What We Can Learn from St. Josephine Bakhita

A Spirit That Still Prevails

Many people suffer because of abuse and oppression. Although helping them often seems like an impossible task, one thing we can always do is pray. We can also seek wisdom from The Holy Trinity, Blessed Mother, The Bible and the saints who have gone before us – all in Jesus’ name.

St. Josephine Bakhita, the patron saint of Sudan who was born in the Darfur region in 1869, kidnapped, sold into slavery and tortured as a child and teenager before ending up as a beloved nanny to Mimmina Michieli and later as a free, much-loved and revered Canossian Sister and Daughter of Charity, has much to teach us. She has also won graces for people who sought her intercession.

Faith

As published by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, a prayer to the saint is as follows:

St. Josephine Bakhita, you were sold into slavery as a child and endured untold hardship and suffering. Once liberated from your physical enslavement, you found true redemption in your encounter with Christ and his Church.

O St. Bakhita, assist all those who are trapped in a state of slavery; Intercede with God on their behalf so that they will be released from their chains of captivity. Those whom man enslaves, let God set free.

Provide comfort to survivors of slavery and let them look to you as an example of hope and faith. Help all survivors find healing from their wounds. We ask for your prayers and intercessions for those enslaved among us.

Amen.