World Youth Day 2019 USA Leader Guides International Leader Guide | Page 26

your poor, your huddled masses yearning to As Abraham Lincoln said when he shared his
breathe free.” 31 The statue represents the own vision of reconciliation and mercy in a
“Mother of Exiles” who mercifully accepts “the time of war and division:
homeless” and the “tempest-tost.”
Many of the men and women who have With malice towards none, with charity
modeled this ideal of mercy, compassion, and for all, with firmness in the right as God
refuge have been prominent U.S. Catholics: St. gives us to see the right, let us strive on
Rose Philippine Duchesne, R.S.C.J., who came to finish the work we are in, to bind up the
to America from France to minister to Native nation’s wounds, to care for him who shall
Americans; St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, S.C., who have borne the battle and for his widow
started the first Catholic school and founded and his orphan, to do all which may
the first American religious community; St. achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace
Damien de Veuster, SS.CC. and St. Marianne among ourselves and with all nations.
Cope, O.S.F., who ministered to the lepers on
Molokai in the Hawaiian Islands; St. Frances There are many great reasons to claim a
Xavier Cabrini, M.S.C., who emigrated to the national identity at World Youth Day.
U.S. to care for the poor Italian immigrants and Pilgrimage leaders should help pilgrims
orphans; St. Katharine Drexel, S.B.S., who understand the heritage of mercy they have
ministered to Native Americans and African received and enable them to share it.
Americans in her native Philadelphia; and the Understanding the history and struggles in the
Servants of God, the La Florida martyrs; United States over the years can help give
Monsignor Edward Flanagan, founder of Boys pilgrims a sense of perspective. Being an
Town, and Dorothy Day, Obl.S.B., founder of American Catholic at WYD means humbly
the Catholic Worker Movement. These sharing the highest ideals of the United States
examples are but a few that provide a blueprint (pioneering, unity, and mercy), while learning
for mercy that is central to our Catholic faith from others’ traditions and cultures – and
and embedded in the history of our nation. praying for an end to division, racism, hatred,
and violence in the pilgrims’ homeland.
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Emma Lazarus
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