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Human Trafficking is a Rejection of the God-given Dignity of Every Human Being

WASHINGTON – “Human trafficking is not only a serious crime—it is a rejection of the God-given dignity of every human being. It is, as Pope Francis has said, an open wound on the Body of Christ and on the body of all humanity, demanding an ongoing, united response,” said Bishop Mark J. Seitz of El Paso, chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB) Committee on Migration. 

The International Day of Prayer and Awareness Against Human Trafficking is observed by Catholics across the globe on February 8. It coincides with the feast day of Saint Josephine Bakhita, patron saint of those impacted by the sin of human trafficking. Bishop Seitz encouraged Catholics and all people of goodwill to unite in prayer and action to combat human trafficking, which has been referred to as “modern-day slavery,” while also urging policymakers to address trafficking in constructive ways: 

“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. As Pope Francis reminds us, we must mobilize our resources in combating trafficking and accompanying those who have been exploited in this way. This must be an ongoing effort of collective vigilance, for if we close our eyes and ears, if we become complacent, we will be held to account at the Last Judgement. As Catholics, we 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. At the same time, we will continue urging policymakers at all levels of government to pursue meaningful responses to this moral outrage—to bolster existing protections and expand services for survivors, including those made possible by the landmark Trafficking Victims Protection Act. Unfortunately, many of the proposals currently being discussed would weaken or eliminate decades of bipartisan progress on this issue. 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. 

“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.” 

Saint Josephine’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. On her feast day, all are encouraged to pray for an end to modern slavery and recommit to building a world where every person’s dignity is respected and protected, from conception to natural death. 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. Together with national Catholic partners, the USCCB has been urging Congress to reauthorize the bipartisan Trafficking Victims Protection Act for multiple years. 

For more information and additional resources related to the Church’s work to combat human trafficking, please visit: https://www.usccb.org/resources/Human%20Trafficking,%20U.S.%20Policy,%20and%20the%20Catholic%20Church.pdf

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Welcoming a child opens new world of joy, pope tells health workers

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Health care professionals who help expectant mothers have a vocation that is an ode to life, Pope Francis said.

And for people of faith, prayer is also "a hidden but effective medicine," he said, "because it heals the soul."

The pope met a group of obstetricians, gynecologists and other health care professionals from the southern Italian region of Calabria during an audience at the Vatican Feb. 6.

"Yours is a beautiful profession, a vocation and a hymn to life, all the more important at this moment in history" when the low birthrates in Italy and other countries seem to indicate people "have lost enthusiasm for motherhood and fatherhood."

Parenthood is seen "as a source of difficulties and problems, rather than as the opening of a new horizon of creativity and happiness. And this -- we know -- depends a lot on the social and cultural context," he told the group.

The pope praised their efforts as members of a professional association whose goals include reversing the falling birthrate. 

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Pope Francis speaks with a group of obstetricians, gynecologists and other health care professionals from the southern Italian region of Calabria during an audience at the Vatican Feb. 6, 2025. (CNS photo/Vatican Media)

He encouraged them to continue to grow in their profession, saying that improving their expertise was the best way to practice charity when accompanying expectant mothers "or dealing with critical and painful situations. In all these cases, the presence of trained professionals gives serenity and, in the most serious situations, can save lives."

Professionals working in this field also need to nurture great "human sensitivity," he said. With the birth of a son or daughter, "one may feel vulnerable, fragile and, therefore, in great need of closeness, tenderness and warmth."

It helps so much, he said, "to have sensitive and gentle people" by one's side.

And, he said, for Catholic healthcare professionals, prayer is a kind of medicine they should always keep at their disposal.

"Sometimes it will be possible to share (prayer) with patients; in other circumstances, it can be offered to God discreetly and humbly, in one's own heart, respecting everyone's beliefs and journey," he said.

"I encourage you to feel the responsibility toward the mothers, fathers and children whom God places in your path, to pray for them as well, especially at Mass, Eucharistic adoration and in one's simple, daily prayer," he said.

The Role of Authentic Gratitude in Religious Life

“If we are not truly grateful for the abiding presence, promptings, gifts, and graces of the Spirit in our religious vocation, there is no way that we can hope to fulfill the demands of the vocation. Only truly grateful souls, who see their vocation as a pure gift from God through His Spirit, can also […]

The post The Role of Authentic Gratitude in Religious Life appeared first on Integrated Catholic Life™.

Daily Quote — Saint Thérèse of Lisieux

A Daily Quote to Inspire Your Catholic Faith “Jesus does not demand great actions from us, but simply surrender and gratitude.”  (St. Thérèse of Lisieux — of the Child Jesus, Virgin and Doctor of the Church, Story of a Soul) The Memorial of St. Thérèse of the Child Jesus, Virgin and Doctor of the Church (1873 […]

The post Daily Quote — Saint Thérèse of Lisieux appeared first on Integrated Catholic Life™.

Lack of Silence Spiritually Impacts Us

An interesting phenomenon that has been occurring in our churches for decades is a lack of silence. The noise volume went up when we removed the Real Presence of Jesus from the center of the sanctuary in our churches. With Him relegated to the side, a back corner, or even a storage closet (yes this […]

Defeating Modernism

The Ancient Serpent had oft-times crawled into the sacred precincts of Holy Church since his first entry. However, this time his havoc would strike a thousand blows to the Mystical Body of Christ. St. Pope Pius X named the serpent: Modernism.  – Fr. John Perricone Another apt picture of modernism is a peaceful lake inlet […]

Saint Paul Miki: An Apparent Failure

Paul Miki was born in sixteenth century Japan, at a time when Christian missionaries were welcomed by—or at least held a peaceful coexistence with—the people of Japan. The missionaries were gaining momentum in their evangelization efforts there, and the Church in Japan was beginning to thrive and flourish. Certainly, it must have been a great […]

St. Paul Miki and Companions (Martyrs)

St. Paul Miki was born in 1564 in Japan to a wealthy and devout Catholic family. He joined the Jesuits and became a skilled preacher, spreading the Gospel throughout Japan. However, as Christianity grew, it became a threat to the ruling authorities. In 1597, Paul Miki and 25 other Catholics—including missionaries, catechists, and laypeople—were arrested […]

Your Daily Bible Verses — Psalm 19:14

ENCOUNTERING THE WORD — YOUR DAILY BIBLE VERSES “I will praise the name of God with a song; I will magnify him with thanksgiving.” – Psalm 69:30 Please help spread the Gospel. Share this Scripture with family and friends on Facebook and other social media. We are grateful for your support… Can you give as […]

The post Your Daily Bible Verses — Psalm 19:14 appeared first on Integrated Catholic Life™.

Trump signs executive order keeping men out of women’s sports 

President Donald Trump signs executive orders in the Oval Office of the White House. / Credit: The White House

CNA Staff, Feb 5, 2025 / 18:35 pm (CNA).

President Donald Trump signed an order to keep men out of women’s sports on Wednesday afternoon in a move intended “to protect opportunities for women and girls to compete in safe and fair sports,” according to the order.   

“With this executive order, the war on women’s sports is over,” Trump said as, surrounded by young female athletes, he signed the order, titled “Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports.” 

“Under the Trump administration we will defend the proud tradition of female athletes and we will not allow men to beat up, injure, and cheat our women and our girls,” Trump continued. “From now on, women’s sports will be only for women.”

The order rescinds funding from educational programs “that deprive women and girls of fair athletic opportunities, which results in the endangerment, humiliation, and silencing of women and girls and deprives them of privacy.”

In recent years, a growing number of women and girls have been harmed by the inclusion of men in women’s sports. For instance, Payton McNabb was 17 when she became partially paralyzed after a biologically male athlete spiked a volleyball into her face. McNabb has brain damage and paralysis on her right side and has difficulty walking without falling.

In recent years, women have begun to speak out against men competing in women-only sports. For instance, swimmer Riley Gaines and more than a dozen other female athletes filed a lawsuit against the National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA) last year alleging that allowing men to compete in women’s competitions denies women protections promised under Title IX of the Education Amendments Act of 1972.  

The executive order is based on Title IX, which bans discrimination based on sex in schools and was designed to protect women’s rights in higher education. The order notes that under Title IX, “educational institutions receiving federal funds cannot deny women an equal opportunity to participate in sports.”

Federal funding will be pulled from any schools that don’t comply. 

“If you let men take over women’s sports teams or invade your locker rooms you will be investigated for violations of Title IX and you will risk your federal funding,” Trump said. “There will be no federal funding.” 

The order is designed to “defend the safety of athletes, protect competitive integrity, and uphold the promise of Title IX,” press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a Wednesday briefing prior to Trump’s signing of the order.  

The order also looks ahead to the Olympics, which will be held in Italy in 2026 and in Los Angeles in 2028. 

Last year’s Summer Olympics in France was peppered with controversies about requirements for participation in women’s sports when an Algerian boxer with male chromosomes defeated an Italian woman boxer in an Olympics boxing match after landing a devastating punch to the woman’s face in the brief 46-second fight.

The order instructs the secretary of state to “use all appropriate and available measures to see that the International Olympic Committee amends the standards governing Olympic sporting events to promote fairness, safety, and the best interests of female athletes by ensuring that eligibility for participation in women’s sporting events is determined according to sex and not gender identity or testosterone.”  

The order follows Trump’s Jan. 20 executive order “Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government” that asserted that the federal government recognizes two sexes, male and female, and that those sexes are unchangeable and grounded in reality. In another executive order, Trump restricted transgender surgeries and treatments for minors.