Sudanese girl sold into slavery

Nine-year-old Josephine’s family was not badly off, but that did not protect her from being kidnapped. She would be sold a number of times and physically abused quite often.

While she was still a teenager, she had a master who relocated to Europe and took her along. It was there that she learned about Christ and was baptized. Later, when her master wanted to take her back to Sudan, she refused. The Italian authorities granted her asylum and several years later she entered the convent of the Canossian Daughters of Charity where she would live decades of quiet humble service even as fame of her sufferings and her sanctity spread.

St. Josephine Bakhita died 58 years ago today and was canonized on October 1, 2000.