Four Holy Cross students had the opportunity to serve the poor and less fortunate during a recent immersion trip to San Antonio, Texas, sponsored by the Congregation of Holy Cross.
On the first day, our group visited Casa Marianella, a home for immigrants and refugees seeking asylum in our country, and learned about their lives, their stories, and what brought them here.
“We listened to a testimony of a young lady who fled her home country of El Salvador in hopes of protecting her life. Hearing the story of the horrifying and appalling trials and tribulations she faced in order to come to America left us with a new view on immigration and appreciation for immigrants,” said senior Blake Flood.
After meeting some of the refugees, our students performed service work, painting a room at Casa Marianella. They also helped clean grounds at Christian Hope Resource Center, worked in the gardens at the Food Bank, and prepared and served food for the homeless at Haven for Hope.
The experience also included meeting several Holy Cross brothers and priests and visiting St. Edward’s University in Austin, where they got to connect with some of our Holy Cross alumni. While in Austin, the students also toured the Texas state capitol with Brother Richard Daly, C.S.C., who served as a lobbyist for a number of years, and got to visit one of our brother schools—Holy Cross of San Antonio.
“In a mere five days, four young individuals transfigured into Holy Cross Men. We experienced an immersion which has given us the competency to see, but more importantly the courage to act,” said Flood.
Photo Gallery: http://photos.holycrosstigers.com/Spring-Immersion-2018/