St. Josephine Bakhita was born ion the Darfur area of Sudan. She was of royalty, so she had a great life growing tup, until she was kidnapped by some Araba and sold into slavery. Thery gave her the Arab name Bakhita, which means "Fortunate" in Arabic. She was kidnapped when she was but nine years old.
St. Josephine was born somewhere around 1869. She was captured into captivity and sold as a slave around 1877 (she was between 8 and 9 at the time). Sher was sold some 12 times over a 12-year period of time. She has good and gentle masters and she had cruel masters who would beat her with a , or draw designs own her back in flower and then sketch them out with a knife and drawing blood, being sure too pour salt in there wound to ensure that it would leave a scar. One of her masters, an Italian consul, agreed to take her to Italy. She was given as a wedding gift to an Italian family. When her Italian family took an excursion to the Sudan, they left St. Josephine in the care of a group of Canossian sisters in Venice.
It was with the Canossian Sisters of Charity that she learned about God. St. Josephine had always believed in a god who created everything, but now, she came to know Him.
When her mistress returned, St. Josephine refused to leave the convent, which led to a court battle. The Italian Courts sided with Josephine, holding that, because slavery had been outlawed in Sudan before she was kidnapped, Sty. Josephine could not bear s slave and she was declared a free woman. for the first time her her life, St. Josephine was truly free!
St. Josephine chose to remain with the Canossian sisters and was baptized on January 9, 1890. She received her first Holy Communion and was confirmed on that date. She was confirmed by the Cardinal Patriarch of Venice, Giusseppe Sarto, the future Pope Saint Pius X. She took the name Josephine Margaret Fortunata (the Latin translation of her slave name).
On December 7, 1893, St. Josephine took her novitiate vows with the4 Canossdian Order. She took her permanent vows on December 8, 1896. She was assigned to the convent at Schio, Vicenzia, Italy.
For the next 42 years, she would serve as the cook and doorkeeper pot the convent. She was also given the opportunity to travel to other convents, where she would share her story and preparing the sisters for their missionary work in Africa.
She was known for her tender and loving voice sand was lovingly referred to as the "Little Black " or ass the "Brown Sister".
When she spoke of her enslavement, she often said that she would thank her kidnappers. If not for them and their action, she would never have come to known God and His Son, Jesus.
During World War II, the people of Schio would refer to St. Josephine as their protector because, while bombs did fall in the city, not a single civilian was killed.
As she grew older, St. Josephine required the use of a wheelchair. When anyone asked how she was doing, her response would be "as the master desires".
It was on February 8, 1947 that St. Josephine spoke her last word, which were, "Our Lady, Our Lady." and then she died.
Please join me at 3:30 pm Eastern (US) time for the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, Saint of the Day and Daily Update.
Please visit our friend, Tony and Paulette Rock at the Rock Company Shop.
Websites I mention in my broadcast are:
Morning Offering (www.mortningoffering.com) and Catholic Online (www.catholic.org).
Please join me at 3:30 pm Eastern (US) time for the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, Saint of the Day and Daily Update.
Please visit our friend, Tony and Paulette Rock at the Rock Company Shop.
Websites I mention in my broadcast are:
Morning Offering (www.mortningoffering.com) and Catholic Online (www.catholic.org).
