Human Trafficking Awareness Day

January 11 is National Human Trafficking Awareness Day.  Click here for prayer resources from U.S. Catholic Sisters Against Human Trafficking.  Included in these resources is a calendar that runs from January 11 through February 8, containing a prayer and intentions for each day.  (Remember that February 8, the Feast of St. Josephine Bakhita, is also the International Day of Prayer and Awareness Against Human Trafficking.)

National Migration Week 2017

The theme for National Migration Week 2017 (January 8-14)  is "Creating a Culture of Encounter."  Click here for more information from the USCCB website.

Poverty Awareness and the Three Kings

As we shared earlier this week, January is Poverty Awareness Month.  Today's entry from the USCCB calendar to commemorate this month follows:

In the spirit of the three wise men, how do you offer your gifts to help bring forth God's kingdom on earth?  Green Street Park and Drop by Drop are children's books about young people using their gifts to help others.

What is Human Trafficking?

Sometimes we have discussed a subject so frequently, that we forget that new people have joined the conversation or that the language we are using is understood differently by different people.  So, during this month's National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month, we are going "back to the basics."  Today, we attempt to answer the question, "What is human trafficking?"  Please click here to find a very informative brochure the defines human trafficking and offers so much more.

Poverty Awareness Month

January is Poverty Awareness Month.  Find more information -- including a calendar with daily reflections/suggestions -- on the USCCB website.

Stop Trafficking Newsletter

The January 2017 issue of Stop Trafficking -- exploring the growing victimization of women and children in the sex trade throughout North America -- is available here.

Remember, too, that January is "National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month."  Resources for the month are available here.

"Everyone can be an artisan of peace."

In his message for tomorrow's 50th anniversary of the celebration of the World Day of Peace, Pope Francis said:

"All of us want peace.  Many people build it day by day through small gestures and acts; many of them are suffering, yet patiently persevere in their efforts to be peacemakers.  In 2017, may we dedicate ourselves prayerfully and actively to banishing violence from our hearts, words and deeds, and to becoming nonviolent people and to building nonviolent communities that care for our common home.  Nothing is impossible if we turn to God in prayer.  Everyone can be an artisan of peace."

The full text of the message is available here.