Argentina: one year after Loan’s disappearance, the Church says and works against trafficking in people

One year after the disappearance of little Loan Peña in Corrientes (Argentina), whose case took international relevance, the local archbishop, Mons. José Adolfo Larregain, will celebrate a mass and called to become aware of the drama of trafficking in persons.

Loan Danilo Peña, five years old, was last seen on June 13, 2024 in the town of Nine de Julio, province of Corrientes, and was intensely wanted by federal forces, with the suspicion of being before a case of trafficking in persons. For the cause there are six detainees.

A year after that time, the Archbishop of Corrientes, Mons. José Adolfo Larregain, president of the Episcopal Commission of Pastoral of Migrants and Itinerant, and member of the Clamor Network that works in favor of migrants, refugees and victims of trafficking, referred to the case in dialogue with Radio María.

Although he clarified that what happened with the little “is in the field of justice”, and still “is a mystery”, the prelate emphasized the situation of trafficking, and the exploitation “to children, adults, vulnerable people” who have suffered for years in Argentina and also in the world.

Mons. Larregain emphasized the need to become aware “of everything that this scourge implies and this situation, which sometimes is not spoken, is not known, is not known,” and highlighted the “great work” that the Church does.

As an example, he referred to the work of the Clamor network, which “is made up of many institutions that work around this problem.”

Among them, he mentioned to the Argentine Catholic Action, the World Union of Catholic Women’s Organizations, the team not to the Trafficking of the National Commission of Justice and Peace, the Pastoral Guadalupe de Mendoza, together on the way, the Sacred Eucharist parish of the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires, the Slave Squares Adoratrices of the Blessed Sacrament and of Charity, the Mercedarians, the Sisters of the Sisters From the Blessed Name of Jesus, the slaves of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, the Kawsay Network, stolen childhood.

He also highlighted the work of Archdiocese such as Salta, or the Social Pastoral of Mercedes-Luján, of the Diocese of Oran, the Archdiocese of Córdoba, the dioceses of Avellaneda-Lanús, Río Gallegos, Merlo-Moreno, the pastoral of Tourism of Santiago del Ester Epicopal of itinerant migrants.

“These are some of the institutions that we work in a joint way, supporting us and trying to become aware of this situation that Pope Francis has also expressed, saying that trafficking is a shame, calling for action, the importance of listening, prayer as a tool, the individual and collective responsibility we have, the importance of education”, expressions that, said the archbishop, “open a path of hope of hope.”

In that line, Mons. Larregain considered it important to “continue to become aware from different areas, especially from education, work in schools, catechesis, homiletic”, to open dialogue and “not to naturalize certain practices or customs that are sometimes assumed and do not think, we do not reflect them,” he lamented.

Among what remains to be done, and that they are beginning to carry out, despite the limited resources, the Prelate pointed out that “in some provinces, in some schools, regions, we are starting to work with secondary schools, training teachers.”

This Friday, June 13, in the town of Nine of July, the archbishop will celebrate a mass. “We will remember, we are going to pray, and we are going to ask in a very special way for this case, for the family, for their parents, for whom they have the very responsibility to clarify and make justice also with this situation,” he anticipated.

The appointment is in the Lord’s Ascension Chapel at 11:00 hours. “We have to continue praying. Hope, says the saying, is the last thing to be lost. We have a light on, we hope that we soon have it among us healthy and except for the joy of all and especially of their loved ones and their family,” he said.

“We pray that this case can be clarified, just justice and also to work so that this does not happen again to any child or any person who can be affected by the amplitude that this term ‘trafficking’ has, which is very large and that is very comprehensive,” because it includes forms and situations such as sexual exploitation, situations of slavery, servitude, forced begging, organ trafficking, reproductive exploitation, among others, among others, it listed.

“We have a great job, but we have a lot of hope and confidence. There are many people who have many desires, eager, a lot of good will and puts the heart, the body, the soul to these painful situations,” he concluded.