In the early morning of Friday, September 15, Saint Xavier students took their first trip of the year to the Broadview Detention Center.
At the Center, SXU students held a prayer vigil for those inside the building. The vigil, sponsored by the Interfaith Committee on Detained Immigrants, was founded by Religious Sisters of Mercy, JoAnn Persch and Pat Murphy. The Sisters started the prayer vigil in a display of support for immigrants being detained.
“The Sisters saw these immigrants being mistreated and living in horrible conditions, and they knew it was wrong,” President and Immigration Head for Mercy Students for Peace and Justice, Genesis Garcia Fisher explains. “So together, they worked on getting them visitation from family and better living conditions.”
Genesis is a junior here at SXU, and out of the 24 trips to Broadview during her time at Saint Xavier, she has attended 22 of those trips.
“I first heard about the Broadview trips on First Day for First Years. The Sister was speaking to us about what the Sisters of Mercy do to aid our world, and Broadview came up. I have never heard of another university being so upfront about being for the aid of immigrants. A school that can make a statement that is “controversial” like that to everyone, and something near to my heart, I just knew I had to be there.”
As controversial as the issue of immigration may be, the Sisters of Mercy consider it one of their “critical concerns.” This means the Sisters not only stand with families of immigrants, but are also determined to find a way to help those immigrants.More than that, the Sisters of Mercy have a list of Spiritual and Corporal works like, “Welcome the Stranger” and “Visit the imprisoned.” Both works directly correlate to the prayer vigils held at Broadview.
And as a school of the Sisters of Mercy, SXU follows in their footsteps to Broadview to stand in solidarity with those being detained and even deported.
Being at the prayer vigil is a powerful and, sometimes heartbreaking, experience, Genesis says, especially when it is a day of deportations.
“You see nothing other than a brick building with an American flag out front. We are not allowed inside, no matter the weather. Community members, church members, and students all come together to stand with the families. Last spring, there were deportations occurring. We saw loved ones bringing bags in, carrying all the detainee’s belongings inside.”
For Genesis, SXU Broadview trips are about more than solidarity.
“We put on every flyer ‘stand in solidarity’ because we need our community to come together, but to me, it’s not standing in solidarity. It’s being the voice for my dad, or my brother, or one of my friends. I could be one of the family members bringing their loved one a bag to leave this country. It’s time for our community to fight together against all injustices, not just those that apply to ourselves. Going to Broadview gives us the ability to share stories, create a safe environment, and go beyond the labels and numbers. We are viewing everyone as humans. Humans with families, humans with lives.”
Although SXU students attend a prayer vigil only once a month, vigils occur every Friday in Broadview, IL at 7:15am.
The first Friday of each month features interfaith vigils at Broadview, with different languages and religions represented. All other Fridays have a traditional Catholic service, with prayer in English and Spanish.
For more information on vigils at Broadview, you can visit Chicago Religious Leadership Network on Latin America. To participate in SXU’s next trip to the Center, email Genesis at garciafisher.g01@mymail.sxu.edu.
Cheyanne Daniels
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