Sr. Cristina Marie Buczkowski writes:  "My new ministry at Dolores Mission School in Boyle Heights will take me into a community riddled with problems. How are the social, economic, and political issues impacting the hearts and minds of the children and their families?  How am I to help my students reach their full potential if I have no idea what their everyday lives are like and what issues and concerns their families face? What is their lived experience of immigrant issues and ICE? What impact does homelessness and lack of youth engagement opportunities have on the community? To what extent are racial justice issues being addressed?    

"When Dolores Mission Church hosted a Community Forum with the new Los Angeles Police Chief, Michel Moore, I knew I had to attend.   LA Voice, an inter-faith community organization, invited representatives of various faith groups (Christian, Jewish, Muslim, and others) to address these issues and more. Several people from the local community stood and gave personal testimonies. It is one thing to read about or watch news broadcasts about these issues. But being there in person and feeling the energy, the pain, the frustration, the desire for things to be different--that experience will stay with me for a very long time!"

Sr. Gina Marie Blunck, executive director of the Conrad N. Hilton Fund for Sisters, reports:  "The Hilton Fund's board discussed the current situation regarding the separation of families who are coming to our borders, seeking to better their lives.  We share the concern of many Americans for the children who will suffer trauma for years to come.  Recognizing that the sisters are serving greater numbers of our brothers and sisters at this time, the fund recently offered over $500,000 in grants to 16 sisters who work with projects in Texas, California and Mexico.   Many of the projects have recently been featured in the media.  I was profoundly moved by the depth of human need..."