…let the oppressed go free…

Timothy Schmalz is the sculptor of the Matthew 25 set of five Jesus sculptures in Cleveland. Rome is the only other city with all five. Timothy has made two sculptures of "Let the oppressed go free" (Isaiah lviii. 6).  One is in Cleveland through March in front of the Tom Johnson statue on Public Square. The other is in Schio Italy. The sculpture is of St. Josephine Bakhita *c.1869, 1947† releasing the enslaved of all sorts. She was a slave sold several times. She became a Canossian sister, and was at the convent in Schio for 42 years. Mother Josephine Bakhita of Sudan was canonised on 1 October 2000.

St. Josephine Bakhita

This bronze work is some 20 feet long, and three tons. Schmalz sees his art as visual prayers. It will eventually be at Catholic University  Washington D.C.

see: https://www.communitywestfoundation.org/lettheoppressedgofree

slave with barcode

The term now used is 'human trafficking'. Slavery is of many sorts. Some people are used as labor; some are slaves to pay off debt, some people are used for sex; children are stolen, kidnapped, sold, and forced to become soldiers, forced to become brides.