Fr. Corey Brost, CSV, frequently talks about the success that Viator House of Hospitality is having with the young men entrusted to its care. As the executive director, he proudly shares that VHH has provided a home for more than 95 young men from 21 nations, since its inception in 2017.

Fr. Corey Brost meets with the softball players.

Yet, there is so much more to the story, from what these young men fled, to the aslyum system in the United States, to the supportive services they receive and how much different their experiences — and outcomes — are than adult detention.

Last week, Fr. Corey described Viator House and the men it accompanies to members of Saint Viator High School’s girls’ softball team. Their head coach, John Scotillo, is a retired circuit court judge, who regularly encouraged his courtroom employees to join him in social justice outreach. He arranged the presentation as a way to carry out the school’s — and the athletic program’s — commitment to service.

“They were an incredible audience,” Fr. Corey said. “It was clear that their hearts were moved, they were intellectually engaged — they asked great questions — and they cared enormously for these young men and all they are going through.”

As high school students, they are too young to volunteer at VHH, but that was not the end goal, Fr. Corey adds.

“Our goal is to start a Viator House of Hospitality advocacy committee at Saint Viator High School, one of our partners,” he said, “to educate the larger Saint Viator community about VHH, the asylum system and how people can respond as young Catholics.”

At the same time, Fr. Corey is working with Jim Dippold, Campus Minister at Cristo Rey St. Martin College Prep, of which the Viatorian Community is an endorsing community, to form an advocacy committee there as well.

“Our goal,” Fr. Corey says, “is to build a network of asylum advocates through our connections with young people.”