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Lent reminds Catholics to focus on three areas: fasting, almsgiving and prayer. This year, many are choosing to make their Lenten commitments shine a light on social injustices within our country and beyond, fasting with organizations advocating for change.

As Lent began March 5, more than two dozen presidents of Catholic colleges and universities fasted for 24 hours to bring attention to the ongoing campaign Fast for Families. On Feb. 22, more than 150 students from various Midwestern Catholic colleges and universities gathered at Loyola University Chicago for "Lighting the Pathway: Student Summit on Immigration Reform." I sat with three Loyola University Chicago sophomores to discuss their commitment to immigration reform and their experience at the summit.

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Why does immigration reform matter to you?

Claire O'Halloran: I was one of the students who went in November to the Ignatian Solidarity Network teach-in to advocate for increasing the minimum wage. There were students who were also there to advocate on immigration reform, and I learned how much these issues factor into each other.

Flavio Bravo: This is definitely a personal issue and a passion of mine. Coming from Arizona, I thought it was the norm to talk regularly about immigration reform. I thought in Chicago, everyone would want to talk about this issue, but many have never seen the border. They don't know about it.

Growing up, we would go on shrimp runs [to Mexico], and at the border, they would say, "Welcome, Flavio" and say the same to my brother, but my sister, the only one who has dark skin, would be asked questions.

It all goes back to my uncle, who was Cesar Chavez's right-hand man; my uncle's coffin was built by Chavez's brother. Labor rights have a direct tie to immigration reform.

Hannah Coley: I thought about immigration reform seeing people my age struggling when I don't have to worry about going to college. I had never thought about that before and this changed to being an issue present for people I know. It was a huge shock.

How has the need for immigration reform impacted you personally?

Continued here:

A Lenten commitment to immigration reform