Commemoration of Giuseppina Bakhita, a universal saint

On Tuesday 5 December, the Pontifical Urbaniana University hosted an afternoon of study on the figure of the Canossian nun Giuseppina Bakhita.
At the evening on the Sudanese saint, the Secretary of the Dicastery for Evangelisation, H.E. Msgr. Fortunatus Nwachukwu, he underlined "the greatness of his charity in not allowing himself to be overcome by the pain of torture".
In his report, Bishop Fortunatus added: "All those who are deprived of their liberty can see themselves in her. For she represents the suffering world. She did not let the sun go down on her anger, a testimony of life offered by our saint for each one of us, lay or religious".
Next, the sister Abby Avelino, Talita Kum, international coordinator of the Talita Kum network, explained the work the institution does to help hundreds of women out of the trafficking network and the motivation that Bakhita's life offers for their work.
The journalist Miela Fagiolo D'Attilia, The editorial coordinator of Popoli e Missione, gave details of Bakhita's biography when she arrived in Italy and her discovery of the faith.

At the end of the event, the Prof. Sister Agnes Sory, Professor of Canon Law at the Pontifical Urbaniana University, spoke about the model of the saint for Christians today, in particular for consecrated persons, the life of simplicity and courage offered by Giuseppina Bakhita.
The event was organised in preparation for the International Inter-University Conference "Women in the Church: Artificers of the Human", to be held on 7-8 March 2024, at the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross. For more information: www.womenchurch2024.com

Testo: Silvia Mas

Photo: Alina-Maria Balaj