From Christopher Wells/Vatican News: “The Holy See’s Permanent Observer to the Organization of American States, Archbishop Juan Antonio Cruz Serrano, calls for unanimous efforts “to eradicate this scourge” of modern slavery.”
AI-produced summary:1
Archbishop Juan Antonio Cruz Serrano, the Holy See’s Permanent Observer to the Organization of American States, emphasized that slavery remains a present-day crisis requiring unanimous action. Speaking on the International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery, he warned that ignoring modern slavery makes us complicit in it. The Archbishop referenced Pope Francis’s observation that slavery “objectifies” people, reducing them to commodities valued only for their usefulness. During the Eighth Inter-American Week for People of African Descent, he called for increased awareness and better-coordinated anti-trafficking efforts, stressing the need for “peaceful harmony” between peoples with human dignity at the center. The Holy See committed to educational initiatives incorporating experiences of marginalized trafficking victims and working toward a more just society built on recognizing our common humanity.
“Slavery in Chains.” Photo credit: Gustavo La Rotta Amaya, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
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