DANIA BEACH � While the rest of the world concentrated on the royal wedding and Pope John Paul II�s beatification, the people of St. Maurice Parish were learning about modern day slavery.

�Archbishop Thomas Wenski and the bishops of the state of Florida called upon all Catholics to carry on a campaign against human trafficking and that�s what we are doing here today,� said Father Roger Holoubek, pastor of St. Maurice, which hosted the Florida Modern Slavery Museum May 1.

The parish was being true to its roots as a longtime advocate for Florida�s farmworkers while also following through on an initiative that began in November 2010 in the Archdiocese of Miami to raise awareness about the issue of human trafficking.

The mobile Florida Modern Slavery museum consists of a cargo truck outfitted as a replica of the trucks involved in a recent slavery operation, accompanied by displays on the history and evolution of slavery in Florida.

The museum was brought to St. Maurice by the Coalition of Immokalee Workers to create awareness of farmworkers� need for justice.

"It is so important for people to know that this inhumane treatment is still going on. People can make a difference by choosing where they shop, by sponsoring stores that buy their products from farmers that abide by the law,� said Silvia Perez, a member of the Coalition of Immokalee Workers.

The video �Invisible Chains,� created specifically for the statewide initiative by the Florida Catholic Conference, also was shown during the Sunday afternoon Mass at the parish. The video includes first-hand accounts by victims of human trafficking and an interview with Archbishop Wenski, who at the time was bishop of Orlando.

After the video, Father Holoubek led his parishioners in a chant, �What do we want? Freedom. When do we want it? Now!�

He exhorted all who attended the Mass to take a look at the museum and reflect upon what they can do to stop human trafficking.

�I think this museum is going to wake up a lot of people. People don�t know that this is going on,� said Patt Sirico after viewing the display.

The event was sponsored by St. Maurice�s interfaith task force, which was created to foster community awareness of human slavery and human trafficking.

�It�s part of our faith to work against modern day slavery and to help bring about humane and fair conditions for people who pick our food and do other work that�s so important in society,� said Brigitte Gynther, coordinator of Interfaith Action of Southwest Florida.

The U.S. bishops� Office of Migration and Refugee Services has been a leader in the fight against the trafficking of human beings, and the Florida Catholic Conference is helping that effort by conducting human trafficking awareness campaigns among the state�s Catholics. Florida is a well-known destination for labor trafficking (agriculture) and sex trafficking (tourism and homeless youths).

�As Catholics it is important to put our faith into action, to protect the dignity of human begins,� said Jordan Buckley, a staff member for Interfaith Action.

�Blessed Pope John Paul II said that slavery is an infamy, the abuse of workers is an infamy, people working in deplorable conditions is an infamy, and today we are simply following that, by bringing awareness to our community,� Father Holoubek said.

�We believe when people grow aware of these things they are more prone to make a difference�, said Mary Kelley, a parishioner at St. Maurice for over 35 years. �We are going to continue to carry campaigns and to host activities like this to stop forced prostitution, to stop forced labor and to stop human trafficking.�

For more information on human trafficking visit www.flacathconf.org/humantrafficking