by opposing Human Trafficking. Women, Children and men are all victims of human trafficking.

We are invited to pray on this day in solidarity with the more than 27 million women, men and children who suffer each day from modern day slavery.

A Prayer Service from the U.S. Catholic Sisters Against Human Trafficking (USCSAHT) for an End to Human Trafficking is available here (PDF). A second presentation of the prayer has been made available by ACRATH and is linked here (PDF). Representatives from the Sisters of Mercy belong to both these groups. 

Download a prayer card here (PDF)

A short video clip on St Bakhita's life can be found here (03:08).

Messages to: Mary Reynolds rsm - Executive Director MIA