With the theme of “Sharing the Journey,” the spring issue of CatholicU magazine explores the challenging topic of immigration — not from a political point of view, but a humanistic one.
“The Church’s position on the need for humane treatment of immigrants and refugees is clear,” says Stacy Brustin, professor in the Columbus School of Law. “So we feel comfortable at Catholic University standing up and doing more.”
Brustin, the director of the school’s Immigration and Refugee Advocacy Clinic, is one among many faculty, staff, students, alumni, and Church leaders who are profiled in the spring issue. All are involved in scholarship, advocacy or service related to immigrants and refugees. Together, their stories tell how Catholic University, as the national university of the Catholic Church in America, is answering the call of Pope Francis to share the journey with those seeking refuge and a better life.
They include Sister Raghad Saeed, a physics doctoral student at the University, who fled from her homeland in Iraq when the city of Mosul was overtaken by terrorists; law student Patrick Ishimwe, a Rwandan refugee, who plans to become an immigration lawyer; Javier Bustamante, an immigrant from Peru, who leads the University’s Center for Cultural Engagement; and Amanda Ceraldi, whose University-sponsored trip to the border as an undergraduate led her to long-term service in Guatemala after graduation.
The spring magazine features photos from the early-March border immersion trip in which undergraduates, led by Campus Ministry staff, spent their spring break in El Paso, Texas, and Las Cruces, New Mexico, learning about and serving in border communities.
The magazine is landing in mailboxes this week. The editors are looking forward to feedback on this issue and ideas for future issues. Write to cua-magazine@cua.edu.