In 2014 a small group of religious sisters and lay women initiated a prayer event in the Sacred Heart Jesuit Church in Budapest for trafficked people on the feast of St. Bakhita Josephine.
On 7th February 2020- the vigil of St. Bakhita’s feast- SOLWODI Hungary Association invited the religious from Budapest for the 7th time to pray for the victims of human trafficking, through the intercession of St. Josephine Bakhita.
The Holy Mass was celebrated by H. E. Dr Ferenc Cserháti, Bishop of Hungarians living abroad. The prayers of the Faithful were inspired by the prayer of a Hungarian lady, a survivor of human trafficking.
The Holy Mass was preceded by a pilot project of SOLWODI Hungary Association in collaboration with ORFK (Hungarian Police) and the House of Dialogue – the Jesuit Cultural and Spiritual Centre in Budapest.
The project aims to give information about the phenomenon of human trafficking, focussed on the Hungarian reality. The project also offers an insight into possible ways of prevention and restoration.
SOLWODI Hungary plan to bring this workshop to the Hungarian dioceses where it is requested. Hopefully, the 2020 SOLWODI Event on the European Day Against Human Trafficking will take place in one of the most affected counties, Baranya – with the collaboration of the local Catholic Church leaders.
Gabriella Mezinger, SJC & Gabriella Legradi, SJC.