In February 2019, what temperature do we have?

Let's take today's world temperature. In the northern hemisphere, we usually suffer a lot of cold, whereas in most of the southern hemisphere, a lot of heat. But let's use the thermometer to measure the temperatures of our society.

On February 8, it is Saint Bakhita’s feast day, and we will celebrate the International Day of Prayer and Awareness against Human Trafficking. Women make up 72% of the world's trade in human beings. Also, today they suffer what Bakhita suffered: violence, sale, forced migration, abuse, solitude, discrimination...

In the face of these temperatures of the world in which we live, let us take the examples of strong women from the Bible; let us look at how Jesus treats women in the Gospel, and react to this thermometer.

The Pope, who personally took charge of the section of the Holy See that focuses on refugees and human trafficking, published a few days ago the "Pastoral Orientations on Human Trafficking." I strongly recommend its reading.

This publication features a chapter explaining what our response to human trafficking should be, and the first thing it says is: cooperation must be strengthened. Cooperation must be strengthened. If it has long been established to eradicate trafficking through 3 "P’s," prevention, protection, and persecution, today it is necessary to add a fourth "P", that is "partnership": working together, in collaboration, in a network with all those who fight to end trafficking in persons.

Women of WUCWO, I invite you to a collaborative work against Human Trafficking. The motto of this year's International Day is "Together Against Trafficking in Persons."

Dear friends, I invite you to pray together the prayer pronounced by the Pope on February 8, 2015:

Saint Josephine Bakhita,

you were sold into slavery as a child

and endured unspeakable hardship and suffering.

Once liberated from your physical enslavement,

you found true redemption in your encounter with Christ and his Church.

O Saint Josephine Bakhita,

assist all those who are entrapped in slavery.

Intercede on their behalf with the God of Mercy

so that the chains of their captivity will be broken.

May God himself free all those who have been threatened, wounded or mistreated

by the trade and trafficking of human beings.

Bring comfort to survivors of this slavery

and teach them to look to Jesus as an example of hope and faith,

so that they may find healing from their wounds.

We ask you to pray for us and to intercede on behalf of us all:

that we may not fall into indifference,

that we may open our eyes and be able to see the misery

and wounds of our many brothers and sisters

deprived of their dignity and their freedom,

and may we hear their cry for help.

Amen.