Pope Francis sent a video message on 8 February, as the day marks the World Day of Prayer and Reflection against Trafficking in Persons, to encourage young people to be “missionaries of human dignity, against trafficking in human beings and all forms of exploitation.
The Holy Father highlighted that the motto of the World Day of Prayer and Reflection against Human Trafficking 2023 is “Walking for Dignity” and warned that this year’s initiative also involved young people as protagonists.
For this reason, the Pope encouraged young people to ” take care of the dignity, their own and that of each person they meet ” to help keep alive the hope and joy that he invited “to cherish in their hearts, together with the Word of God, because true joy is Christ!”
“We are living in difficult times, but it is precisely in this reality that all of us, especially young people, are called to join forces to weave networks of good, to spread the light that comes from Christ and his Gospel,” the Pope said.
Likewise, the Holy Father pointed out that ” trafficking in human beings disfigures dignity ” and added that “unfortunately, trafficking is growing at an alarming rate, affecting above all immigrants, women and children, young people like you, people with dreams and desire to live with dignity”.
Then, the Pope explained that this year some young people traveled to Rome representing the organizations that have collaborated for years on this Day of Prayer and Commitment against Trafficking, who will symbolically receive a light.
“With this gesture, they are sent as missionaries of human dignity, against human trafficking and all forms of exploitation,” he explained.
In addition, the Holy Father indicated that “a special year of youth participation is thus inaugurated, until the next Conference in 2024” for which he invited “guard this light and be a blessing to other young people.”
“ Let’s not get tired of looking for ways to transform our societies and prevent this shameful plague that is human trafficking”, he stressed.
In this line, Pope Francis invited to “ walk together against trafficking: to walk together with those who are destroyed by the violence of sexual and labor exploitation; to walk alongside migrants, the displaced, who are looking for a place to live in peace and dignity. Together with you, young people, to courageously reaffirm the value of human dignity”.
“I thank you and tell you: go ahead boldly! May the Lord bless you and the Virgin protect you. Saint Bakhita pray with us and for us. I cordially bless all those who work against trafficking and all the people they meet on this path to dignity”, concluded the Holy Father.
Previously, during the General Audience on Wednesday, February 8, Pope Francis recalled that this February 8 the Church celebrates the memory of Saint Josephine Bakhita, Patron Saint of victims of human trafficking.