IHMs Protest
Unjust Ordinance
Srs. Kathryn Clauss, Margaret Gannon, Therese
O' Rourke, Kathryn Kurdziel, Mary Mark Lowery, Susan Hadzima
and
Mary Jo Gallagher participated in the prayer vigil and rally
in Hazleton on July 12 to protest the city council's vote
on
Mayor Lou Barletta's illegal immigration ordinance.
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In
an effort to promote compassion and justice for our
immigrant neighbors, a group of IHM Sisters,
thirteen from the Scranton IHM (Srs. Margaret Gannon,
Ann Newell, Ann Walsh, Maureen Therese Harun, Amanda
DelValle, Jean Louis Bachetti, Kathleen McNulty, Joan
McCusker, Helene Cooke, Denise Montagne, Lisa Perkowski,
Mary Kay Faliskie, Dorothy Haney and John Michel Southwick)
and three sisters from Immaculata, gathered in Hazleton
on September 2 to show their support for the Latino
community and all immigrants in the United States.
Sr. Margaret Gannon addressed the following words to
the Latino community in Hazleton at the rally, "We
are here to show our support for all our brothers and
sisters from the Latino community. We want you to know
that we are with you and that we want justice to be
done. You can read in our sign that we are sent to be
prophetic witnesses of God in the world and the presence
of God is a God of compassion, a God of love, a God
of justice. So we are here in the hope of spreading
that idea and making it clear that we stand with you
in compassion, in justice and in love. One of the founders
of our congregation was an immigrant, and the other
was a daughter of an immigrant, so our roots are deep
in the Latin community, and indeed we are all children
of immigrants, and we want to show you how much we are
supporting you, praying for you and speaking where we
can for you. Thank you."
Standing across the street from the William J. Nealon
Federal Building, a diverse group spoke out against
an ordinance they say destroys families and promotes
anti-Latino sentiment. Opening arguements for
the federal lawsuit, Lozano v. City
of Hazleton, began on Monday, March 12, 2007 in Scranton.
The IHM Sisters gathered outside the courthouse along
with others supporters.
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Racial
Harmony Sought At Vigil |
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On Tuesday, July 29,
a candlelight vigil was held in the Shenandoah, Pennsylvania
for a Mexican immigrant who was fatally beaten earlier
this month in that same town. Although the vigil was
hosted by the Catholic priest from the local parish,
people from many races, religions, and geographical
areas were represented, standing in solidarity with
a family and a community who lost a beloved member.
The vigil was marked by impassioned speeches, prayers
and calls for racial unity and peace.
(Left) Sisters Margaret Gannon,
Jacqu Servick, Ann walsh, and Donna Korba
represented the IHM Congregation at the vigil.
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An article about the candlelight vigil was published
in the Citizens Voice, a newspaper in nearby Wilkes-Barre,
PA.
SHENANDOAH - A candlelight vigil Tuesday night for
an illegal Mexican immigrant fatally beaten earlier
this month was marked by impassioned calls for racial
unity and justice.The Mexican American Legal Defense
and Educational Fund, a national Hispanic civil rights
organization, held the memorial for Luis Eduardo Ramirez
Zavala, 25, who died July 14 from injuries he suffered
after being assaulted, allegedly by a group of white
teenagers, on July 12.With an ethnically diverse crowd
of about 150 people, the vigil’s public comment
period ran more than an hour with calls for racial
unity in the small community.
Click
Here to view the entire article
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