SHC Students Pilgrimage to Mexico for Papal Mass

This February, a group of SHC students, faculty members and parents journeyed to Ciudad Juárez, Mexico, to attend a Papal Mass. In a venue less than 500 feet from the US-Mexico border, the Pope called for compassion in regards to immigration: “We cannot deny the humanitarian crisis which in recent years has meant the migration of thousands of people, whether by train or highway or on foot, crossing hundreds of kilometers through mountains, deserts and inhospitable zones ... The human tragedy that is forced migration is a global phenomenon today.”

For the SHC students in attendance, the opportunity to see the Pope was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Roberto Ramos ’17 shares, "Going to pray with the Pope changed my whole perspective of the world. The most important message I took was that we must care for our planet, God’s beautiful creation. We must respect it and learn how to take care of it. We have to change our habits of living to create a better tomorrow."

Being able to see the Pope in Mexico was especially important to SHC student Paulina Toledo ’17. "Meeting students from all over Mexico helped me connect with their culture and really helped me reconnect with my language."

SHC made the journey along with eight other Lasallian schools, two from the United States and six from Mexico. For Instructor of Theology Ismael Ruiz, the journey symbolized solidarity in communities of faith across the world. "We got to experience a Church of mercy that breaks down walls and brings human beings together, especially the young. Experiencing this journey with other Lasallian schools was amazing—though we come from different places, we share the same faith and sense of love for one another."

Read the New York Times coverage of Pope Francis’ trip to Ciudad Juárez.