"It’s not a migrant issue or even a Southwest issue. It’s a people issue." That’s why the Sisters of Notre Dame in Douglas, Arizona always have a full house. They open up their home so that people can experience exactly what's happening on the border. Just stepping into the harsh desert alone gives you more context - there is no way to fathom the journey across this inhospitable landscape. School groups from the Northern United States frequently come down to stay with the Sisters. And they feel a special connection to students because most of them were teachers themselves. Many times these visiting high school students are Latino, and want to see what's happening firsthand. "I remember a time when were took a group of high school students from New Jersey into the desert," she said, "and a particular student came to a cross and read the name. She exclaimed and thanked God it wasn't her father’s name on the that cross." I too was grateful to have made the journey to the … [Read more...] about Lived Experience

For Sister Judy of the Sisters of Notre Dame, celebrating life, even until its end, is a powerful way to remember and honor those we've lost. And she wanted to show us why. Following GPS coordinates, Sister Judy to where Nora Cecilia Huetas Hernandez's body, a migrant attempting to cross the border, had been discovered in 2003. As we approached the site, a white cross came into view. The crosses are a reminder of migrants who are lost in the desert. And with the help of the Sisters, these people are remembered. Through a symbolic celebration of life ceremony that includes community members, a Native American shaman, and a meal shared together and a handmade cross, the Sisters take time to honor the lives that were lost. Their ministry is called the Cross Planting Initiative, where they work to learn about the unknown migrants who have died trying to cross. Once a month, they lead a group out on a cross-planting ceremony where they hand-make a cross and give the person a proper … [Read more...] about Gone But Not Forgotten