Father Gary Graf, referred to as Father Gary, sought to honor our immigrant neighbors one step at a time
This week, Father Gary Graf, a Catholic priest from Chicago, made his long-awaited arrival to the Statue of Liberty in New York Harbor, finishing a 800-mile stroll that started on the childhood house of Illinois-born Pope Leo XIV and sought to induce solidarity with the immigrant households who name this nation their house. An emotional video shared by the “Step Out, Communicate Up” marketing campaign on Tuesday confirmed Father Graf – referred to as Father Gary by his neighborhood members – and a number of other supporters bearing the rain and bitter chilly as their ferry approached Liberty Island.
“This journey has introduced us so far, to the bottom of this statue, Woman Liberty,” Father Gary mentioned from the bottom of the enduring statue that for many years greeted thousands and thousands of immigrants who have been processed at close by Ellis Island through the first half of the twentieth century. “The unimaginable emotion, simply of people that have gathered round this morning, within the rain, popping out right here, and take a look at faces that signify individuals from each nation of the world to this current second.”
Father Gary mentioned that every particular person “who has stepped foot on the base of this statue and has entered into this nice metropolis of New York” has been a “blessing … to this nice nation.”
Father Gary’s 800-mile journey to New York Metropolis started practically two months in the past on the boyhood house of Pope Leo in Dolton, Illinois, motivated by the horrific mistreatment of immigrants by the hands of masked mass deportation brokers. Catholic Information Company reported final month that 67-year-old Father Graf walked practically 20 miles a day, taking simply in the future off when he fell off a horse whereas visiting a parish, breaking a number of ribs. “That day, pals walked in his stead.” Extremely, Father Gary continued his pilgrimage undeterred.
“Graf, the pastor of the largely Hispanic Our Woman of the Heights Catholic Church in Chicago Heights and a longtime member of Monks for Justice for Immigrants, has dedicated his life to serving to immigrants,” Catholic Information Company continued. “Ordained in 1984, he spent 5 years as a priest in Mexico serving a individuals ‘with whom I fell deeply in love.’”
The religion chief advised Catholic Information Company that following the administration’s mindless raids focusing on his beloved Chicago neighborhood, he “felt a name that was instantly from above” to do one thing.
“Throughout his quiet walks by way of rural farmland, he has marveled on the quantity of labor it took to construct the various roads, bridges, and overpasses he has seen,” the outlet mentioned. “I’m positive the arms of many immigrants helped construct these items,” Father Gary appropriately famous. Along with his exhaustive touring, Father Gary put aside time on Day of the Lifeless final month to commemorate the at the least 25 people who’ve died whereas in federal immigration custody. From New Jersey, he despatched a message of hope for Thanksgiving, urging households to maintain the religion. Response to his pilgrimage was constructive, he shared. “He mentioned lots of the conversations he did have — in small cities, relaxation stops and parish halls — have been marked by curiosity somewhat than hostility,” Nationwide Catholic Reporter mentioned.
Regardless of the intense accidents he suffered throughout his touring, Father Gary arrived in New York this week as deliberate, greeted “with a heat reception hosted by an interfaith group,” unbiased information outlet Our City NY reported.
“Graf, maybe lifted by the steadfastness of his mission, appeared serene on the Dec. 2 ceremony held in his honor,” the outlet mentioned. “He patiently listened in a entrance row seat as religion leaders representing a number of religions praised his work, in addition to emphasised their opposition to present federal immigration coverage, such because the ICE raids which have occurred in New York Metropolis and different municipalities.” Nationwide Catholic Reporter mentioned the interfaith program featured quick recordings of Chicago-area youngsters describing “shedding sleep, dwelling in anger and feeling trapped in fixed concern as their undocumented dad and mom navigate arrest dangers and custody threats. The room fell quiet.”
Father Eric Cruz, Director of Pastoral Migratoria of NY and one of many interfaith leaders on the service, mentioned in a video message shared by America’s Voice that he and others have been current “to provide voice” to these youngsters and others focused underneath federal immigration coverage:
Religion leaders stood united as Fr. Gary accomplished his pilgrimage.Fr. Cruz reminds us what this second is about: “We’re right here to provide voice to the unvoiced… to deliver the sunshine of respect and dignity that we religion leaders and others of goodwill have and wish to share and defend for them”
— America’s Voice (@americasvoice.bsky.social) 2025-12-04T18:55:37.633Z
Rev. Gabriel Salguero put it plainly, “it’s determination time in America.”Religion leaders throughout traditions are calling the nation to decide on justice over cruelty, and immigrant households over concern.
— America’s Voice (@americasvoice.bsky.social) 2025-12-04T21:05:26.135Z
Nationwide Catholic Reporter famous that Father Gary was within the midst of his pilgrimage when U.S. Catholic bishops, backed by Pope Leo XIV, issued a uncommon, stinging rebuke of U.S. immigration coverage.
“We’re disturbed after we see amongst our individuals a local weather of concern and anxiousness round questions of profiling and immigration enforcement,” the bishops wrote. “We’re saddened by the state of latest debate and the vilification of immigrants. We’re involved in regards to the circumstances in detention facilities and the dearth of entry to pastoral care. We lament that some immigrants in the USA have arbitrarily misplaced their authorized standing. We’re troubled by threats towards the sanctity of homes of worship and the particular nature of hospitals and colleges. We’re grieved after we meet dad and mom who concern being detained when taking their youngsters to high school and after we attempt to console members of the family who’ve already been separated from their family members.”
Nationwide Catholic Reporter mentioned that Father Gary used his time on the podium to say that whereas his journey was lastly accomplished, it’s as much as all of us to maintain up the battle for justice and dignity for immigrant households.
“My ft can relaxation, however my spirit can’t relaxation, not whereas immigrant youngsters cry alone, not whereas households are torn aside, not whereas strangers — males, girls and youngsters, flesh and bone, coronary heart and soul, ardour and braveness, holding households collectively within the midst of government-imposed concern — are handled as something lower than kin,” Father Gary mentioned. “To tear households aside is to wound the very coronary heart of God. And now, in any case these miles, I say once more: It’s time to step up. It’s time to communicate out.”
“The journey has come to a detailed… however the reflection on the a part of all of us gathered at the moment is that the journey is simply starting”Earlier this week, Fr. Gary’s 900+ mile stroll ended on the Statue of Liberty, however the name to face with immigrant households is just rising louder.
— America’s Voice (@americasvoice.bsky.social) 2025-12-04T16:41:00.512Z
It must be of consolation to Father Gary that from shopping for out meals distributors’ merchandise to blowing whistles to be able to warn about masked and armed immigration brokers invading neighborhoods, Individuals from all backgrounds have been coming collectively to seek out new and inventive methods to guard and defend immigrant communities. Within the Charlotte space – which has been one of many main areas most just lately focused by masked mass deportation brokers — neighborhood members have flooded trainings to discover ways to assist hold their neighbors protected throughout ICE and CBP invasions.
Amongst them has been Beth Clemens, who stationed herself exterior a Latino-owned bakery that was compelled to shut throughout Border Patrol’s occupation, CNN reported. That wasn’t okay with Clements, who threw on a yellow vest worn by immigration watch volunteers to be able to patrol the world across the enterprise. “I’m going to stroll the streets with my whistle and I wish to hold my neighbors protected,” she mentioned, “as a result of they deserve safety and so they need to reside in a world the place they’re not scared.”
