Vigil event emphasizes Christ-like love

CSB Campus Ministry and the Spirituality and Social Justice Team (SSJ) collaborated to host a vigil related to national immigration issues. People from the campus community — students, sisters, faculty and staff — gathered in the Multicultural Student Space on Monday at 7 p.m. to listen to SSJ members — CSB senior Lexi Torres, CSB sophomore Clare Freid and CSB sophomore Alaynna Kriz — and CSB Campus Ministry Director Cindy Gonzalez speak about why this event was organized.

The SSJ Team met at the beginning of the semester to discuss an event centered around mass deportation in the country. They talked about the sense of fear growing and the need for community.

“Where are you on the journey?” Gonzalez said. “Will you open your heart?”

Then, CSB senior Roselyn Meza and SJU senior Sebastian Guzman read poems about humanity and everyone having a seat at the table. Following the reading of the poems, the Campus Ministry team started lighting candles of participants at the event.

The team asked that those whose candles had been lit share their light with others and say this verbally: “I share my light with you.” Once the candles were lit, participants started walking to the Sacred Heart Chapel. They were instructed to take time to connect spiritually with those they walked with, pray or just spend time in quiet contemplation.

Prioress Karen Rose read the recent letter released by Pope Francis to the Bishops of the United States. The letter highlights themes of Christlike love and emphasizes the importance of caring for migrants.

“Likewise, Jesus Christ, loving everyone with a universal love, educates us in the permanent recognition of the dignity of every human being, without exception,” Pope Francis said in the third paragraph of the letter.

After the reading of the letter, the SSJ team led the group in prayer. They also discussed red cards available in both English and Spanish that communicate the person showing it does not wish to speak to ICE. The SSJ team communicated that the community is a safe place for everyone.

“I feel like it is our duty as Christians, after reading that Pope Francis letter to the US bishops, to act right,” Torres said after the event. “We should not only listen to the words but listen and have actions that back it up and stand with our brothers and sisters in Christ. We should greet all as Christ.”

Gonzalez reflected on the symbolism of the event.

“In candlelight, we walk together — and walking at night when it’s windy is tricky. The flicker goes off, and then we share our light with one another. That’s symbolic,” Gonzalez said. “Oftentimes a journey can be darkness, and yet we hope that there will be life at the end of that tunnel.”

When asked what the CSB+SJU community’s role is in this national issue, Gonzalez said that listening to the Pope’s message is critical.

“Oftentimes, we look to our leaders for guidance, and I think here we have Pope Francis leading the way … I think that our role right now is to truly be keen about what we’re listening to and to come together to listen in a united way, especially with their words of hope,” Gonzalez said.

Torres said that the goal of the event was to ensure that everyone was welcomed.

“I truly hope that people had a good experience, whether they’re not Christian at all, or whether they’re devoted Catholic,” Torres said. “I want them to know that they’re radically loved and radically accepted. [And] Jesus himself was an immigrant, right? We can’t forget about that.