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ABC News - Faith leaders blocked by ICE from delivering Communion to immigrants speak out
ABC News - The Coalition for Spiritual and Public Leadership (CSPL), a Catholic and Christian-rooted nonprofit, organized a Mass by the immigration processing center on All Saints Day and Día de los Muertos, or the Day of the Dead.
Organizers estimate some 2,000 people attended on Saturday, as many prayed, sang and held signs protesting ICE.
Block Club Chicago - Faith Leaders Again Denied Entry To Broadview ICE Facility, Hold Mass Outside Anyway
Block Club Chicago: The Coalition for Spiritual and Public Leadership hosted a Mass at the Broadview Immigration and Customs Enforcement processing facility in Broadview on November 1, 2025.
Chicago SunTimes - Request to give Communion to detainees at Broadview facility denied again
Chicago SunTimes: A group of religious leaders tried once again Saturday to provide Communion to detainees in the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement processing facility in Broadview and were turned away a second time, three weeks after a similar request was denied.
The Coalition for Spiritual and Public Leadership organized the Mass — which fell on All Saints’ Day.
Catholic Media Coverage: People’s Mass at Broadview Detention Center
Coverage by Catholic Media Outlets of the November 1, 2025, People’s Mass outside the Broadview Detention Center, where Chicago Auxiliary Bishop José María Garcia-Maldonado and Mercy Sister JoAnn Persch led the delegation making a second attempt to bring Communion to the people detained inside. Despite following all procedures as outlined by DHS and ICE, the delegation was once again denied access.
Press Release: Federal agents again deny Communion after Coalition for Spiritual and Public Leadership Mass at Broadview Detention Center
Up to 2,000 worshippers and 50 priests, women religious and deacons came to ask Immigrants and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to allow a delegation to offer communion inside the detention center in Broadview; “The answer was no.”
Video: Eucharistic Procession to Broadview Detention Center
Watch the key moments of our Eucharistic Procession to the Broadview Detention Center—a truly amazing demonstration of the power we have built as we struggle to protect and care for our immigrant community members.
Photos: Eucharistic Procession to Broadview Detention Center
1,000 people of faith united with us for our Eucharistic Procession to the Broadview Detention Center—a truly amazing demonstration of the power we have built. Several photographers beautifully captured the Procession.
Chicago Catholic - Immigration activists process with Eucharist to Broadview
Michelle Martin of Chicago Catholic tells the story of our October 11, 2025 Eucharistic Procession to Broadview Detention Center.
National Catholic Reporter - Activists in Chicago, barred from giving Communion to ICE detainees, plan next actions
Camillo Barone of National Catholic Reporter tells the story of our October 11, 2025 Eucharistic Procession to Broadview Detention Center.
America Magazine - Eucharistic procession turned back by feds at Broadview ICE detention facility
Kevin Clarke of America Media tells the story of our October 11, 2025 Eucharistic Procession to Broadview Detention Center.
Video: Fox 32 Chicago - Catholic group attempts to offer Communion to ICE detainees
Fox 32 covers our October 11, 2025 Eucharistic Procession to Broadview Detention Center
Chicago Catholic - Melrose Park parish hosts Mass, procession to support immigrant community
CSPL supported Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Melrose Park in planning this Mass and Procession to honor Silverio Villegas Gonzalez on September 24, 2025.
OSV News - Latino Leaders Explore the Role Community Organizing Can Play in National Politics
On September 29, Joanna Arellano-Gonzalez was a panelist for “Renewing Politics from the Ground Up: Lessons from Latino Organizing” — an event hosted by the Georgetown University Initiative on Catholic Social Thought and Public Life. Joanna shared how using our faith in prophetic witness and organizing moves people spiritually and moves them into action. OSV News covered the event.
Axios - Chicago's archbishop says Catholics must welcome immigrants
CSPL’s executive director comments on the controversy around Sen. Dick Durbin (IL-D), a Catholic, announcing he would not accept the church's Keep Hope Alive award after receiving backlash over his reproductive rights beliefs that conflict with Catholic teachings.
Sojourner - Chicago Faith Communities Say ‘Joy’ is Key to Resisting the Feds
CSPL and other grassroots organizations are featured for their shared work in resistance to ICE and DHS operations.
Misa y Procesion honoring Silverio Villegas González
At our 𝘔𝘪𝘴𝘢 𝘺 𝘗𝘳𝘰𝘤𝘦𝘴𝘪𝘰́𝘯 held at Our Lady of Mount Carmel parish, hundreds of people embraced both aspects of our tradition. Inside the church, we prayed, grieved, and received the Eucharist together. Then we went out into the streets - accompanied by Jesus in the Eucharist - to make our unity and commitment to justice public. We made a powerful statement that Silverio Villegas González was and remains an important member of our community, that as the church we will care for and mourn with his loved ones, and that we will fight for an end to the systems that brought us here.
Commonweal - Fear Not: A People’s Mass outside Chicago brings the gospel message into the public square.
Heidi Schlumpf of Commonweal on the Mass held by CSPL outside the Great Lakes Naval Station on Saturday, September 13.
America Magazine - Amid Chicago ICE raids, a people’s Mass is an example of ‘political holiness’
America Magazine Short Take by Michael N. Okińczyc-Cruz, Executive Director of CSPL
LMCS - Protesters call for ICE agents to leave Illinois during march to Naval Station Great Lakes in Lake County
On Saturday, September 20, 2025, CSPL joined many partner organizations for a peaceful Interfaith Prayer March.
Interfaith Prayer March - Great Lakes Naval Station
On Saturday, September 20, 2025, we continued the momentum of our People’s Mass and returned to the Great Lakes Naval Station—this time joining with people of many faiths who share our commitment to solidarity and liberation, and who also bring their faith traditions into the public square as acts of resistance. Hundreds of people came out in prayerful, peaceful unity, standing against ICE and militarization, and to proclaim liberation! Representatives of seven congregations of multiple faiths offered prayers and a Rabbi blew the ram’s horn trumpet, or shofar, symbolizing the blasts that helped bring down the walls of Jericho, as the group marched in circles around the Naval Station. Co-hosts included Arise Chicago, Chicago Workers Collaborative, Chicago Religious Leadership Network for Latin America (CRLN), JCUA, Live Free Illinois, ICIRR and Mano-a-Mano.