CATHII’s Participation in the Anti-Human Trafficking Prayer Marathon

Sr. Lise Gagnon, SNJM, will represent CATHII (Action Committee against Internal and International Human Trafficking) at the prayer marathon organized by Talitha Kum as part of the International Day of Prayer and Awareness against Human Trafficking on February 8. The 7-hour marathon, conducted in 5 languages, will consist of time for prayer and for presentations by witnesses concerning various efforts against trafficking throughout the world.

Sr. Lise Gagnon’s 3-to-5-minute contribution will close this marathon at 11:00 a.m. Eastern Time. She will give a short presentation on “An economy without human trafficking” as well as on the current challenges that must be met in order to combat this scourge. She will conclude with a final prayer to Saint Josephine Bakhita, with the aid of a Power Point. This prayer is inspired in part by texts from the Trafficking Committee of the SNJM Justice and Peace Network and from Sr. Ann Oestreich, IHM, of Talitha Kum.

CATHII’s participation in this event is another mark of recognition for the work done by CATHII, an organization founded in 2004 by congregations of women religious in Quebec. This non-profit organization has participated in several international events in the past. Sr. Claudette Bastien, SNJM, represented CATHII when she participated in an international meeting of Talitha Kum in Rome in 2017.

CATHII is also at the origin of the creation of the Coalition québécoise contre la traite des personnes (Quebec Coalition against Human Trafficking), an organization whose mission is to “build a network of organizations working with people who are victims or at risk in order to prevent trafficking, to protect victims and to ensure that they receive adequate services and support.” The goal is to facilitate the coordination of the many actors in order to offer improved services of protection and of support to victims of trafficking.

The prayer marathon begins at 4:00 a.m. Eastern Time (10:00 a.m. Central European Time) and ends at 11:00 a.m. Eastern Time (5:00 p.m. European Time). Everyone is invited to participate in this marathon, which will be broadcast live on the YouTube channel,