March 22, 2016
Preston Kendall, President, Cristo Rey St. Martin College Prep
When Jon Taus was in high school in Ohio, he made a trek to Washington D.C. with a busload of classmates. It was a journey that completely changed the course of his life.
Last fall, Mr. Taus, a Loyola University graduate and now a CRSM English and history teacher, made a similar pilgrimage. He traveled with six students and members from the four Chicago Jesuit high schools to join more than 1,700 attendees for an inspirational weekend at the 18th annual Ignatian Family Teach-In for Justice (IFTJ) in Washington D.C. Mr. Taus had hoped that the journey would inspire CRSM students to live their lives more fully dedicated to a path of justice and care for others, just as the conference had changed his heart and mind years ago.
“When I was in high school, I was totally lost and had no idea where I was going or what I wanted to be,” said Taus. “The weekend completely changed my path, with teaching and volunteering for social justice organizations becoming my goals in life. What was really cool is that this year I could sense that spark in the students and know they were inspired to get more involved in immigration reform.” Taus supervises CRSM’s group, uKNIGHTed Students for Immigration Reform.
IFTJ provides space for students to find a prophetic voice for solidarity with the economically disadvantaged, the marginalized, and the Earth. The nationwide conference, sponsored by the Ignatian Solidarity Network, challenges students and gets them engaged and inspired to be agents of change for justice and solidarity. This event keeps alive the legacy of many who have worked for justice, particularly the six Jesuits, their housekeeper and her daughter who were all killed in El Salvador in 1989. The theme of this year’s conference is simply one word: Bridges.
“A highlight of the trip was a quote by a representative to ‘tear down these walls and build bridges,'” says Ana, a CRSM sophomore. She now feels renewed in her commitment to pursue a career as an immigration lawyer. Immigration reform has impacted her family, and Ana is determined to ease the pain and suffering that can result from unjust practices. “It gave me hope that maybe someday things can change, and there were certain topics that we talked about that really did get to me on an emotional level. These topics made me have better knowledge on an important topic that has a big impact around the world.”
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