By Julian De Ocampo ’13
THE ROUNDUP
In addition to the many existing immersions opportunities at Brophy, the Office of Faith and Justice hopes to offer a number of new advocacy and immersion trips to Washington, D.C.; Birmingham, Ala.; and Madrid, Spain, as well as a Phoenix “plunge.”
Although all trips are tentative and subject to change, the OFJ faculty hopes they will create a number of new opportunities for students to grow in mind and spirit.
The trip to Madrid, Spain will coincide with World Youth Day in August 2011. The excursion will include visits to many Ignatian and Jesuit sites in Spain. This may be the only time the trip is offered.
Spanish teacher Mrs. Dominguez Sullivan will head the trip.
World Youth Day was established in 1985 by Pope John Paul II as a festival for Catholic youths. The previous World Youth Day in 2008 attracted more than 300,000 people from 200 different countries.
The OFJ is also planning a Phoenix “Plunge” that will last anywhere between one to four days. The students will volunteer with local organizations such as the Society of St. Vincent De Paul.
“A lot of times people who are from a city want to go somewhere else and do service,” said OFJ staff member Ms. Krystle Powell. “But I think it’s a really good idea for people who are from Phoenix to do service in their own city and stay in an area of the city they might not be familiar with.”
Previously, the OFJ has offered a trip to the School of the Americas in Georgia, in which students participated in the Ignatian Solidarity Network teach-in. However, after the ISN moved their offices to Washington, D.C., the OFJ has decided to split the trip into two “spin-off” immersions.
The first will be an immersion in Birmingham over spring break called “Civil Rights South.” This trip will be headed by Mr. Paul Fisko.
“They are focusing specifically on civil rights by looking at the historical context,” said Assistant Principal for Ministry Mrs. Kim Baldwin, “but applying it to modern day issues (by) asking, ‘how is that connected to racism, poverty and such today?’”
The second will be an advocacy trip to Washington, D.C., where the focus will be on legislative action. Students will also visit Georgetown University.
The advocacy trip to Washington, D.C. is planned to take place Nov. 11-14.
“We hope that no matter what trip students go on, that they are confronted with reality that is different than one they’ve experienced or been aware of in the past,” Mrs. Baldwin said.
Students seeking more information about these trips should ask for information in the OFJ.
