You might recall Jazmine, I wrote about her last year, and her story got an enormous response. Jazmine is a remarkable human being.

Last week, she graduated from Bishop Maginn High School, which is now officially closed. Her story and the stories of others are why I will not walk away from the Catholic Church.

She does not care to be portrayed as a victim; she takes full responsibility for her life (even when it’s not her fault).

And in fact, her life story is a great success.

So I won’t dwell on that, other than to say she once lived in a homeless shelter and then a girl’s home for several years and was, after a couple of years at Bishop Maginn, she was awarded a full scholarship to Wilkes College.

Jasmine got married and is eight months pregnant. She has already earned a degree in phlebotomy and expects to work in that field.

Several angry people messaged me yesterday to ask how I could choose to work with a Catholic School after the  Roe V. Wade ruling.

I answered that I would never walk away from Sue Silverstein and the work she and other Catholic School teachers and social workers have done on behalf of students like Jasmine.

I’ll let Jasmine explain it in her own words. This is why I’m going wherever Sue and the refugee students go. This is what Jasmine wrote about Sue on her Facebook Page.

 

 

I disagree with the Catholic Church on many issues, but I appreciate the extraordinary work they have done on behalf of refugees and inner-city people, and children.

They have taken me in, trusted, accepted me, and worked with me to help these children and their families, and I will always be grateful to them for that.

No church member has ever asked for my views on abortion or threatened me for having my own beliefs.

(Along the way, Maria, Jazmine, and I became friends. Jazmine’s last words at graduation were, “do Jon and Maria know? )” We do. We love you, Jazmine; you’re not done with us yet.”

If I’ve learned nothing else these past few years, it’s to not hate people for disagreeing with me or abandon them for being different.

Many people hate me for my beliefs, which only encourages me not to be like them.

That’s the poison, so many Americans are drinking. I’m not taking that drink.

Sue Silverstein has devoted her life to helping children, and she guided Jasmine from the depths of suffering and struggle and held her hand as she chose to “work the pain” and use it for good.

Jasmine’s story is one of many reasons why I’m sticking with Sue. It’s not for me to tell the Catholic Church what to believe.