Here is a story that makes me glad and very sad at the same time. Religious sisters of various congregations are joining together to fight the horrific practice of human trafficking in underage “sex slaves.” One of the dirty secrets of large sports events is that not only is prostitution common, but that tragically, many underage girls are also being prostituted, most of them against their will, as sex slaves.
It is a shocking thing to think that slavery of any sort exists in this land. While some argue that the problem is exaggerated, I would like to ask them how many young slave girls they are willing to tolerate until we no longer “exaggerate” the problem. Many of the victims of this wretched trade come from the far east, places such as Singapore, and Indonesia in general. But some are kidnapped right here. Most of them are vulnerable because they are poor, or have broken homes, some are also runaways. In effect they are captured by the sex traders and their lives are threatened if they try to leave or to report the evil pimps and slave traders.
Aware of this dreadful problem, Religious Sisters have come together, and trained to both identify and work with police to make arrests, and also to prevent human trafficking altogether at this week’s Super Bowl. They will also put pressure on local hotels to be serious in their awareness and noncooperation in this problem. One of the sisters is quoted as saying, “We want the traffickers to know that we will be watching.”
Good for you Sisters. Anything we can do to make life difficult and risky for sex traffickers (especially those who exploit minors), is welcome and appreciated. Pray God they will be able to rescue some of the girls. Thanks for your courage, Sisters.
Here is the news report that details the story.
Right on about “exaggerated”
A sex slave suffers as much whether one of one, one of ten or one of ten thousand. Belittling their horror is treating them like they’re not really human – which is probably the only way the sick and unfortunate who operate and access the trade are able to treat them.
I will pray first for the slaves then for the perpetrators who degrade themselves and others.
Why even support a Super Bowl where the halftime act promises “to gay up the super bowl”? A Catholic in good conscience cannot support this year’s event.
NFL, a.k.a. National Fornication League?
Bravo for the religious sisters. This type of behaviour on the part of lustfull, perverted men, helps ruin a great event in a truly great city. And I am not a fan of Madonna, nothing to do with her sexual preference if I even truly know what it is. Why the NFL could not have picked a clean, patriotic country music group, I don’t know.
The singer didn’t even have to be clean. Despite his love of weed, Willie Nelson is a fine entertainer and would have been a much better choice.
why you are so aware. nelson’s favorite is a great way to keep the slaves in control. bless you for sharing your holy wisdom.
Lank – “to gay up the super bowl”? How about a morally reprehensible performer for half time – Madonna with her sacrilegious act/name. How about another half time act – LMFAO (guess what the F stands for)? Thank you NBC and NFL for shoving the worst of popular culture down our throats and offending many people of faith in the process.
Monsignor – I did not know that “One of the dirty secrets of large sports events”. May God bless these Sisters and their work.
I’m so “glad” the US’ foreign policy priorities are now LGBT rights (as recently announced by our Secretary of State), instead of protecting the human rights of slaves of the sex trafficking industry, which flourishes in Asia and the Middle East.
Ora pro nobis, Sancta Dei Genitrix. Domine miserere nobis.
Don’t you understand??? Catholics don’t really care about stopping this. 98% of all priests were plopped in front of the tv, enjoying the game and continuing the problem!
MarkA, I mostly agree with you about the nature of Madonna’s performances. But you can’t blame her for her name — it’s her actual baptismal name, and hardly a sacrilege. Yes, I imagine she should live up to her name better than she does; but so should I, a sinner despite being named for “the disciple whom Jesus loved”.
John – I stand corrected, on both points. I didn’t know that about her name. And, you’re also correct about living up to one’s name and it’s application to me, a sinner.
http://stopslavery2012.com/questionnaire.html
We very much appreciate all the Victims and Survivors of Human Trafficking, Sex Trafficking, Prostitution and Slave Labor answering 20 simple questions on this questionnaire. This is 100% confidential and will help us here at the National Association of Human Trafficking Victim Advocates in fighting trafficking via the internet. Thank you for passing along to others.
peace,
phil
http://www.stopslavery2012.com
888.206.3264
[email protected]
Where are these nuns when it comes to pro-life marches? I happen to know that a great majority of these sisters are pro-abortion (they call themselves “pro-choice” of course!). I know many of these sisters personally. Most of them are radical-feminists who do this ONLY because it is a FEMINIST issue, not because of an moral outrage. Where is their moral outrage regarding abortion, birth control, divorce, the mass exit of sisters from Catholic schools??? They deserve no special recognition or kudos in my book.
Well I wonder if you mean that you know the nuns in the video personally or you are speaking generally.
I am also not sure if you are guilty here of detraction, or calumny. In other words, since the sisters position on abortion was not raised in either the article or the video, you are guilty either of detraction – calling attention to a known fault, or you are guilty of calumny – by saying what is false about another so as to harm their reputation. Either way, your utterance here is both unnecessary and sinful. I had considered not posting it at all except that it provides a teaching moment.
As to their motives and positions on the other issues you raise, I do not know what they are, and I think that is all we can say. I share the view that abortion, birth control, divorce, the mass exit of sisters from Catholic schools are all matters of deep concern, But once again, I am not sure where these sisters stand and it is not necessary to discuss these issues in this context. so why do it?
What IS true in this case is that the sisters are doing something praiseworthy and ought to be thanked for it.
By the way, since when is children slavery and forced prostitution only a feminist issue? I am not a feminist and I find such behavior reprehensible, to include the “vendors” of such and the “buyers” of such.
You both have valid points.
I know nothing of these sisters and I know nothing of the particular circumstances under witch these harlots came to be harlots. Some may be forced, others may be voluntarily harlots.
If some are forced, it is good that they may get help. As for the others, they should go away and sin no more.
There is ofcourse a general Feminist agenda out there to blame the customers for the sins of the harlots and that ofcourse is always wrong. If you are a harlot by choice, then your sins are yours alone. If you are forced into harlotry, then the sin lies with the pimps.
Either way, it is not the customers fault that harlots are harlots. Just as it is not the customers fault that The Coca Cola Company makes Coke.
The Coca Cola Company is solely responsible for producing Coke.
It is never anyone elses fault than The Coca Cola Company alone that they make Coke.
Regardless of what economical theory teaches about the so called “law” of demand and supply.
It is a false assumption to think The Coca Cola Comapny have to because the marked demands it.
It does not have to. The Coca Cola Company could choose to be poor instead.
So you both have valid points. It is good of the sisters to try to help the harlots, but it is wrong to try to place the responsibility for the sins of the harlots on the customer.
The responsibility lies with the harlot alone if she is a harlot by choice or with the pimps if she is a harlot by force.
But not with the customer.
Making a blanket statement that the sale of something, or someone, is not the customers’ fault sounds very over generalized.
I’ll admit that there are social issues creating dysfunctional people (in this case mainly children who often lack responsible guardians) who are vulnerable and desperate for an escape – either permanent or with the temporary peace of mind brought about by drugs and such.
However, I’ve often heard of buggy whips being referred to as a once hot commodity which is no longer in demand. No more customers and business people stopped making and selling buggy whips.
If the customers would find their way out of their sickness they’d be making a huge contribution to society and their personal salvation the very first time they went to a therapy session instead of going hunting on the stroll, or wherever it is they degrade human beings, including themselves.
If there were no customers, pimps wouldn’t have anything to sell.
Thankful for your work.
http://igg.me/p/6599Help make it happen for The silent children on
http://www.thesilentchildren.com
http://www.indiegogo.com/The-silent-children?a=405756
Dear Monsignore Pope.
I have a small present for you.
I have recently found a Brittish TV-series from 1995 called “Cadfael”.
It is a series set sometime in the 12th century and tells the story of a Benedictine monk named Brother Cadfael.
He is a former crucader from The Holy Land who now, weary of war, has settled down in a small village in England, where he provides Justice, Comfort and Relief in matters great and small.
The character of Cadfael is played by Sir Derek Jacobi.
The series itself, in my opinion, is a brilliant tribute to the everyday-Heroism of the Catholich clergy throughout the ages.
I sincerely hope you will enjoy it.
Here is the link to the complete series:
http://www.1channel.ch/watch-118075-Cadfael
Or you can watch the entire series on youtube here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7uB20YH0ZT0
This is a great series based on a great series of books. The first four episodes are now available streaming through Netflix as well.
JMJ God Bless them for their work in the Sex Trafficking ministry and the Pro-Life ministry as well. +patrick
JMJ Just a note; The Sisters of Humility have no kneelers in their pews. Beautiful Sanctuary. +patrick
It makes me so proud to be a part of an organization that has women like these who will stand up for such atrocities.
However, and I hope I will be forgiven for diverging somewhat from the topic, I took particular interest in the following statement:
While some argue that the problem is exaggerated, I would like to ask them how many young slave girls they are willing to tolerate until we no longer “exaggerate” the problem.
A wonderful, noble point. As this is an archdiocesan blog, I do feel compelled to point out that often times the issue of clergy sex abuse is treated in the same manner; that is, the issue is said to be exaggerated and therefore no drastic investigation or action is required. To the archdiocese then, I repeat the statement, edited to relate to the issue I have brought up:
While some argue that the problem is exaggerated, I would like to ask them how many abused young boys and girls they are willing to tolerate until we no longer “exaggerate” the problem.
I am very aware of the new training procedures in this diocese – I have participated in them! That’s a good step. Right now, representatives of the German church are meeting in Rome (along with representatives from several countries, the U.S. included) to discuss their response to this issue, which has been far more thorough than the American response. Would that the American bishops would treat this issue so seriously.
http://ncronline.org/blogs/all-things-catholic/make-or-break-moment-sex-abuse-and-more-vatican-news
I’m glad they’re doing something positive about this problem.
There are a lot of misconceptions about underage prostitution:
http://www.westword.com/2011-11-03/news/child-sex-trafficking-stereotypes-demolished/
The reason America is doomed is because it never learns from history, therefore it is doomed to repeat it, i.e. instead of bread and circuses, we have beer and professional sports entertainment, emphasis on beer and sports as the real opiate of the people.
I agree that extended family is a huge benefit and almost vital. I should have said that at least dad and mum is essential, more family is even better.