November 4 - 11, 2021 brought participants from Iona Prep and Bishop Hendricken to Texas for our annual Brownsville Immersion. Fifteen students and chaperones spent eight days in the valley learning about immigration and service to our brothers and sisters seeking asylum and refugee status in the United States. A wonderful week it was of immigration classes provided by our chaperones on the history of immigration, DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals), present day reality at our southern border and advocacy.
We visited Guadalupe Middle School, La Posada Home for Refugees, Catholic Charities Humanitarian Respite Center and the Good Neighbor Settlement Community for our service projects. Our students also visited Palo Alto Battlefield National Park to learn history of the area and the Basilica of Our Lady of San Juan del Valle National Shrine for our Sunday mariachi liturgy. After liturgy, our day of recreation brought us to South Padre Island for fun in the sun and time to share in the beauty of our southern border. Many thanks to our Christian Brothers in Brownsville, Texas for their hospitality to us during our time on immersion. Thanks also to Brother Steve Casey who coordinated the program.