Bulletins

February 4, 2018

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ST. JOSEPHINE BAKHITA
(~1869 - 8 FEBRUARY 1947)

Born in Sudan, as a girl she was kidnapped then sold and resold in the slave markets. The Italian Consul General acquired her but it would appear that it was not for immoral purposes. In that diplomatic household she was treated so well that she asked to accompany them upon their return to Italy, where she sought not only to become a Christian but also to enter religious life in the Canossian Sisters.

“If I were to meet the slave-traders who kidnapped me and even those who tortured me, I would kneel and kiss their hands, for if that did not happen, I would not be a Christian and Religious today...”

“I received the Sacrament of Baptism with such joy that only angels could describe...”

“O Lord, if I could fly to my people and tell them of your Goodness at the top of my voice: oh, how many souls would be won!”

“I can truly say that it was a miracle I did not die, because the Lord has destined me for greater things...”

“When a person loves another dearly, he desires strongly to be close to the other: therefore, why be afraid to die? Death brings us to God!”

Her horrible ordeal shows the triumph that is possible. With or without realizing it we all know many such wounded souls. Show them the Cross:

Look at what they did to Jesus.
Did His suffering so much mean that He deserved it? No.
Did the terrible things they did to Him make Him bad? No
Was He innocent? Yes.
And so are you.

St. Josephine Bakhita, pray for us!
Fr. Christopher J. Pollard