Clogher don Óige
  • Home
  • News
  • Pope John Paul II Award
    • GET INVOLVED!
    • Award Information
    • Award Leader Resources
    • JPII Award Record Cards
  • Pilgrimages
    • World Youth Day
    • Lourdes >
      • Lourdes 2023
  • Contact

World Day of Prayer, Reflection andAction Against Human Trafficking

7/2/2022

0 Comments

 
Pope Francis designated 8th February, the feast of St Josephine Bakhita, as the World Day of
Prayer, Reflection and Action Against Human Trafficking.

Who is
Saint
Josephine
​Bakhita?

Name: Saint Josephine Bakhita
Feast Day: 8 February
Birthplace: Darfur, Sudan
Born: 1869 (approximately)
Died: 8 February 1947
Canonised: 1 October 2000 by Pope St John Paul II
Patron saint of Sudan, South Sudan and trafficked people
"The Lord has loved me so much: we must love everyone...
we must be compassionate!"

​-Saint Josephine Bakhita
In the Star Trek franchise, there is a species of alien called the Borg. The Borg are cybernetic organisms that force other species to join their "hive mind" by assimilating them into their collective. They strip away everything that makes a person unique and individual. "Resistance is futile" was the last thing one heard when encountering the Borg.
St. Josephine would have disagreed: resistance is never futile. A native of Sudan, she was kidnapped at age seven, enslaved, abused, sold, and resold. She was finally bought by the Italian consul in Khartoum, Sudan, and taken to Italy, where she obtained her freedom. Despite all the indignities she suffered, Josephine's spirit was never broken. She always maintained her dignity as a child of God. Our dignity comes from God: "So God created humankind in his image." (Genesis 1:27) Our value as human beings does not come from what we do or whom we associate with. Our dignity is not based on nationality, religion, or socioeconomic status. Our dignity comes from the simple fact that we are made in God's image. We are made out of love so that we may love. And when we love someone, we respect their individuality and their dignity because they too are an image of God. To strip someone of their dignity - to deny them their human rights - is blasphemy. As I reflect on the life of Saint Josephine, I realise that protecting and advocating for human rights is a sacred act. Advocating for others' freedom is itself liberating - it frees me to love people less fortunate than myself. It is a solemn act of devotion.
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Archives

    February 2022
    February 2021
    January 2021
    November 2020
    September 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018

    Categories

    All
    Bishop Larry Duffy
    Camp Don Óige
    Diocesan News
    Diocese Of Clogher
    JPII Award
    Leadership Development
    Lourdes
    Parish
    Photographs
    Pilgrimage
    Social Action
    Summer 2019
    Summer Events
    Taizé
    Training Opportunities
    Young People
    Youth Director

    RSS Feed

Picture

Clogher don Óige

Youth Ministry in the Diocese of Clogher

Saint Macartan's College
Monaghan
​County Monaghan
Ros Erne House
8 Darling Street, Enniskillen
​County Fermanagh
Picture

​Clogher don Óige is part of the The Roman Catholic Diocese and Parishes of Clogher Trust. A registered charity in Ireland (CRA No. 20014452)
  • Home
  • News
  • Pope John Paul II Award
    • GET INVOLVED!
    • Award Information
    • Award Leader Resources
    • JPII Award Record Cards
  • Pilgrimages
    • World Youth Day
    • Lourdes >
      • Lourdes 2023
  • Contact