“Saint Josephine Bakhita (1870-1947)” by Julie Lonneman
With news of 300 schoolgirls kidnapped in Nigeria, I pray for their safe return and recall Saint Josephine Bahkita, who was kidnapped into slavery at age 7 in the Darfur district of Sudan.
She was sold by slave traders 5 times and endured much brutality. Her final owner, an Italian diplomat, brought her to Italy where she was freed by a judge. She joined the Canossian Daughters of Charity in 1883 and served there for 50 years.
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