December 5, 2018
On November 3rd, sixteen Cristo Rey New York High School (CRNYHS) students traveled to Washington D.C. to participate in the Ignatian Family Teach-In for Justice. The Teach-In is known as the largest annual Catholic social justice gathering in the United States, attracting nearly 2,000 people from over 135 Jesuit and Catholic institutions. Over the weekend, our students, along with the other attendees, gathered to hear from dynamic speakers and participate in a variety of breakout sessions together.
The Teach-In culminated on Monday, November 5th with what is estimated to be the largest Catholic advocacy day of the year. Our students, along with approximately 1,500 other participants, ascended Capitol Hill to meet with members of Congress and their staffs to urge Congress to enact immigration and criminal justice reform. Each student came prepared with his/her speech to present on a different issue. One CRNYHS student commented on the unjust and ignored suffering of those seeking asylum; “At the end of the day, we are all people. No matter our race, nationality, ethnicity, religion, political beliefs, we are still human beings and we must treat people with dignity and respect.” Another student discussed the increased militarization of our borders. “We all deserve a chance for a better life. No one should be killed or arrested for being human, for having the dream to want to achieve more for themselves and their family.”
For CRNYHS, the Teach-In is one of the ways that our students can put the core values of its founding orders – the Society of the Holy Child Jesus, De La Salle Christian Brothers, and Society of Jesus – to work, striving to model these values and to serve others.
About Cristo Rey New York
Cristo Rey New York High School is a Catholic, co-ed, college-prep school, part of the national Cristo Rey Network, and co-founded with the Society of the Holy Child Jesus. Cristo Rey New York serve students of all faiths who have demonstrated the potential and motivation to achieve success and who do not have the educational background or financial means to attend another private, college-prep school. Guided by the spirit of care for the individual, cura personalis, the school challenges all our students with a rigorous academic curriculum and a demanding work-internship program. The ultimate goal is that the students will graduate from college and become professionals for others, transforming the world for the good of their families and society.
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