Two Schools, One Spirit of Service The CSJ Legacy Continues: Faith i n Action

Written by Katie Wilson, Service Learning & Retreats Director

One of the beautiful examples of “two schools, one spirit” is OLP’s ongoing partnership with St. Augustine High School for our monthly visits to CASA HOGAR INFANTI L in the La Gloria community of Tijuana, located just six miles south of the U.S. border. One Saturday a month, ministry leaders from both schools caravan down with students to visit the children and share an afternoon spent in intentional community.

Founded in 1975, Casa Hogar Infantil La Gloria is a home for at-risk and vulnerable children, ranging in age from infants to early teens. Some of the children are orphans; many come from situations of abuse, neglect, or abandonment. The OLP and Saints students undertake all sorts of activities with the children, from playing basketball and soccer, making monthly themed crafts, attending Mass, and on special occasions, sharing lunches of pozole soup, all in an effort to grow nurturing and lasting friendships with the children.

Casa Hogar Infantil is run by dedicated volunteers in partnership with the Augustinian community of Catholic priests and brothers in San Diego. The home is funded by a California nonprofit entity, managed by a Mexican nonprofit entity, and regulated by Mexico’s social services agency. Through this monthly partnership, not only have students been able to form strong friendships with the children, but they have also had opportunities to practice the art of fundraising. Saints and OLP students have each undertaken fundraisers and shared the proceeds directly with Hogar Infantil La Gloria’s California nonprofit entity. Senior student leader Malia Lewton shares, “This example of student faith leadership demonstrates that all we truly need to make a positive difference in the lives of others is love and a willingness to serve.”

Recent OLP alums from the class of 2022 Annya Apodaca, Valentina Gutierrez, Lara Sanchez and Isabella Murillo reflected back on their four years of volunteering with Casa Hogar Infantil La Gloria. They communally shared: “This experience helped us exemplify the CSJ charism of serving the dear neighbor, beyond our OLP community to our neighboring community in Tijuana. This opportunity allowed us to see beyond ourselves to our brothers and sisters in Christ. We created many fond memories with the children, watched them grow over our high school years, and witnessed their excitement as they learned how to read, pray, and write, amongst other childhood milestones. We hope that the Casa Hogar Infantil community continues to thrive in an environment full of love for one another, and knows that they have left a permanent mark on our hearts, which we carry proudly and lovingly.”

If you are interested in joining on a future visit to Casa Hogar Infantil La Gloria, please reach out to Mrs. Katie Wilson, Service Learning and Retreats Director.

Over the past year, OLP students have had the incredible opportunity to serve side by side with our Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet through a CSJ founded nonprofit organization, Border Compassion

Border Compassion is an all-volunteer organization which coordinates and guides faith communities in US-Mexico border cross-overs, to stand in solidarity with families seeking asylum. The founder of Border Compassion, Sister Suzanne Jabro, CSJ shared: “The mission of Border Compassion is to invite faith-communities to offer a compassionate humanitarian response to families living at the Posada del Migrante Shelter, which houses up to three hundred people.” Through OLP Campus Ministry, OLP students have traveled to Mexicali, Mexico and shared in a day of celebration with the families living at the shelter this past Mother’s Day, and, more recently, for a Dia De Los Muertos celebration in November.

Sister Suzanne Jabro shared, “CSJs uniting at the Mexicali-California Border welcoming the refugee, feeding the hungry, building bridges of trust, not walls of fear, is how we shine a light and live the charism. Extending an invitation to the students of OLP is important because of their sensibility to the challenges of the present, and because they will be the ones to carry forth our mission into the future. We want to be together, sisters and students, and migrant parents and children, because we belong together. As CSJs, we situate ourselves on the margins together. This is where we belong. Our mission is to give ourselves away in love, particularly to those in greatest need, especially to the children.”

Each visit was spent sharing stories with one another, engaging in activities with the mothers and children and sharing a delicious meal with one another. Class of 2026 student, Isabella Pace, shared, “I feel like this experience built a bridge between two communities. Going

Written by Katie Wilson, Service Learning & Retreats Director

to this shelter we were able to connect with the people living there and listen to their experiences and understand their side of the story.

I think that the families there felt a sense of comfort and happiness knowing that we were caring for and loving them. I feel that if I lived my life oblivious to what was going on in the world, I wouldn’t get to meet so many amazing people and I would miss out on the opportunities to learn and grow as a person.”

Another special part of this experience is traveling and interacting with our wonderful CSJ sisters. Since we no longer have sisters working on our OLP campus, immersions like this one with Border Compassion give us opportunities to learn from our wise and empathetic sisters. One special CSJ that we were able to spend the day with last spring was Sister Theresa Harpin, OLP Class of 1969. OLP students loved getting to know her and hearing her stories of attending OLP in the 1960’s. She is now the founder of Restorative Partners, a justice-oriented nonprofit organization in San Luis Obispo.

OLP looks forward to continuing to immerse our ministry programming in our CSJ spirit and legacy through partnerships with CSJ nonprofits, and continuing to serve the dear neighbor without distinction in all corners of our global community. If you would like to learn more about the work of Border Compassion, or donate, you can visit their website at border-compassion.org.