The Canossian Daughters of Charity, St. Josephine Bakhita Prayer in honor of Bakhita Servants of the Poor, is an Canossian Daughter of Charity international congregation of women founded by St. Magdalene of Canossa, canonized in 1988. Our Heavenly Father, Your Son Jesus actions arise from our identity born of Christ crucified, the Greatest Love. Christ, through His suffering and We are called to journey in simplicity, death on the cross, gave Himself sharing a common life at the service of our brothers and sisters in every as a gift of love for the continent. Through ministries of education and human promotion, reconciliation and salvation of all evangelization and faith formation, peoples. He continues to express and pastoral care among the suffering, we strife to touch each this love by giving us St. Josephine person with the love of God. Our Bakhita. She too offered herself motto is “to make Jesus known and loved,” especially to those most in through her suffering in slavery. need.

We humbly pray that through her If you wish to learn more about the Canossian Daughters of Charity, intercession You may save her please contact us at: brothers and sisters in Canossian Daughters of Charity Provincial Office from slavery and persecution. May 5625 Isleta Blvd. SW Albuquerque, New Mexico 87105 she obtain for her people and for Telephone: 505-873-2854 the whole world the gift of justice Fax: 505-873-0678 Email: [email protected] www.fdcc.org and peace. We ask this through

Christ our Lord. Canonized Rt. Rev. Macram Max Gassis October 1, 2000 Bishop of El-Obeid Diocese, Sudan By Pope John Paul II Bakhita St. Josephine Bakhita Josephine, on January 9, 1890. Canossian Daughter of Charity Bakhita joined the religious Talks institute of the Daughters of Josephine Bakhita was born in Charity of Canossa on December Sudan in 1869 and died in Schio 8, 1896. () in 1947. This African flower,

“In God’s will, there is great who knew the anguish of On May 17, 1992, Josephine peace.” kidnapping, slavery and torture, Bakhita was beatified by Pope bloomed marvelously in Italy, in John Paul II. She was proclaimed “It is an act of justice for the rich response to God’s grace, close to on October 1, in the Jubilee to help the poor.” the Daughters of Charity year 2000.

“If we had no hope in the Lord, Bakhita, which means “fortunate what would we do in this world?” one,” is the name given her by her kidnappers. Sold and resold in the “The whole of my life has been markets of El Obeid and , God’s gift; men, his instruments; she experienced the humiliations thank to them, for providing me and the sufferings of slavery, both the gift of faith.” physical, mental and moral.

“If I were to keep kneeling the Fortunately, Bakhita encountered a whole of my life, it would not be good owner, who didn’t use the enough to express my gratitude lash when giving orders and to the Good God.” treated her in a loving and cordial way. “The suffering, caused by illness, is more meritorious than any She later celebrated the other self inflicted mortification.” sacraments of Christian Initiation and was given the name, Schio, the Church of the Canossian House. Under the altar, rest, in a precious urn, Bakhita’s mortal remains.