Valentina di Giorgio
(ZENIT News / Rome, 31.08.2023).- On August 26 Pope Francis received in special audience in the Vatican a group of lawyers of the International Catholic Legislators Network (ICLN). With them, however, was film-producer Eduardo Verástegui. ZENIT’s Editorial Director noticed the presence of the also actor and activist in a Tweet on the same day of the audience. A few days later Verástegui himself confirmed his presence at the audience and the reason why he was there.
ZENIT learned that the film’s producer was in Europe on the occasion of the premiere, in London, of his film “Sound of Freedom.” From the English capital he went to Rome to take part, at ICLN’s invitation, in the Pope’s private audience. Thus it was that Verástegui was able to reach the Pontiff personally. In his face-to-face with the Holy Father, Verástegui thanked him for having prayed for the project, of which he spoke to him in advance in 2025. Understood in this context is what the Mexican producer wrote on Twitter: “We have just had a private audience in the Vatican with Pope Francis, where we talked again about this [i.e. human trafficking, Editor’s note] in the framework of the annual meeting of the International Catholic Legislators Network, a network that seeks to connect a new generation of leaders that promote and defend from public positions life, the family and fundamental liberties.”
Although the Holy Father hasn’t seen the film, he is not only aware of it but also of the subject. In 2019 Pope Francis appealed to all Catholics to pray throughout the month of February of that year against human trafficking. ”Even if we try to ignore it, slavery isn’t something of other times. In face of this tragic reality, we cannot wash our hands if we don’t want to be, in some way, complicit in these crimes against humanity. We cannot ignore [the fact] that there is slavery in the world today, as much or more, perhaps, than before. Let us pray for the generous reception of the victims of human trafficking, of forced prostitution and of violence,” he said at the time.
Gracias, Santo Padre, por sus oraciones, gracias por haber pedido a Dios por el proyecto @SOFMovie2023. En 2015, le comenté en una reunión al @Pontifex que rezara por esa intención. Hoy, la película ya está en cines y el movimiento contra la trata avanza en muchos países. Sin… pic.twitter.com/K8eqMT62gu
— Eduardo Verástegui (@EVerastegui) August 27, 2023
