The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops are encouraging Catholics to host or attend prayer services to create greater awareness about human trafficking. The bishops' statement on human trafficking says … “Through prayer, we not only reflect on the experiences of those that have suffered through this affront to human dignity, but also comfort, strengthen, and help empower survivors.” In response to this, St. Joseph Church in Adrian hosted the International Day of Prayer and Awareness against Human Trafficking on Feb. 8. About 50 people attended including high school students. The prayer service took place on the feast day of St. Josephine Bakhita, who was sold into slavery as a young girl. Once Josephine was freed, she became a Canossian nun and dedicated her life to sharing her testament of deliverance from slavery. She was declared a saint in 2000.
The guest speaker was Kelly Castleberry, the victim rights advocate for Lenawee County and the director for Southern Michigan for Regional Human Trafficking. Pastoral Associate Loretta Budzyn and Deacon Leonard Brown organized the day of prayer and awareness.
Amy Poissant, the youth minister at St. Joseph Church, said “The students were the quietest I have ever seen them. Kelly encouraged the students to be friends with people who are alone or being bullied. This minority of outcasts need people to befriend them.”
Pope Francis has set 2020 as the year that human trafficking will end. In Lenawee County, there have been five cases of human trafficking.
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