Ottawa, Canada, Jan 29, 2010 / 05:37 am
As the 2010 Winter Olympics approach, the Canadian bishops have spoken against the “trivialization” of concerns about prostitution during the event. They said the crime is a part of a “new form of slavery” known as human trafficking and called on Catholics to help fight it.
While the Vancouver Olympic Winter Games are much anticipated, the bishops said some see the event as a chance to make money at the cost of human dignity and human rights.
Those in vulnerable situations may believe unscrupulous smugglers or succumb to earning money through “sexual tourism,” the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB) said in their Pastoral Letter on Human Trafficking.
The pastoral letter was authored by the CCCB’s Episcopal Commission for Justice and Peace, which is chaired by Archbishop of Kingston Brendan M. O’Brien.