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The month of May has been a busy month for a number of Viatorians who have been advocating for compassionate and comprehensive immigration reform.

On May 1, 2010 Fr. Corey Brost, Br. Michael Gosch, Fr. Thomas Long, and Br. Rob Robertson participated in marches both in Chicago and in Arlington Heights/Palatine highlighting the need for immigration reform.  Students from Saint Viator High School participated in the Arlington Heights/Palatine march.  For additional information, please click on the following link: www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=377651

Fr. Charles Bolser, CSV, pastor of St. Viator parish in Chicago, joined others on May 21st for the first leg of a three day march from St. Bartholomew parish in Chicago to the McHenry County Jail in Woodstock from where undocumented people who have been arrested are deported.  Fr. Brost and students from Saint Viator High School in Arlington Heights prepared sandwiches for those marching and met with them during the second day of the march when they rested at neighboring St. James Church.  Organized by the Illinois Coalition for immigrant and Refugee Rights, the march was a response to proposed initiatives in the Chicago area that allows law enforcement officials more power in enforcing federal immigration laws.  For additional information, please click on the following link:
http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2010-05-22/news/ct-met-mcheimmigration-march-052220100522._1_homeland-security-database-marchers-federal-immigration-laws

Br. Gosch and students from St. Martin de Porres High School in Waukegan, Illinois wrote letters to President Barack Obama, Senator Roland Burris, Senator Richard Durbin, and Congressman Mark Kirk calling on them to denounce the controversial SB 1070 recently signed into law in Arizona by Governor Jan Brewer.  They also called on them “to work diligently for comprehensive and compassionate immigration reform that allows a pathway to citizenship for honest and hardworking immigrants who are here without documentation.”  The letters were mailed at the end of the month.

As members of Priests for Justice for Immigrants and Sisters and Brothers of Immigrants, several Viatorians continue to “demand that our legislators halt all non-criminal deportations until they fix our long-broken immigration system.”  For a copy of their recent statement, please click on the following link:
www.archchicago.org/immigration/pdf/Immigration/PJI-SBI-statement-May12-Final.pdf

Finally, Fr. Brost, Br. Gosch, and Br. Robertson joined with several others at the office of U.S. Congressman Mark Kirk on June 7, 2010 for a press conference calling on him to work for comprehensive immigration reform.  For over a year, a number of his constituents have requested meetings with him both in Illinois and Washington, D.C.  Several months ago, a scheduled meeting was cancelled and follow up requests have been ignored.