Bidding Adios to the Saint Edmund School Building - As Father Carl shared earlier, the decision has been made to close the Saint Edmund School building due to the enormous cost of repairing and maintaining the beloved, but very old, structure. The last day the “free stores” and social services will be available for the migrants in the building will be Thursday, October 9. Immigration Support Services has moved to Murphy Hall and that will continue. Thank goodness (the Holy Spirit!), we have been offered ample space in another Oak Park church. YAY!!! We will share more of this good news as the details are being worked out.

But we will miss Centro San Edmundo and recognize the impact our time there has had not only on the migrants, but also the volunteers and the surrounding community. In the almost 22 months that we have been open, over 20,000 migrants have been served. They left with bundles containing bedding, clothes, shoes, boots, winter coats, and toiletries. The children played happily in their special room. Migrants were fed a warm breakfast and were able to access immigration support, social services, and English lessons. BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY THEY FELT WELCOME, HONORED, AND SAFE. Their countries’ flags hung from the ceiling. The walls were lined with BIENVENIDOS! signs drawn by Saint Giles school children. Many volunteers spoke fluent Spanish; others made an honest effort to learn key phrases.

The school building was CHURCH. It housed a ministry that WELCOMED THE STRANGER, FED THE HUNGRY, AND CLOTHED THE NAKED. Thank you, Saint Edmund School building, for 108 years of FAITH IN ACTION. Over the next few weeks, we will share more reflections on the impact of Centro San Edmundo.

We are pausing all but financial donations now, and will alert you when we can accept donations again. Thank you for your ongoing support of the Migrant Ministry.

For more information, email [email protected].