House Saint – St Josephine Bakhita
Head of House – Mr M Lusardi
House Captains – Jennica Smith
House Charity – GOAL
House Colour – Blue
Feast Day – 8 February
Bakhita House Prayer
Dear Lord,
You have given us the example of St Josephine Bakhita. Help us to try and follow that example by always helping those less fortunate than ourselves, and not complaining when our load seems too heavy to carry.
Please help us to be positive in our outlook, and to remember to thank others who help us,
Through Jesus Christ, our Lord,
Amen
Saint Josephine Bakhita
Josephine Bakhita was born in the Sudan in1869. She was captured and sold as a slave when she was about seven years old. Bakhita was not the name she received from her parents at birth. The terrible experiences she went through made her forget the name she was given by her parents. Bakhita, which means “Fortunate”, “The Lucky One”, was the name given to her by her kidnappers.
She was sold and resold, suffered loneliness and torture, until finally, in the capital of Sudan, Bakhita was bought by an Italian Consul, Callisto Legnani. For the first time since the day she was kidnapped, she realised with pleasant surprise, that no one used the lash when giving her orders; instead, she was treated in a loving and cordial way. Political situations forced the Consul to leave for Italy, Bakhita obtained permission to go with him and a friend of his, Mr. Augusto Michieli.
She left Africa for Italy and a new life began. On arrival in Genoa, Mr. Legnani, pressured by the request of Mr. Michieli's wife, consented to leave Bakhita with them. She followed the new “family”, which settled in Zianigo (near Mirano Veneto). When their daughter Mimmina was born, Bakhita became her babysitter and friend. The acquisition and management of a big hotel in Africa forced Mrs Michieli to leave Italy to help her husband. On the advice of their administrator, Mimmina and Bakhita were entrusted to the Canossian Sisters of the Institute of the Catechumens in Venice.
When Mrs Michieli returned she wanted to take back her daughter and Bakhita, but Bakhita expressed her desire to remain with the Canossian Sisters and to serve the God who had shown her so much proof of His love.
She was baptized into the Catholic faith and later took her vows as a Canossian Daughter of Charity. Whether it was simply offering a drink to a sister in community, or a bowl of hot soup to the poor, watching over kindergarten children, or tending the wounded during the war, every action was done with love, serenity and gentleness.
Josephine Bakhita died in Schio (Vicenza) on 8 February 1947. The process for the cause of Canonization began 12 years after her death and on December 1st, 1978 the Church proclaimed the Decree of the heroic practice of all virtues. She was declared "Blessed" on 17 May 1992 and proclaimed a "Saint" on 1 October 2000 in Rome.