Several years ago, while on a silent retreat in Miami with the Servants of the Pierced Heart of Jesus and Mary, Father Josh Johnson was deeply touched when his eyes settled on a statue of St. Josephine Bakhita, the patron saint of human trafficking.
He immediately began an earnest search to locate a similar statue but was unsuccessful.
Fast forward a number of years and while visiting with Suzanne Payne, the office manager of the Office of Vocations, Father Johnson casually mentioned how much he loved the statue and his desire to one day obtain one for Sacred Heart of Jesus Church in Baton Rouge, where he is pastor.
“Unbeknownst to me, (Payne) began making phone calls immediately to benefactors and surprised me with the statue,” Father Johnson, who serves as vocations director, said.
Payne, who worked for Father Johnson for more than two years, said she spent seven months searching for the statue. During a Serra Club meeting she attended earlier this year with Father Johnson and Father Andrew Merrick, Payne said she was inspired to approach a “very kind man” and relate to him Father Johnson’s dream.
The donor agreed to fund the entire project.
“When I was thanking him, I asked him if he realized how many people would be inspired by his generosity for generations,” Payne said.
The statue also has an Our Lady of Sorrows medal around her neck.
“As part of our faith, we often look at the lives of our saints and their relationship with Jesus as inspiration and encouragement for our own path to sainthood,” Payne said.
St. Josephine, an enslaved women of color for much of her life, has been a long-time inspiration for Father Johnson. He noted that similar to Christ, St. Josephine experienced physical and mental suffering, her body covered with scars from the physical abuse she endured at the hands of her heartless masters.
He said she was haunted with memories of being stripped naked, mocked, cursed and physically assaulted on numerous occasions.
“She was drawn to engage Jesus in a personal relationship because when she encountered the crucified and wounded body of Jesus, she realized that she was not alone,” Father Johnson said. “In him she saw someone who was in solidarity with her.
“When I experience seasons of profound suffering, St. Josephine reminds me that I can turn to Jesus as well and find in him a friend who also knows what it is like to be misunderstood, mocked, rejected, abandoned and betrayed.”
Father Johnson said one of his priorities was to introduce St. Josephine to the student body at Sacred Heart, who he noted is one of the most diverse schools in the Diocese in Baton Rouge. He wanted to expose them to the diversity of saints represented in their church, school and campus.
He said the parish has men and women from every age, race, ethnicity, gender and socio-economic background who are recognized as saints, blessed, venerable and servants of God.
“When our students see these paintings, stained glass windows and statues of the holy men and women who have preceded us in our walk toward eternity, they can be inspired to follow in their footsteps and surrender their lives to Jesus Christ as well,” Father Johnson said.
Parishioners and students have reacted positively, Father Johnson said. He added that people from various corners of the diocese have traveled to see the statue and spend time in prayer in front of St. Josephine.
“Since her incorruptible body is still in Italy, having her life-size statue in our church has made her accessible to many people who will never be able to travel across the sea on pilgrimage,” Father Johnson said.
Although enduring horrific circumstances that one can only imagine, St. Josephine forgave the men who abducted her as a child and sold her into slavery. History noted that those human traffickers never apologized but as a woman of Christ she offered them her forgiveness.
“Jesus forgave people who weren’t apologetic for their sins,” Father Johnson said. “I hope and pray St. Josephine’s presence in our church will inspire a new generation of Catholics to imitate Jesus and extend forgiveness to the people who have wounded them, especially the people who have not apologized to them and may never apologize.
“St. Josephine reminds us by her example that we are called to forgive everyone, whether they say ‘I’m sorry’ or not.”
St. Josephine was known for often spending time in eucharistic adoration. Father Johnson said that because St. Josephine spent so much time sitting, watching and praying in the presence of Christ she thought, spoke and acted like Christ throughout her religious life.
“I hope that her presence and story inspires our parishioners and students to also commit to intentional and consistent time in adoration of Christ so they too can imitate Jesus in their lives,” Payne said.