Here we will feature various students, teams, and clubs that have been living the charism of Blessed Edmund Rice, the Essential Elements as well as living the values expressed in our Knight's Compass.
Got an idea for a Knight or Knights to be in the spotlight? Discuss with a Student Council member or send an email with a proposal.
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Immigration is obviously a hot topic in today's political world. There are countless attitudes and beliefs about the ongoing immigration situations in Canada and the United States. As part of an immersion/service trip, ten students from STMC (along with 2 students from Bergen Catholic in New Jersey) spent a week in Brownsville, Texas in early November. Brownsville is the most southern city in Texas, right on the Mexican border, and is a major port of entry for immigrants coming from all over South America.
Right across the order, on the Mexican side, is where hundreds of people are being held in a tent city. Some of these people do make their way to the USA where they need and use social services provided by various charities. The students of STMC spent time volunteering at some of these charities, doing a number of chores and most importantly, interacting with the people. It was stressed to the students to hear their stories and put a human face on immigration. They met individuals and families from Honduras, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Mexico, and even Cuba and Zimbabwe. In all their interactions the students were willing and happy to do anything to make the next phase of their life easier. It was a powerful seven days and a valuable educational experience. Being with the people trying to immigrate as well as those that work with them on a daily basis, the students came to realize the struggles it takes to make a better life.
In our nightly reflections, we talked about our own families and our own immigration stories and some of the struggles our families endured to make a better life. Making that connection between the people we met and our families really helped put a face to immigration. There are no simple answers to the immigration crisis around the world. All we can hope is that every person is treated with humanity and that was the message received by a great group of STMC students.