An image of St Josephine Bakhita hangs from the facade of St Peter’s Basilica. Photo: OSV News /Paolo Cocco, Reuters. Fr Adrian Crowley
St Josephine Bakhita was born in 1869, in Sudan. Her village was surrounded by palms, banana trees, fields, shrubs. Her tribe lived peacefully, working the fields. Her father was an important man in the village. As a child she was full of life and joyful, loved her brothers and helped her mother. She loved flowers, flowing water, the singing of birds. One day while her mother was baking bread, she left her playmates and went to the fields. Passing the barley fields and flowering hedges she began picking flowers. Suddenly two men sprang up out of the long grass. One of them spoke sweetly to her, “Go to the end of the field and you will find things I left there. Bring them here. We are so tired.” She was terrified but did not cry for help. At the end of the field the two men jumped out from a hedge, beat her, gagged her, and threatened her with a knife, “if you shout, you are dead! Come on, walk.” Bending low they dragged her through tall grass and marshland. They crossed muddy rivers, hot sands, finally reaching a forest.
Locked
Later, in a faraway village she was locked in a hut. She collapsed on the ground, senseless. When she woke, she found a piece of bread thrown to her, but she could not eat it. She tried to escape by breaking the clay roof, but it was too hard, and her hands bled. With her arms covered in blood, she began to roll around, crying, almost insane.
One morning, a man dragged her outside and sold her to a slave- trader waiting under a tree. “Look at her. She’s perfect!’ Outside the village, others were waiting with chains around their necks. Two guards carried daggers and whips. Another little girl held her hand. The journey, through marshes, woodland and desert was an unspeakable torture.
Bakhita saw ‘a shining figure’ in the sky above them which gave her boundless joy and wonder”
One day the two little girls ran away and escaped. They reached the forest, so happy at the thought of finding their villages again. They ate fruit and drank water. The following day they crossed a desert, the sand burning their bleeding feet. At night a wild animal, a lion, came to attack them. Bakhita saw ‘a shining figure’ in the sky above them which gave her boundless joy and wonder. The wild animal turned and went away. They came to green countryside with grain and watermelons. They ate heartily, drank, and fell asleep. Later, a shepherd promised to help them but instead he chained them with his sheep and goats. He sold them to a slave-trader. Again, they were slaves!
Sold
Reaching a city, they were sold to a slave-dealer. They lived in a large stone house and served his two daughters. These were delighted and treated the girls kindly. Bakhita was cleaned, combed and given bracelets and shiny pearls.
A soldier came one day, a General in the Egyptian army. He bought her and now she became slave to two very arrogant, heartless women. One day, after a furious argument he ordered that she be beaten with sticks by his soldiers. She was beaten so badly that a wound on her leg lasted all her life. For more than a month she was unable to walk or work. After this, she was put in chains and branded as a slave.
Follow this lady, you no longer belong to me. Go!”
In 1883 during a war, the General had to leave hurriedly. Crossing the desert, with his family and slaves, they travelled by night, on camels. Bakhita was beaten for every small mistake, yet she loved seeing the desert. They arrived in Khartoum. One morning a white lady came to the house and the General said ‘Follow this lady, you no longer belong to me. Go!’ The lady smiled and spoke gently and kindly.
Bakhita was overjoyed. She cried and laughed, wanting to kiss the feet of the Consul. She smiled happily and kissed the hands of the governess. That night she slept in a bed for the first time in her life.
Free
The Italian Consul set them free. He was like a father to Bakhita and searched for her family and village but failed. Her soul was thirsting for God, but she knew no religion. She grew into a beautiful, gracious young woman. Her gentleness, prudence and goodness amazed all in the house and she was much-loved. During a revolution in 1884 the Consul had to leave for Italy. Bakhita overcoming her shyness, begged him to take her with him. He looked in amazement, asking her to repeat the question. Three times she asked him and finally he agreed. They crossed the desert on camels and set sail for Italy, reaching Genoa in 1885. There the Consul entrusted her to the wife of a friend. She promised to treat the girl well and took her to Venice.
I did not know what the crucifix was. I used to look at it secretly and I felt something within me that I cannot explain”
In her new home, Bakhita was well-cared for. She learned Italian and looked after a little girl, Mimi who loved her a lot. She served in the hotel but with all her heart yearned for a return to Venice. The hotel prospered and the family returned to Italy with Bakhita to sell their property and return.
In Venice, a Catholic friend gave her a crucifix, explaining the life of Christ. She listened, smiled, and kissed the crucifix. She later commented – ‘I did not know what the crucifix was. I used to look at it secretly and I felt something within me that I cannot explain.’ She learned the Our Father, Hail Mary and Glory be. ‘Without knowing God, without knowing what the words meant, I had a good feeling in my soul, and I repeated them morning and evening with Mimi in her room.” In 1888, she was enrolled in a school for religious instruction in Venice, run by the Canossian Sisters. The sisters treated her with exceptional kindness. Faith like a light catching fire, enlightened her mind. She began to know and love the Lord. Often when alone, she would kneel in adoration, ‘I felt a burning desire to obey Him, never to displease Him and to serve Him to perfection.’ But she found it difficult to believe that God loved her. The mystery of His love filled her mind, but she felt so unworthy.
The gentle Voice of Christ had resounded in her heart ‘Stay in My house. I will make you, My bride”
Bakhita was baptised and confirmed in 1890. She did not sleep the night before, for sheer joy at the thought of becoming a daughter of God. She also received her First Holy Communion, inexpressible joy on her face. During a special lunch afterwards, a friend wrote, ‘she looked heavenly. Gone was the usual look of sadness on her face. She seemed transfigured.”
During her first Holy Communion she had prayed ‘Let me die Lord, but don’t let me leave this house.’ The gentle Voice of Christ had resounded in her heart ‘Stay in My house. I will make you, My bride.” During a confession, she told a priest all about it. He assured her it was Jesus Himself calling her, and she should respond to the special love the Lord had shown her. Afterwards the priest went to the sisters and spoke in her favour. In December she was called one day to the parlour and told she had been accepted to become a novice. She fell on her knees and wept with joy.
As a novice she was exemplary. One companion said, ‘I admired her for her spirit of devotion and sacrifice, she was always the first to help.’ ‘She was an example to everyone with her exactness and virtue.’ In 1895 she received the habit – ‘Her eyes sparkled with unforgettable light… and supernatural joy. In 1896, she vowed to the Lord to live chastity, poverty, and obedience as a Canossian sister. That night, before the altar, in extra prayer, she offered herself for the salvation of her African people.
Transferred
In 1902 she was transferred to the town of Schio. She worked as cook, impressive for her patience, thoughtfulness, joy, and charity. She spoke with God as with a familiar friend, very simply, about Africa and her family. One sister nick-named her “Glorious Praise.” One morning in the sacristy she saw the same vision as she had seen in the desert. He smiled at her and disappeared. ‘It was your angel, ‘a sister commented. ‘I think so too. She had great faith in the Eucharist.’ At night with permission, she would spend long times in extra prayer, before the tabernacle, in profound adoration.
When I asked her ‘how do you manage to stay so good?’ she replied with a look of wonder – ‘How could anyone offend such a good God when they have served such evil owners?’”
The children grew very fond of her, she was everyone’s friend, she told stories, knew how to soothe, and turn their tears to smiles. The soldiers too, during World War 1, surprised to find a sister, were fascinated by her life-story, asked her questions. She always spoke of the need to love and serve God, to keep their souls pure from sin because death could come at any time and destroy them for eternity. If she heard any soldier blaspheming, she drew them aside and told them how wrong it was to mis-use God’s name. “Confess it. You are always in danger and if you were to die without being forgiven by God, what would become of your soul?”
She was very sparing with food. “I have nothing except three books, and I do not use them because I can hardly see any more. I have given away all the rest, all I have is my rosary and crucifix.” In 1930 a booklet about her life was written. While telling her story her voice was sometimes choked with grief, especially as she spoke of her family; sometimes she trembled as she talked about the horrors of slavery. When I asked her ‘how do you manage to stay so good?’ she replied with a look of wonder – ‘How could anyone offend such a good God when they have served such evil owners?’
Wildfire
The book spread like wildfire around Italy. Many came to see her. In 1933 she was asked to go on a tour of Italy, on behalf of the missions. She was 64 years. Everywhere the tour was successful. Teachers brought their pupils, mothers brought their children, the sick came asking for prayers. Men who had not been to church for years went to see her and went away crying. Theatres were filled to overflowing. Cardinals and bishops brought their priests. Large crowds, even blocking the traffic, came to see her. She smiled at everyone, had a good word for all, was always humble, courteous and in good humour. At train-stations as soon as she was noticed, crowds gathered. Her advice to all was, “Be good, love the Lord, pray for non-believers. Know what a great grace it is to know God!”
He must get better. I have given my life to save his! And he must become a priest and save many souls”
All her life was governed by the words “Whatever the Lord wants!” For this reason, she was always obedient. She prayed all the time. Once when a boy was suffering from TB, she assured his mother he would be cured. “He must get better. I have given my life to save his! And he must become a priest and save many souls.” The boy was cured, and later as a priest he assisted at her bedside as she was dying.
If someone thanked her for a grace received, she would say “Not me, not me. God did it all! She prayed much – ‘I talk to the Lord just normally like I speak to you.’ She said several rosaries a day and recommended it. ‘I call on my guardian angel and am refreshed.’ – ‘If I can get to Communion, all is well and good. If not, I have still got God inside me and I will adore him.’ She stayed long times in the chapel, alone with Jesus.
She died in 1947, saying ‘Oh how happy I am… Our Lady… Our Lady!’ She lifted her eyes to Heaven, with just a hint of a smile and passed away. She felt no fear, on her face there was something heavenly. A vast number of people came to pray. They touched her body with medals, rosaries, crucifixes, lifted her hands to bless children. A rich lady offered her family tomb as a final resting place. Her funeral seemed like a celebration. On her grave is written ‘Let’s look up to Heaven; all things are passing; all things are passing!’
Fr Adrian Crowley, parish curate of The Parish of St Luke the Evangelist, writes from Co. Dublin.