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Jesuit Institutions Make “Fall Call” for Humane Comprehensive Immigration Reform

BY ISN STAFFSeptember 18, 2013

Jesuit Institutions Make “Fall Call” for Humane Comprehensive Immigration Reform

In a sign that Catholic Jesuit institutions across the country want the U.S. House of Representatives to take action on comprehensive immigration reform legislation, nearly thirty Jesuit institutions across the country hosted events in support of legislation that includes a pathway to citizenship during the week of September 22-29, 2013.   The were more than 30 Catholic Masses and prayer services for humane immigration reform, educational events, and legislative lobbying via letter writing and phone calls.  Events included a bi-lingual Mass at Creighton University (Omaha, NE), an interfaith prayer service at Regis University (Denver, CO), and a Loyola Marymount University (Los Angeles, CA) student group Mass at the US-Mexico border in Southern California.   The “Fall Call” to action was made by the Ignatian Solidarity Network, a national social justice organization that works with Catholic institutions, primarily those sponsored by the Jesuit order of priests and brothers.

Students at St. Joseph's University built a fence in the middle of their campus as a symbol of the division caused by our current immigration policy. The fence features images and statistics related to the immigration debate.

Students at St. Joseph’s University built a fence in the middle of their campus as a symbol of the division caused by our current immigration policy. The fence features images and statistics related to the immigration debate.

“The significant number of events on campuses and at parishes across the country demonstrates the significant desire that people of faith have for comprehensive immigration reform grounded in the Catholic value of human dignity,” said Christopher Kerr, Executive Director of the Ignatian Solidarity Network.  “These actions send a strong message to the House of Representatives, including the forty-one members who graduated from Jesuit universities, that Jesuit institutions support comprehensive reform that includes a path to citizenship.”  

The Ignatian Solidarity Network’s call for reform also includes supporting young people without documentation seeking higher education by enacting the DREAM Act, maintaining family unity in all elements of the immigration system, protecting refugees and asylum seekers, and respecting the rights of U.S. and immigrant workers.

The Jesuit institution engagement dovetailed with two important letters released this past summer.  In May 2013, the U.S. Jesuit Provincials published a letter reiterating the call of the U.S. Catholic Bishops for immediate action on comprehensive immigration reform.  This July the Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities and Faith in Public Life, coordinated a letter from more than 100 Catholic university presidents that urged Speaker John Boehner and the U.S. House of Representatives to fix an immigration system they described as “morally indefensible.”

NATIONWIDE EVENT LISTING:

JESUIT UNIVERSITIES:

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Boston College (Boston, MA)
September 25th – Mass (12:15 PM / BCSTM Chapel / Don MacMillan, S.J.)

Canisius College (Buffalo, NY)
September 22nd – Mass (9:30 PM / Christ the King Chapel) with education & postcard signing

College of the Holy Cross (Worchester, MA)
September 25th – Mass (Time / Location TBA)

Creighton University (Omaha, NE)
September 25th – Bi-Lingual Mass (7pm / St. John’s Church)

Fairfield University (Fairfield, CT)
September 25th – Sean Carroll, S.J., of Kino Border Initiative Speaking on campus
September 25th – Mass (12:10 PM / Egan Chapel)
Other campus activities planned during the week of 9/23

Fordham University (New York, NY)
September 23-27 – Westchester Graduate School Campus will be tabling all week and ask graduate students and staff sign the cards
September 22 – Masses (5 PM & 8 PM / Rosehill Campus)
September 23-27 – Postcard signing station on Rosehill Campus

Georgetown University (Washington, DC)
September 25th – Mass (12:10 PM / Copley Crypt Chapel of the North American Martyrs  / Otto Hentz, SJ)
September 25th – Mass (10 PM /Copley Crypt Chapel of the North American Martyrs / Kevin O’Brien, S.J.)
September 25th – Postcard signing station in Red Square

Gonzaga University (Spokane, WA)
September 25th – Speaker: Dr. Hector Amaya: Immigration, Enforcement, Reform, and the Media
September 26th – Mass (12:10 PM / University Chapel)

John Carroll University (University Heights, OH)
September 25 – Mass (9:30 pm / St. Francis Chapel)
September 27 – Education activity with ISN’s Chris Kerr and a DREAMer followed by advocacy opportunity (12pm / Jardine Room)

Le Moyne College (Syracuse, NY)
September 22nd – Mass (7:00 pm)
September 24th  – Immigration facts posted in James Commons hallway
September 25th  – Learn about where your family immigrated from and take a group photo to show your support for immigration reform (to be sent to Congress)

Loyola Marymount University (Los Angeles, CA)
September 29th – Mass (Time TBA / US-Mexico Border) ***at Friendshp Park with border immersion group

Loyola University Chicago (Chicago, IL)
September 25th – Candlelight Prayer Vigil (9 PM / Campus Quad)

Loyola University Maryland (Baltimore, MD)
September 18th – Association of Latin American & Spanish Panel on Immigration
September 23rd – Mass (7:30 PM / Alumni Memorial Chapel)
Throughout Week – Student-run education/advocacy table

Marquette University (Milwaukee, WI)
September 25th – Masses (12 PM & 10 PM / Locations: TBA)

Regis University (Denver, CO)
September 23rd – Romero House community hospitality night with a simple meal and a presentation on Immigration Reform
September 25th – Interfaith Prayer Service on campus – TIME/LOCALE TBA
September 25th: Praise and Worship with student reflections focused on ‘Welcoming the stranger’

Rockhurst University (Kansas City, MO)
September 25th – Mass (12 PM / Mabbe Chapel)

Saint Joseph’s University (Philadelphia, PA)
September 22nd, September 25th & September 29th – Masses focused on immigration
September 25th – Taize Prayer Service on Immigration
Campus Fence Display in Front of chapel with pictures & statistics

Saint Peter’s University (Jersey City, NJ)
September 23rd – Prayer Service (12 PM / Panepinto Plaza, MacMahon Student Center)
*** The prayer service for compassionate and humane immigration reform will be part of the University’s annual commemoration of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr’s visit to campus on September 22, 1965.

Santa Clara University
September 22nd – Mass (10 AM / St. Ignatius Lawn)
Advocacy outreach during student involvement fair

Seattle University (Seattle, WA)
September 25th – Mass (12:30 PM PT / Location TBA)

University of San Francisco (San Francisco, CA)
September 25th – Campus Prayer Service with student DREAMer speaking & Postcard signing (Time/Locale TBA)

University of Scranton (Scranton, PA)
September 25th – Mass (12 PM / Location TBA / Kevin Quinn, S.J. & Rick Malloy, S.J.)
September 25th – Prayer Service (Time TBA / Location TBA)

Wheeling Jesuit University (Wheeling, WV)
September 25th – Mass (9:15 PM / Location TBA)

Xavier University (Cincinnati, OH)
September 29th – Masses (4 PM and 10 PM)
September 29th – Ecumenical Protestant Worship Service (8 PM)

OTHER CATHOLIC UNIVERSITIES:

Incarnate Word Academy University (San Antonio, TX)
September 25th – Mass (12 PM / Our Lady’s Chapel / Bi-Lingual)

PARISHES:

St. Peter’s Catholic Church (Charlotte, NC)
9/25 – Mass in Conjunction with MRS Office at Charlotte Diocese (6:00 PM / Main Church)

Holy Trinity (Washington, DC)
9/22 – Masses (7:30 AM, 9:30 AM, 11:15 AM, 1:15 PM & 5:30 PM)

HIGH SCHOOLS:

Xavier College Preparatory (Palm Desert, CA)
Summit on Human Dignity activities to begin the week of 9/23 (2013-2014 theme is immigration)

SOCIAL MINISTRIES:

Jesuit Volunteer Corps (San Jose Office)
Week of 9/22 – Postcard signing with staff and volunteers

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The Ignatian Solidarity Network (ISN) is a national social justice education and advocacy network inspired by the spirituality of St. Ignatius of Loyola. ISN was founded in 2004 and is a lay-led 501(c)3 organization working in partnership with Jesuit universities, high schools, and parishes, along with many other Catholic institutions and social justice partners.

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