Approximately ninety staff members of the Catholic Education Office in the rural Victorian diocese of Sale, recently held their annual formation day in Warragul. The chosen theme of the day was “Human Trafficking – Hidden in Plain Sight?”
Brigidine Sister Rose Duffy CSB and the Office’s Spirituality Group planned the day’s activities. They invited two other Brigidine Sisters, Louise Cleary CSB and Claire Griffin CSB, both members of ACRATH (Australian Catholic Religious Against Trafficking in Humans) to facilitate the day. During the day, diocesan Bishop Pat O’Regan celebrated Eucharist for the staff and joined them during their lunch break.
The prayers at Eucharist included and summed up some of the awareness raising that occurred during the day and plans for individual and staff action for follow up from the day:
We pray for men and women trapped in bonded labour in fields, market gardens, mines and factories, that they will be respected as human beings rather than reduced to commodities and tools of production. God of life hear us.
We pray that wealthy countries such as own may be generous in supporting impoverishes nations so that all people have a decent standard of living and escape the desperate circumstances that make them vulnerable to human trafficking. God of life hear us.
We pray that our demand for cheap goods and services will be reduced so that workers’ conditions and payment will reflect the dignity of their persons and their work. God of life hear us.
Above: Rose Duffy CSB (second right) with Bishop Pat, other staff members and Louise CSB and Claire CSB representing ACRATH
Below: Maria Kirkwood (Right) Director of the CEO Sale with members of the Spirituality Planning Group during the Formation Day in Warragul.
