Written By: Sister Arlene Flaherty, OP
May 29, 2013
The NETWORK Nuns on the Bus tour for immigration reform began last night at St. Rose of Lima Parish in New Haven, CT. After several parishioners from this largely Latino parish addressed the critical need for "Nuns on the Bus" advocacy efforts, Peg Regan, SSND, who directs an educational program for recently arrived immigrants spoke to many of the push factors including economic stresses exacerbated by U.S. policy in Latin America. Ganna, a Syrian woman refugee, then gave poignant testimony to her struggle to remain in the U.S. with her young children and graduate-student husband - especially since her country is awash in war.
When Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro came to the mike, she whipped up the energy of our gathering with her compassionate plea for comprehensive immigration and her admiration for the faith community, who take the principles of Catholic Social Teaching out for a ride.
One of the most moving parts of the evening was the blessing of the St. Rose of Lima community for the NETWORK Nuns on the Bus community- we really felt sent and commissioned to bring the story and the urgency of a commonsense policy that
will enable our country to reclaim and refocus our nation’s tradition of welcoming the immigrant.
