We often joke about Notre Dame being in a bubble. And there is some truth to that. Sometimes we can be oblivious to the world around us. One thing that we should not be oblivious to is this.
This year, commencement will be different for some of our graduating seniors. The U.S. administration continues to target differently documented people living in the United States. It continues to dehumanize them, encouraging us to think of them as criminals, rapists and drug dealers. Nothing could be further from the truth.
Because of the need to travel with a REAL ID, many parents and family members of graduating seniors will not be able to come to Notre Dame to celebrate college graduation. This is so sad for so many reasons, but especially because it does not have to be.
My grandparents immigrated to the United States from Sicily and from Syria. All four left their home countries because there was no work, which means no food, which means no education, which means no future. They came here looking for a better way of life for their children. And they have enriched the United States in countless ways.
Today, differently documented people, who are our sisters and brothers, came to this country looking for a better life for their children. Most of us cannot begin to imagine what they go through for their children.
If your parents are traveling to campus for commencement, I’m very happy for you. I invite you, however, to think for a few moments what the weekend would be like without your parents and family, without the people who supported you from the moment you were conceived, who made countless sacrifices so that you could arrive at this day. They deserve to celebrate this day with you and with your friends. You deserve to have them celebrate with you. I’m glad that they can join you.
But there are other parents who have supported their children from the first moment of their conception, who have made countless sacrifices so that they could arrive at this day, who deserve to celebrate this day with their children, but they cannot be present because they cannot travel or because they are too afraid to travel.
Our country is in a very dark spot. In the Gospel of St. John, darkness is not the opposite of light. Rather it is the rejection of the light that is Jesus Christ. I believe that we are living in a moment when many in our country are actively rejecting the light of the world, who is Jesus Christ.
These few words invite the reader to do something about the terrible injustices being inflicted on our sisters and brothers. They invite those students whose parents will join them to consider how sad they would be if their parents could not come to graduation.
This will be the case for some of our graduating seniors. Say a prayer for them. If you know someone whose parents are unable to come to graduation, you might consider inviting that student to join you and your family for some of the events. Or you might consider not asking personal questions as to where their parents are.
For the four years that you have been here, Notre Dame has invited you to be a force for good in the world. Here’s one more chance. Take advantage of it.
Pray for a conversion of heart for those who do not respect immigrants and refugees. Pray for immigration reform. And pray for your classmates whose parents and family cannot join them.
Fr. Joe Corpora, CSC
Associate director, Transformational Leaders Program
Priest-in-Residence, Dillon Hall
Feb. 25
