St. Josephine Bakhita

St. Josephine Bakhita Biography

Saint Josephine Bakhita was a Sudanese-born Canossian Religious Sister, who was born around 1869 in Darfur, Sudan. She was the oldest of three children and grew up in a happy and loving family. However, at the age of nine, she was kidnapped by slave traders and sold to a wealthy family in Khartoum. She was given the name Bakhita, which means “fortunate,” and was treated cruelly by her owners, who beat and whipped her on a regular basis.

Despite her suffering, Bakhita never lost her faith in God and prayed constantly for deliverance. After several years, she was finally rescued by Italian diplomats and brought to Italy, where she was given her freedom. She was baptized and took the name Josephine, after the mother of Jesus.

After her liberation, Josephine became a member of the Canossian Sisters, a Catholic religious order dedicated to helping the poor and the sick. She took her vows in the order in 1947 and spent the rest of her life working as a missionary and a nurse, bringing comfort and healing to those in need.

Josephine Bakhita was known for her deep faith and her compassionate nature. She devoted herself to serving others and spreading the love of God to all those she met. She was also a strong advocate for the abolition of slavery and worked tirelessly to raise awareness about this terrible practice.

In 1978, Josephine was canonized as a saint by Pope Paul VI, making her the first Sudanese-born saint in the Catholic Church. She is remembered today as a powerful role model for all Catholics and a symbol of hope and faith in the face of suffering.

Throughout her life, Saint Josephine Bakhita faced many challenges and endured great suffering, but she always remained strong in her faith and dedicated to serving others. She is an inspiration to all those who strive to live a life of compassion and service, and her legacy continues to inspire people all around the world.

Popular St. Josephine Bakhita Medal and St. Josephine Bakhita Rosary

Prayers to 

Prayer of Intercession to St. Josephine Bakhita

Dear St. Josephine Bakhita, intercede for us before the Lord and pray that we may be blessed with the strength and courage that you possessed in your lifetime. Help us to overcome the challenges and hardships that we face, and to always put our trust in the Lord. May we follow your example of compassion and love towards those in need, and may we always seek to serve the common good.

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Prayer to St. Josephine Bakhita for the people of Sudan

O St. Josephine Bakhita, patron saint of Sudan, pray for the people of your homeland and for all those who are suffering and in need. May they find hope and strength in the love of Jesus, and may they be comforted by the knowledge that they are never alone. Help us to reach out to those in need and to show them the love and compassion of Christ.

Prayer to St. Josephine Bakhita

O blessed St. Josephine Bakhita, we ask for your intercession as we seek to follow in your footsteps as a devoted follower of Jesus. May we always seek to grow in our faith and to deepen our relationship with the Lord. Help us to live lives of love and service, and to be a light to those around us. Amen.

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Reflection on the Feast of St. Josephine Bakhita

The feast day of St. Josephine Bakhita is February 8th. She is remembered and honored on this day for her life and her example of faith and compassion. St. Josephine Bakhita is the patron saint of Sudan, and her feast day is celebrated by Catholics around the world.

Today, on the feast of St. Josephine Bakhita, we gather to remember and honor this remarkable woman who overcame great adversity in her life. At the age of seven, Bakhita was kidnapped and sold into slavery in her native Africa. She was later taken to Italy, where she was eventually set free by a group of nuns. Bakhita was deeply moved by the dedication and zeal of these religious women, and she decided to become a bride of Christ herself. She was baptized and entered the Catholic Church, where she found great joy and peace in the sacraments and the teachings of Jesus Christ.

Despite the trauma and hardships that Bakhita faced, she never let them define her. Instead, she looked forward and lived fearlessly, always focusing on Jesus and his love for her. She dedicated her life to spreading the Gospel message and serving the poor and the sick. Bakhita is remembered for her kind and compassionate spirit, and for her deep devotion to Mary, the mother of God.

As we remember St. Josephine Bakhita today, let us pray for all those who are suffering and in need. May we follow her example of faith and love, and may we always look to Jesus for strength and guidance. Let us also pray for our Catholic schools and all those who work in education, that they may be guided by the Holy Spirit and help young people grow in knowledge and love of the Lord. Amen.

Children’s Story on the Life of St. Josephine Bakhita

there was a little girl named Josephine. Josephine was a happy child who loved to play and laugh, and she lived with her family in a small village.

One day, when Josephine was just seven years old, a group of bandits came to her village and kidnapped her. They took her far away from her home and sold her to a man who made her his slave.

Josephine was very sad and scared, and she missed her family very much. She was forced to do hard work all day long, and she was beaten and hurt many times. She was so far from home that she didn’t know if she would ever see her family again.

But even in the darkest moments, Josephine held on to hope. She prayed to God every day, asking for His help and His guidance. She knew that God was with her, even in her slavery, and she trusted that He would one day set her free.

And eventually, that day did come. Josephine was sold to a new owner, a kind woman who took care of her and treated her with love. This woman was a nun, part of a religious order called the Canossians, and she saw the goodness in Josephine’s heart.

The nun helped Josephine to gain her freedom, and she introduced her to the Catholic faith. Josephine learned about Jesus and His love for her, and she was baptized and became a Catholic. She was so grateful to God for her freedom and her faith, and she wanted to serve Him in any way she could.

So Josephine decided to become a nun herself, and she joined the Canossians. She worked hard to serve God and to help others, and she was loved by all who knew her. She lived a long and happy life, spreading the message of Jesus’s love and sacrifice to everyone she met.

And even though she is no longer with us in body, St. Josephine Bakhita is remembered as a great saint, a woman who overcame hardship and adversity through her faith and her love for God. Her story is an inspiration to us all, reminding us that with God’s help, anything is possible

 

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Quotes by St. Josephine Bakhita

• “Be good, love the Lord, pray for those who do not know Him.”
• “I am a sinner, but I have the great joy of being loved by Jesus.”
• “God is our coping skill. He enables us to live life even when we are in the midst of trauma and in the midst of despair.”
• “We offer up to God our crosses, not looking for more, but asking the Lord to give us the strength necessary for the crosses that come from merely living life.”
• “What a grace it is to know God, because He is our foundation and our strength.”

Saints Similar to St. Josephine Bakhita

You may also be interested in reading the Biography of St. Peter Claver and the Biography of St. John Paul II. St. Josephine Bakhita and St. Peter Claver were both involved in the care and liberation of enslaved individuals. St. John Paul II canonized both of them. Next up: Biography of St. Joshua

 

Also check out our handmade St. Josephine Bakhita Medal and St. Josephine Bakhita Rosary and St. Josephine Bakhita Rosary Bracelet.