Australia – Salesian Brother involved in Advocacy against Human Trafficking

Source: www.infoans.org --- Wednesday, May 31, 2017
(ANS – Melbourne)  – In 2010 I had a sabbatical year in New Mexico (USA), a place called Sangre De Cristo. Fr Michael Crosby, OFM Capuchin, was one of the speakers. He struck deeply in my heart: "We need to do justice; not just talk about it!" That made me think, so when I got back to Australia I thought I should perhaps contact a group working with refugees. Sr Tania De Jong (a Sister of the Good Shepherd), also on the Sangre De Cristo sabbatical program, told me about ACRATH (Australian Catholic Religious Against the Trafficking of Humans). I was invited, and so began my apostolate. By Bro. David O’Brien, SDB ACRATH was started in 2005 as a direct result of CRA (Catholic Religious Australia) and the awareness of the problem of Human Trafficking. The Sisters of the Good Shepherd, St. Brigide Sisters, Franciscan Sisters of the Divine Motherhood, Presentation Sisters, Sister of Charity, Sisters of the Good Samaritan, Sisters of Mercy and Sisters of St Joseph were pioneers dealing with this issue. Later, lay people and others, including a Christian Brother and one Salesian of Don Bosco, became involved. With ACRATH, we are involved in actions on behalf of Human Traficking by: Engaging in a broad-based community education campaign. Advocacy and lobbying for visa reform based on human rights for all survivors of trafficking. Establishing safe houses. Building NGO and support agency networks in the Asia Pacific region. Supporting Mill ...

from Australia http://ift.tt/2smK9hs