Seitz: Human trafficking is 'rejection of God-given dignity of every human being'

WASHINGTON (OSV News) -- Human trafficking "is not only a serious crime" but it also "is a rejection of the God-given dignity of every human being," said the chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' Committee on Migration.

Quoting Pope Francis, Bishop Mark J. Seitz of El Paso, Texas, said human trafficking is "an open wound" on the body of Christ and "on the body of all humanity, demanding an ongoing, united response."

The bishop made the comments in a Feb. 6 statement, released by the USCCB ahead of the International Day of Prayer and Awareness against Human Trafficking, observed Feb. 8, the feast of St. Josephine Bakhita, the church's first Sudanese saint.

As a child, she was kidnapped by Arab slave traders. A Muslim "owner" named her Bakhita, meaning "lucky"; other "owners" included an Arab chieftain and a Turkish general. She endured years of cruelty, even torture, before being sold to an Italian consul who planned to free her. He took her to Italy, where she worked as a nanny for another family.

In 1889, Bakhita won her freedom in court. She was baptized Josephine, entered the Canossian Sisters and served her order in Italy for more than 50 years as a cook, seamstress and doorkeeper. Since her canonization by St. John Paul II in 2000, she has become the patron saint of human trafficking survivors.

Bishop Seitz encouraged Catholics and all people of goodwill to unite in prayer and action to combat human trafficking, often described as "modern-day slavery," while he also urged policymakers to address trafficking in constructive ways by bolstering "existing protections" and expanding services for survivors of trafficking, "including those made possible by the landmark Trafficking Victims Protection Act."

The law was first passed in 2000 and has been reauthorized several times since then, most recently on Feb. 13, 2024, when the U.S. House voted 414-11 to reauthorize the law for another five years -- something the U.S. bishops and other Catholic organizations had been urging "for multiple years," according to Bishop Seitz.

The law established human trafficking as a federal crime with severe penalties. Its provisions include providing immigration protection for foreign national victims of human trafficking and allowing certain nonimmigrant status holders the opportunity to adjust to permanent resident status; raising public awareness and helping identify signs of trafficking; and helping coordinate anti-trafficking efforts between the government and other organizations.

"Unfortunately, many of the proposals currently being discussed would weaken or eliminate decades of bipartisan progress on this issue," Bishop Seitz said in his Feb. 6 statement. "We must reject policies that lead to expanded opportunities for bad actors to prey on the vulnerable, whether within or beyond our country’s borders."

"The Catholic Church in the United States has long been at the forefront of the fight against human trafficking, and the U.S. bishops stand firmly alongside our Holy Father in his consistent efforts to shed light on this global injustice," he said, adding that the pope often reminds the faithful that "we must mobilize our resources in combating trafficking and accompanying those who have been exploited in this way."

This calls for "an ongoing effort of collective vigilance," Bishop Seitz said. "For if we close our eyes and ears, if we become complacent, we will be held to account at the Last Judgement."

"Guided by Catholic teaching and the Vatican's Pastoral Orientations on Human Trafficking, the USCCB remains dedicated to raising awareness about and amplifying efforts to prevent trafficking," he said.

Catholics are called "to face this issue with both courage and compassion, to initiate hard conversations, and to confront the harsh realities of trafficking and exploitation," the bishop added. "We seek the intercession of Saint Josephine as we pray for an end to human trafficking and for the healing, protection, and safety of all victims and survivors alike, especially for children and those in our society who are afraid to seek help because they are marginalized."

Bishop Seitz said St. Josephine Bakhita's life "is a reminder that the fight against human trafficking is not just a social issue but a spiritual mission."

"As a survivor of human trafficking, St. Josephine’s transformation from captive to religious sister is a powerful testament to hope, healing, and unyielding resilience," he added.