The Apostles proposed questions and solutions regarding trafficking.
Bishop Marcelo Sánchez Sorondo
Lake Charles, 3 March 2026
As you know, I am a bishop in the Catholic Church. We believe that bishops are successors of the Apostles. Therefore, I would like to offer you a theological perspective on the crime of trafficking, based on the teachings of the Apostles.
In his First Letter to Timothy, Saint Paul explicitly condemns human trafficking, enumerating various behaviours that, if practiced, will result in exclusion from the Kingdom of God. In verse 1:10, explicit reference is made to ‘slave traders’ (in Greek, ἀνδραποδιστής, from the verb ἀνδραποδίζω; in Latin, plagiariis, translated as “traffickers” or “kidnappers” in some versions), which unequivocally includes what is currently termed human trafficking. Indeed, the violent subjugation of one individual over another, whether total or partial, against their will, is referred to as “new slavery”.
As articulated by St. Paul in his Epistle to the Romans, the fundamental cause of these grave sins is humanity’s rejection of God. The decline of humanity is depicted as a downward trajectory of rebellion, which corresponds to God’s abandonment of human beings to their own choices and desires (Romans 1:18–32). The fundamental issue underpinning this tragedy is the denial of God as the supreme Creator and Provident, as evidenced by the failure to recognise Him through creation. Saint Paul’s doctrine aligns with that of the Book of Wisdom, which states, “through the greatness and beauty of created things, by analogy, the Creator is known” (Wis 13:2-8). The Apostle maintains the critical stance of the said Book towards the denial of God. In this manner, the indication of the causality principle (verses 19-20) is ratified as a path accessible to all in order to reach God, as expressly indicated in the First Vatican Council in the Dogmatic Constitution Dei Filius. Furthermore, Paul draws attention to a failure to glorify God, a rejection of His providential role, and an absence of gratitude (verse 21).
The act of worship is directed towards creation, that is to say, animals, images produced by human beings, and man himself, rather than focusing on the worship of God (verse 23). Finally, human beings, deprived of divine grace, are given over (παραδίδεται) to the expression of their disordered desires and to all kinds of sin, including human trafficking.
The Apostle’s assertion in Romans 1:24 is unequivocal: ‘Therefore, abandoning them to the desires of their hearts, God gave them over (παρέδωκεν) to impurity (ακαθαρσία) that dishonoured their own bodies’. It is evident that God does not deliver men to impurity directly, as if He were inclining human affection towards evil. This is because God orders all things for Himself: ‘The Lord has made everything for Himself’ (Prov 16:4), while something is sinful because it turns away from Him. However, it is important to consider that God permits human beings to transgress indirectly, by withdrawing the grace that prevents them from sinning. In a similar sense, it could be argued that an individual may cause another to fall by removing the support on which they are leaning. In this manner, the initial transgression becomes the catalyst for subsequent transgressions, which, in turn, represents a punishment for the initial transgression.
In this regard, St Paul reiterates his argument two verses later: “God gave them up (παρέδωκεν) to degrading passions (πάθη ατιμίας)” (Romans 1:26). Therefore, it is stated that, as a consequence of this cause — that is, “because they exchanged the truth of God for a lie” — God gave them over, not by directly compelling them to evil, but by abandoning them to degrading passions, which are unnatural sins that are termed passions in the sense that a passion implies that something departs from the order of its own nature, as when a man falls ill or when a human being is enslaved. Furthermore, given that human beings deviate from the natural order and dignity when they commit such sins, these are appropriately termed ‘passions’, as expressed in Romans: ‘the passions of sins’ (7:5). The term ‘degrading passions’ is employed to denote actions that, by their very nature, are deemed to fall short of the standards expected of human beings. It is regrettable to even mention the clandestine actions of these individuals (Eph 5:12). The concept of the sins of the flesh as a form of degradation is founded on the premise that these sins compel human beings to descend to the lowest level of their own being. Consequently, it is unsurprising that unnatural sins are regarded as even more pernicious, insofar as they compel human beings to sink below the level of animals: ‘I will turn their glory into shame’ (Hos 4:7).
For the third time, Paul stresses his point: ‘Since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them over (παρέδωκεν) to a depraved mind (ἀδόκιμον νοῦν), to do what ought not to be done’ (Romans 1:28). It should be noted that, in this context, the expression ‘mind’ does not refer to people’s sensory knowledge, but to the inner mind, through which the invisible causes of things are identified and judged according to such principles: ‘Fixing thoughts in the mind’, understood as wisdom, ‘is considered the essence of a perfect mind’ (Wis 6:15). Therefore, the Apostle goes on to explain that ‘carrying out actions that are not in line with the right mind’ results in ‘useless works’ (Wis 3:11).
In short, for Paul, the rational conclusion and the biblical indication that the world derives directly from a supreme and independent Principle has not been considered valid. Human corruption reverses the “creational relationship,” which is from top to bottom, into one from bottom to top: it is no longer God who creates the world and man, but the opposite. Consequently, human dignity is diminished as the image of an intelligent and free God is lost. The outcome is a dynamic of domination and subordination that manifests itself through new forms of slavery or wars of power and influence that are constantly on the rise, which, in turn, produce more slaves.
It is evident that the present circumstances bear a striking resemblance to those delineated by Saint Paul. To a certain extent, they are worse off, given that the Roman world to which the Apostle refers did not know Christ. In the contemporary world, the rejection of God the Creator and Christ the Saviour is often characterised as a “silent apostasy”, as defined by John Paul II.
Given the striking similarity between the present circumstances and those described by Saint Paul, or indeed worse, what should the Church’s response be? In what manner may Christians fulfil their role as the light and salt of the earth while remaining faithful to their beliefs? What measures can be implemented to achieve this, particularly in the context of the US with an American Pope? And how can they do so in the face of the tragedy and crime that is human trafficking?
The answer is neither easy nor simple. However, we can find it in an ancient formula of another Apostle — that is, St Peter — which can guide us. Today, the Church — that is, the People of God, each and every one of us — must be aware of the words of St Leo the Great: ‘Agnosce, o christiane, dignitatem tuam’: ‘Be aware, O Christian, of your dignity. You have been raised up to share in the divine nature (cf 2 Pet. 1:4), so do not return to the baseness of your former behaviour. Remember whose member you are, and whose mystical body you belong to. Remember that you have been freed from the power of darkness and transferred to the kingdom of light and God’ (Serm. I de Nat., P.G. 54, 192).
Yes, every Christian must rediscover his dignity and recognise the transformation he has undergone through the mysterious and wonderful process of baptism. Much has been said about the dignity of the human person on the natural level, which is already very high and worthy: ‘the most perfect of all nature’ (Aquinas, S. Th., I, 29, 3). This should free us from animalistic, barbaric, and subhuman degradation, such as the new forms of slavery to which our civilisation still succumbs all too easily. This human dignity is surpassed in an even more extraordinary way on the supernatural level. The prologue to the Gospel of St John expresses it succinctly: ‘To all who received him, he gave power to become children of God, to those who believe in his name; who were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God’ (Jn 1:12-13).
Pure humanism does not satisfy our needs, since it does not recognise the elevation of the human being, revealed and communicated by the divine plan (cf Ep 1:18-19). Furthermore, this conception is intrinsically incapable of realising itself; in its attempt to reach the stature to which it feels called, it fails (cf Rom 1:24 ff.). It lacks that additional strength and wisdom that we can only find in the order of grace, through Christ’s redemption.
The violence that an individual exercises over a human being in slavery is totally contrary to the dignity and freedom proper to human dignity and the social order. Benedict XVI affirms that the essence of the social order is that: ‘As objects of God’s love, men and women become subjects of charity, called to become instruments of grace, to pour out God’s charity and to weave networks of charity’ (Caritas in veritate, § 5). In 2014, Pope Francis, together with leading religious leaders gathered at the Pontifical Academy of Sciences, proclaimed that in the name of God, contemporary forms of slavery, including forced labour, prostitution and organ trafficking, constitute a crime against humanity. Throughout his pontificate, Pope Francis has affirmed that, from a Christian perspective, this crime constitutes a violation not only of the individual, but also of ‘the body of Christ and society as a whole’.
The requirement for Christ’s grace to achieve human dignity is not simply a theoretical theological concept. This is also the result of experience.
In my experience working with victims of trafficking, especially those involved in prostitution, it is suffering that most opens the way to grace, and it is this grace that transforms people. There can be no profound change, or rather a ‘conversion’ (μετάνοια), without an intense religious experience. This experience is linked to their suffering and ultimately leads them to an encounter with Christ crucified.
The Apostle Paul speaks of the power of salvific suffering: ‘I fill up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ for his body, which is the Church’ (Col 1:24).
These words seem to signify the culmination of the arduous journey through human suffering, illuminated by the Word of God. They are, so to speak, the culmination of a journey accompanied by joy. For this reason, St Paul writes: ‘Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake’ (Col 1:24). This joy comes from discovering the meaning of suffering. This discovery is experienced in a very personal way by Paul of Tarsus, who wrote these words, but it is also valid for others. The apostle shares his discovery and rejoices in it because it can help others, just as it helped him, to understand the salvific meaning of suffering. These others are all of us, and especially the victims of human trafficking.
Dear friends! We must resist the influence of post-truth and wokeism, which seek to relativise truth and goodness. It seems unbelievable, but nowadays it is necessary to repeat over and over again that God is truth and the supreme good. All truths and goods, regardless of their origin, participate in divine truth and goodness, and are inspired by the Holy Spirit: Omne verum, a quocumque dicatur, a Spiritu Sancto est.
Do not allow your awareness of moral values to be clouded. Do not lose your sense of sin or your ability to judge between good and evil. Do not allow the sense of freedom and responsibility that characterises Christians and civilised people to be dulled. It is erroneous to assume that a dignified and honest defence of values in the family, the press, the media, entertainment and customs is indicative of a supposed inferiority complex.
It is incorrect to assume that the testimony of one’s righteous and Christian life alone is sufficient for evangelisation, the attainment of human dignity, and the salvation of others. As always, we must bear in mind St Paul’s words: ‘Fides ex audito’ (Romans 10:17 in the Vulgate Bible). Faith comes from hearing the message. It means that Christian faith is born, sustained, and strengthened by hearing the Word of God preached, read, or communicated from person to person. It emphasises that faith requires divine revelation and instruction through the communicated word, not just human understanding or Christian witness alone. Our witness must be explained. To effectively evangelise, convert and save souls, a priest or religious leader must explain the rationale behind their commitment to God and to serving their neighbour. What motivates their love? It is important to note that we should avoid any actions that could be perceived as proselytism, which is defined as the imposition of one’s beliefs upon others. However, it is also crucial that we communicate the gospel effectively through our words and the example of a life that aligns with our message.
Let us make an ascetic, heroic, sacrificial and loving effort for our brothers and sisters, especially for those who suffer and for all victims of trafficking. Let us treat them with the same importance that Christ, the crucified Redeemer, gives them. Let us make our personal moral energy a generous gift: the people of today need it. In Christ’s messianic programme, which is at the same time the programme of the Kingdom of God, which is the kingdom of Christ’s grace, suffering is present in the world to liberate love, to give birth to works of love towards our neighbour, to transform the whole of human civilisation from the most suffering into a ‘civilisation of love’ or the ‘city of God’ as the great Augustine called it. In this city of grace and love, the salvific meaning of suffering is fully realised and reaches its definitive dimension.
