CARITAS Slovakia: Bakhita Day reflection

Reported by Jana Urbanová

To mark St. Bakhita day this year, CARITAS Slovakia recorded a novena that was broadcast over the 9 days leading up to February 8th. It was broadcast on Slovak Catholic Radio (LUMEN) each evening after Holy Mass. This Novena would culminate in a larger prayer service on St. Bakhita Day.

 The prayer itself included 6 stories of clients that were captured in their own words and read by CARITAS colleagues. To each of the stories, a reading was chosen from the bible and a prayer that included both a persona and general aspect of human trafficking. Another CARITAS member sang songs and a psalm in between the prayers.

CARITAS also extended their invitation this year to parishes to join the prayer and provided small round chocolates that had Bakhita´s portrait and a CARITAS cross on it. Both milk and dark chocolate versions from the finest local chocolatier (brand LYRA) were provided, with the text reading “St. Josephina Bakhita, From Slavery to Freedom”.