In fact, trafficking disfigures the humanity of the victim, offending his freedom and dignity. But, at the same time, it dehumanizes those who carry it out, denying them access to "life in abundance". Those who aim to "restore and promote" our humanity and that of others are in line with the mission of the Church.
Vatican City (AsiaNews) - Trafficking in human beings is a "commodification of the human person", an act against God's plan for man and therefore "a crime against humanity". Consequently, all actions that oppose it and that aim to restore people's dignity are part of the Church's mission, Pope Francis stated today.
He was addressing participants in the international conference on trafficking in persons organized by the Migrants and Refugees section of the Dicastery for integral human development.
Francis observed, "a lot has been done and is being done, but much remains to be done", because it constitutes a "profound scourge in the humanity of those who suffer and who carries it out". In fact, trafficking disfigures the humanity of the victim, offending his freedom and dignity. But, at the same time, it dehumanizes those who carry it out, denying them access to "life in abundance". Finally, trafficking seriously damages humanity as a whole, tearing apart the human family and even the Body of Christ ”.
Francis emphasized that it is a "commodification of the human person" which "unjustifiably" violates in the victims the "constitutive" dimensions of the human being "wanted and created by God": freedom and dignity. " It is therefore to be considered a crime against humanity[3]. The same gravity, by analogy, must be attributed to all forms of contempt for the freedom and dignity of any human being, compatriots or foreigners". " Human trafficking is among the most dramatic manifestations of this commodification. In its many forms, it constitutes a wound “on the body of contemporary humanity” [2], a profound scourge in the humanity of those who suffer it and those who implement it. Indeed, trafficking disfigures the humanity of the victim, offending his freedom and dignity. But, at the same time, it dehumanizes those who perform it, denying them access to “life in abundance”. Finally, trafficking seriously damages humanity as a whole, tearing apart the human family and the Body of Christ.”
For this reason the actions that aim to "restore and promote" our humanity and that of others are in line with the mission of the Church. "And this missionary value is evident in the struggle against all forms of trafficking and in commitment towards the redemption of the survivors; a struggle and a commitment that also have beneficial effects on our own humanity, opening the way to the fullness of life, the ultimate aim of our existence."
Francis then underlined the commitment that many local Churches have "generously assumed" in this pastoral field, with numerous initiatives that see them "on the front line" to "prevent trafficking, protect survivors and prosecute the guilty". " I feel I must express special thanks to the many religious congregations who have worked – and continue to work, also as network – as the “avant-garde” of the missionary action of the Church against every form of trafficking." Faced with a phenomenon "as complex as it is obscure" such as human trafficking, it is essential to ensure the coordination of the various pastoral initiatives, both locally and internationally. “The offices provided by the local Churches, religious congregations and Catholic organizations are called to share experiences and knowledge, and to unite forces in a synergistic action involving the countries of origin, transit and destination, and the people who are objects of trafficking. To make its action more suitable and effective, the Church must know how to benefit from the help of other political and social actors. The stipulation of structured collaboration with institutions and other organizations of civil society will be a guarantee of more incisive and lasting results."