Our Local Socially Responsible Investment Coalition's (SRIC) Annual Education Event was held this week. It was titled, "Seeking Immigration Justice, asked the important question: "Who pays the price and who profits?"

Pictured (L-R) Sr. Bernadine Reyes, OSB, Prioress with the three guest speakers; Yvonne Dilling - SRIC Member and retired Mission Education Animator, Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers; Sr. Susan, OSB - Secretary to SRIC and Director of the Benedictine Coalition for Responsible Investment (BCRI); and Brianna Dimas - Managing Director of Communications, Public Justice.

Sr. Bernadine and Sr. Susan attended this informative event in San Antonio. Sr. Bernadine shared part of the presentation that Yvonne made to the group. 

Yvonne said that when she was young she used to go for drives with her father and on the highway in the construction zones there were signs that read, "Your tax dollars at work." Yvonne compared that to the awareness now that our tax dollars are at work building immigrant detention centers to house people, often in inhumane conditions. She also shared data about a warehouse in San Antonio that was purchased by our government (and our tax dollars) to be used to build an immigrant detention facility. The amount paid for that building was far above what the market value would have been if an ordinary business was to purchase the building. It's important for us all to educate ourselves on issues we care about and respond in the ways in which we feel called.