Pope Francis addressed participants of an online prayer marathon on the seventh international day of prayer and reflection against human trafficking.
POPE FRANCIS
“I extend my message to all people of good will who pray, engage, study and reflect on the fight against human trafficking; and especially to those—like St. Josephine Bakhita, whom we celebrate today—who have experienced the tragedy of human trafficking in their own lives.”
The theme this year is “an economy without human trafficking,” which, the pope explained, is an economy of care that offers products and services for the growth of the common good and guarantees dignified working conditions to all.
POPE FRANCIS
“The Covid pandemic has exacerbated and worsened the conditions of labor exploitation; job losses have penalized many trafficked persons in the process of rehabilitation and social reintegration.”
He said “an economy without human trafficking is an economy with market rules that promote justice, not exclusive special interests.”
POPE FRANCIS
“Human trafficking finds fertile ground in the approach of neo-liberal capitalism, in the deregulation of markets aimed at maximizing without ethical limits, without social limits, without environmental limits.”
He said it takes courage to develop an economy capable of effectively responding to crisis while making human dignity the top priority.
CT
