Sydney (Fides Service) - A day of prayer and awareness promotion to eliminate sexual abuse and violence was held in Australia to mark 6 July feast of Saint Maria Goretti. The initiative, launched by the Catholic Women’s League Australia, included meetings in schools and public places, prayers in different churches to call public attention to the serious problem of sexual abuse of women and children.
The theme emerged recently Australia since a recent report by the US State Department said the country is among those where there is an increase in international human trafficking, prostitution of children and the phenomenon of sexual slavery.
Thousands of Christians all over the country attended prayers and open air rallies. They recited a prayer to Saint Maria Goretti, chosen as patron of children abused and exploited as slaves.
Symbol of the day was a prayer by 11 year old Hanna: “Dear Lord I ask you to take care of children in need. I know they are often abused by adults. I ask you to protect them and free them. I pray for all children subject to violence, or who are homeless, poor, please may they never suffer again”.
Saint Maria Goretti (1890-1902) was canonised by Pope Pius XI in 1950. She was from Corinaldo, in the Italian region of Marche. A holy girl, martyred to save her purity, Maria was stabbed to death by a man who wanted to take advantage of her and whom she forgave before dying of her wounds.
(PA) (Agenzia Fides 6/7/2004 lines 23 words 234)