Caritas invites all to join Int Day of Prayer Against Human Trafficking
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(Vatican Radio) Today, February 8, we mark the International Day of Prayer and Awarenesss Against Human Trafficking.Amongst the faith-based organizations whose mandate is to raise awareness about this global phenomenon, fight it and work with its victims is Caritas, the helping hand of the Catholic Church.Caritas offers humanitarian action and support in many fields, it also coordinates the work of COATNET - Christian Organisations Against Trafficking in Human Beings - a network of 42 Christian groups around the world who fight human trafficking. This International Day of Prayer has been chosen to coincide with the feat of St. Josephine Bakhita, a Sudanese woman who was sold into slavery, abused and finally freed becoming an icon of Christian hope and forgiveness.As Pope Francis himself has said again and again “human trafficking is a crime against humanity”, “an open wound of the body of contemporary society”, and COATNET believes that “th...
(Vatican Radio) Today, February 8, we mark the International Day of Prayer and Awarenesss Against Human Trafficking.
Amongst the faith-based organizations whose mandate is to raise awareness about this global phenomenon, fight it and work with its victims is Caritas, the helping hand of the Catholic Church.
Caritas offers humanitarian action and support in many fields, it also coordinates the work of COATNET - Christian Organisations Against Trafficking in Human Beings - a network of 42 Christian groups around the world who fight human trafficking.
This International Day of Prayer has been chosen to coincide with the feat of St. Josephine Bakhita, a Sudanese woman who was sold into slavery, abused and finally freed becoming an icon of Christian hope and forgiveness.
As Pope Francis himself has said again and again “human trafficking is a crime against humanity”, “an open wound of the body of contemporary society”, and COATNET believes that “the first step towards beating trafficking is to raise global awareness on how it dehumanises people and to take this knowledge to the level of action”.
On this day of prayer and awareness Caritas invites all to go the “International Day of Prayer and Awareness Against Trafficking” website and light the candle; to pray alone or arrange a prayer service and generally to become informed on the many issues that are connected to trafficking including supply chains, prevention programmes and what each of us can do to contribute to the fight.
We spoke to Fr. Evaristus Bassey, the National Director of Caritas Nigeria who points out that the “Day of Prayer and Awareness” is even more poignant this year as it falls within the Holy Year of Mercy.
Click here to read Fr Bassey’s blog on the International Day of Prayer and Awareness Against Trafficking”.
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