About once a month, Fr. Corey Brost, CSV and Br. Michael Gosch, CSV help coordinate public witness events in downtown Arlington Heights, Illinois, where they stand with community partners in support of immigrants and against injustices in US enforcement and public policy.
On Friday, August 1, when about 40 people gathered on the corner of Arlington Heights Road and Northwest Highway, we collected reflections from them for Viatorian Voices: Conversations on the Way.
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Fr. Tom Long, CSV has been accompanying and advocating for immigrants for many years, including visiting detention centers to offer prayer and support to detainees and their families. “We can’t go solitary on this,” Fr. Tom said that night, to describe our communal response to immigration injustices. “We have to go united. This (public witness) is one example of being united.”
“We’re out here once a month to remind all who pass by what our nation stands for – and that’s compassionate welcome of people seeking refuge in our nation, especially young people,” Fr. Corey, co-founder and Executive Director of Viator House, said.
“I think it’s important that people, especially Viatorians, take a stand to counter the narrative that’s out there about immigrants that demonizes and dehumanizes them,” Br. Michael, co-founder and Director of Programs and Housing for Viator House, said. “Are there some who are criminals? Sure. Is it the majority? Absolutely not.”
A few images from our August 1, 2025 public witness.
Our friends and partners who stand with us shared a range of motivations and reasons for standing up and speaking out. Here’s a few snippets:
- “If we can get a few people to think a little bit differently, maybe say something differently, read something differently, maybe speak a little bit differently, I think that makes a big difference.”
- “I’m glad I’m here around people who care about this issue. It makes me feel better to find other people with these views.”
- “I’m not a post-on-Facebook kind of guy; I’m a stand-out-on-the-street-corner with a sign kind of guy, to be out here on my own two feet and stand up for what is right.”
Hear the full reflections from Viatorians as well as our friends and partners in Episode 93 of Viatorian Voices, available on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts.
To learn more about the “how and why” of public witness, we invite you to go back to our May 2025 feature, “Public Witness: Showing What We Stand For”. To keep up with Viator House of Hospitality, visit their website or follow them on Facebook or Instagram.