This year on April 13 and 14, the Diocese of Columbus participated in Safe Haven Sunday, which seeks to address the scourge of pornography and its effects, including human trafficking. It is one of the leading causes of addiction, adultery and divorce, and produces distorted attitudes toward the body, sex and marriage. It is also one of the leading causes of human trafficking and creates an unsafe environment for children and adults. It is devastating to marriages and families, damaging society and the common good.

The effects of this distorted view of human life can be seen in the devastation of human trafficking. Our announcement of the Gospel of Life is a proclamation about the dignity of all human life and the gift of sexuality. All people should be treated with dignity and respect, worthy of love. A person deserves to be treated as a person – and loved as a person – rather than being viewed as an object to be used or viewed for another person’s pleasure. 

As a Church, we have a specific responsibility for the care and protection of both adults and young people. We cannot afford to ignore the problem. The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ statement, Create in Me a Clean Heart, states, “We must see our role in protecting children from pornography as our sacred duty, as well as an aspect of our work to create safe environments in accord with our ongoing implementation of the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People.” 

Our responsibility extends beyond young people. The crisis at the border is a humanitarian crisis, but it also involves the trafficking of persons, often for sexual purposes. It is estimated that more than 5 million people are trafficked in the United States, and many of these are vulnerable people. Ohio, because of its developed highway system, is a prime locus where persons are trafficked. Elevated levels of poverty and drugs in some parts of the state also leave Ohioans vulnerable to exploitation.

While there are many factors that lead to this vulnerability that must be addressed, one issue that we cannot neglect is the demand for gratification that leads to the manipulation and coercion of vulnerable people. Manipulation often happens through grooming behaviors, false promises of work, through social media and through websites that offer illicit materials. Whether we realize it or not, some of our un-Christian behaviors and desires may be contributing to the trafficking of persons and the ruining of lives. Personal sin has social and spiritual consequences, not just in theory, but in the reality of people’s lives.

What is it that will truly satisfy the deepest longings of the human heart? While we must address the desires of the heart as a moral issue, the response of the Church must extend also to greater awareness and education, through medical and pastoral care for victims and to developing opportunities for affordable housing and recovery for victims of trafficking. Pope Francis has said: “Human trafficking is an open wound on the body of contemporary society, a scourge upon the body of Christ … It is a crime against humanity.”

On the third Sunday of Easter, Luke recounts that the Risen Lord told his disciples:

“Thus, it is written that the Christ would suffer

and rise from the dead on the third day

and that repentance, for the forgiveness of sins,

would be preached in his name

to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem.

You are witnesses of these things.”

The priests throughout the Diocese of Columbus are here to provide help and support in overcoming addictions and refocusing on the vision of God. They make themselves available to you in the Sacrament of Reconciliation. The Lord’s love and mercy is much greater than our sin. There are resources available from the Office of Evangelization to help you begin having conversations with your family about these issues as well as ways to overcome addictive behaviors and to protect your families.

This year, there is a specific focus on the dangers of pornography and its relationship to the evil of human trafficking. All of the resources can be found on the Diocese of Columbus website by visiting columbuscatholic.org/safe-haven.