Josephine Bakhita The Great Hope

Sis Herminia Cosico, FDCC

Mother Bakhita was born in in name given her by kidnappers. And by 1869.The heartbreaking story of Mother that name, she was to be known ever Bakhita will, in God’s time lead us to the after. triumph of her Sainthood, but after long calvary. Although much of Bakhita’s memories of happy childhood were gone with shocked The family of Bakhita lived at fear, it remained in her heart the the very heart of Africa in . pain of harsh treatment, the She had three brothers and isolation, hunger, fatigue and the three sisters. She lived a very anguish of those long hours, worn happy, carefree life then, out with crying and solitude. The without knowing what suffering slaves were treated as beasts of meant. However, that peaceful burden. Bakhita and other children life did not last long. It was a (slaves) were chained at night to horrible period of slave trade in prevent them from running away. Africa. Bakhita remembered They were sold and resold more well enough when her own eldest sister than once in the markets of El Obeid and had been carried away by the raiders. She . She experienced the witnessed her parents bitter anguish and humiliations and sufferings of slavery, the cries of the whole family. That was her both physical and moral. first meeting with sorrow and hopelessness. After having survived thee cruelty of several “masters” (as Bakhita referred to Not long after the kidnapping of her sister, them), Bakhita was bought by an Italian Bakhita herself fell into the hands of the Consul in Sudan, Callisto Legnani. It was kidnappers. Bakhita was not the name to be the fifth and last purchase of the she received from her parents at birth. young Sudanese girl. Along sad chapter The terrible experiences she went through in her life history was coming to an end, a made her forget even her own name. chapter of sorrow and humiliation. THE Bakhita, which means “fortunate”, is the BETTER THINGS God had destined her

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for were beginning to materialize. given the name Josephine. From then on, she was seen often kissing the baptismal For the first time since the day she was font and saying: “Here I became a kidnapped, she realized with pleasant daughter of God”. surprise, that no one used the lash when giving her orders, instead she was treated Bakhita remained in the Cathecumenate in a loving and cordial way. As freed where she discerned in her the call to be person she recalled the several occasions a Religious. On 8th December 1896, she was spared of death. She could only Josephine Bakhita was consecrated think of the good Lord who watched over forever to God whom she called with the her and her friend. He had destined her great affection “The Master” (“El Paron, for BETTER THINGS. The LIGHT OF El Segnor”). As a humble Daughter of HOPE started to appear. Charity, Bakhita performed with great love various services in her community: Meanwhile, the political situations in cooking, serving, embroidery and Khartoum became dangerous which attending to the door. Her humility, her compelled her new master to leave for simplicity and her constant smile won the . Bakhita asked and obtained hearts of everyone. permission to leave with him and with one of his friend, Mr. Augusto Michieli. On With age came long and painful years of arrival in , Mr. Legnani sold Bakhita sickness, but Mother Bakhita continued to to his friends, Mr. & Mrs. Michieli who witness to faith, goodness and were very pleased. She then became the CHRISTIAN HOPE. Her last words on her baby sitter of their daughter Mimmina. death bed were: “Our Lady! Our Lady!” That time Mimmina remained in Italy with And her final smile testified to the Bakhita under the Canossian Sisters in encounter with the Mother of the Lord. the Institute of the Catechumens in . It was there that Bakhita came to Mother Josephine Bakhita breathed her know about God whom she referred as last on Feb. 08, 1947, in the Convent of her “Paron” (meaning Master), whom she Schio (Italy).She was canonized as Saint experienced in her heart without knowing Josephine Bakhita on October 1, 2000 by who he was ever since she was a child. Pope John Paul II who gave her the title After several months in the “The Universal Sister”. Pope Benedict XVI Catechumenate, Bakhita received the declared her as the Patron of Human Sacraments of Christian Initiation and Trafficking.

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