Claretian Father Bruce Wellems sends this video from WLS TV featuring young people and their families from Holy Cross-Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish in Chicago’s Back of the Yards neighborhood. Young people from the parish built their own drums over the past three months, and marched with them last week to reclaim the neighborhood for peace. Five youths of the area have been lost to violence since August.
Father Wellems’ parish was also one of five Chicago churches to host Urban Dolorosa earlier this month, a five-day memorial event honoring the more than 260 young people killed in street violence in Chicago over the past three years.
Wellems’ order, the Claretians, publish U.S. Catholic and other Claretian Publications, as well as the fostering devotion through the National Shrine of St. Jude.
