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150+ Catholic College & University Students Gather at Chicago Immigration Summit

Participants get riled up during the campus roll call.
Sr. Mary Ellen Lacy shares reflections on the need for immigration reform.

Sr. Mary Ellen Lacy shares reflections on the need for immigration reform.

BY ISN STAFFFebruary 24, 2014

CHICAGO, IL – Over 150 students from Catholic colleges and universities all the way from Milwaukee to Cleveland gathered at Loyola University Chicago on February 22nd for a Student Summit on Immigration Reform organized by Faith in Public Life and the Ignatian Solidarity Network.  Student attendees hailed from DePaul University, Dominican University, John Carroll University, Lewis University, Loyola University Chicago, Marquette University, St. Mary’s College, St. Xavier University and University of Notre Dame.

Summit speakers included Veronica Soto, a student at DePaul University and DREAMer, Sr. Mary Ellen Lacy, D.C., an immigration advocate and participant in the nationally-known “Nuns on the Bus,”  Fr. Kevin Flaherty, S.J., currently the Director of First Studies for Jesuits studying at Loyola University Chicago, and Srs. JoAnn Persch, R.S.M and Patricia Murphy, R.S.M., Peace and Justice Coordinators for the Sister of Mercy’s West Midwest Province and also ministers to undocumented persons who detained in federal facilities.

Dr. Rob Kelly, Vice President for Student Development  at Loyola University Chicago welcomed the group to Loyola and offered words of encouragement for the day when he said, “It [positive change] starts with you, your leadership, your connections, and what you’re building here today.”  And throughout the summit speakers noted the need for comprehensive immigration reform that recognizes the dignity of undocumented people.  Sr. Mary Ellen Lacy said, “The system is broken and we repeatedly encounter the human casualties of that brokenness,” reflecting on her current work as an immigration lawyer in New York City.

Cat Keating co-leads a breakout session during the Summit.

Cat Keating co-leads a breakout session during the Summit.

Participants also had the opportunity to attend breakout sessions on grassroots advocacy, campus movement building and how to speak to diverse audiences about comprehensive immigration reform.  Campus groups took part in campus action planning sessions and then presented their plans to the other student attendees.  Most notable in the presentations was the students desire to engage larger constituencies in the immigration on their campuses, including cultural groups, faculty and school administration.

The Summit concluded with a brief award ceremony facilitated by Faith in Public life who awarded four “Moral Courage Awards” to following award winners:

  • DePaul University, for their support of undocumented students
  • Srs. JoAnn Persch, R.S.M and Patricia Murphy, R.S.M., for their continued commitment to supporting the pastoral needs of undocumented persons detained in federal facilities which included lobbying for an Illinois law allowing pastoral ministers to be permitted in detention facilities;
  • Loyola University Chicago’s Stritch School of Medicine for being the first U.S. university to publicly state its acceptance of undocumented medical school students.
Mark G. Kuczewski, Ph.D. receiving Moral Courage Award on Behalf of Loyola University Chicago

Mark G. Kuczewski, Ph.D. receiving Moral Courage Award on Behalf of Loyola University Chicago

3 replies
  1. padre Kino
    padre Kino says:

    congrats to mi compadre y tocallo Pedro for getting this off the ground.

    I want to say you have got lots of support across the nation . NOW let’s get the othere Jesuit/Catholic Universities on board and active.

    Gracias

    Reply

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  1. […] partnership with ISN and Faith in Public Life, Loyola hosted the Student Summit on Immigration Reform in February […]

  2. […] February, over 150 students from nine Catholic universities met at Loyola Chicago University for a Student Summit on Immigration Reform. In 2013, Loyola University Chicago became the first university in the country to publicly accept […]

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