Day of prayer and Reflection on Human Trafficking, Sisters of Mercy of the Holy Cross- Congregational Level. 25 November, 2017.

In recent years, the Sisters of Mercy of the Holy Cross, the International Congregation, have held a special Day every year when all Holy Cross Sisters living and working on four continents, reflect on the problem of human trafficking. They pray especially for the end of trafficking in women and girls and also pray for the victims. For a number of years, three Holy Cross Sisters have been members of RENATE: one from Czech Republic, one from Hungary, and one from Croatia.
At Congregation level, the Sisters became involved in the work against trafficking in 2008 when they had the General Chapter. On that occasion, Sister Eugenia Bonetti was invited to work with the Sisters who met in the Mother House in Switzerland to take part in the General Chapter. Later on, a group of Sisters from different Provinces was formed to see how Sisters can be more effectively involved in this work. Every Province and Vicariate was asked to name a Sister as coordinator for the Province or Vicariate. In September 2017 the 1^st Conference of the coordinators took place in Switzerland, where the Sisters from four continents met, shared with each other about their work and reflected on further work in combating trafficking in people.
The 25^th November every year is just one of common things that the Sisters of Mercy of the Holy Cross do. Isn’t it powerful to know that on that day thousands of Sisters united in the Spirit, pray to God with the same intention: to stop human trafficking and for the victims.
In their prayer this year, the Sisters from Croatia, asked the “God of beauty, freedom and truth, that the victims may be set free and that they experience inner healing.” The Sisters also prayed to God to hasten the day when people will no longer be slaves.
May the holy Sisters pray for us today to fulfil God’s will towards the needy as they did during their lives.
Adapted by Anne Kelleher, RENATE Communications.