FAITH IN ACTION - A Catholic and Marist School | Notre Dame Prep | Pre K-12 Oakland County, MI
Source: https://www.ndprep.org/faith-in-action
Archived: 2026-04-23 17:10
FAITH IN ACTION - A Catholic and Marist School | Notre Dame Prep | Pre K-12 Oakland County, MI
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April 19, 2026
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NDP students immerse in prayer, learning and service while answering the Gospel call to understand and empathize with migrants and refugees.
Eight students from Notre Dame Prep recently joined peers from Catholic high schools across southeast Michigan on Friday for the sixth annual Strangers No Longer Youth Conference, an immersive day of prayer, education and action focused on immigration and the Church’s call to accompany migrants and refugees.
Lily Buero, Jayden Tillery, Adam Habbo, Hayden Sesi, Emma Shorter, Ava Barko, Meredith Wilson and Katie Fortino represented NDP at the gathering, which is grounded in Catholic social teaching and inspired by the pastoral message, “Strangers No Longer,” a joint statement by U.S. and Mexican bishops addressing migration.
Hosted by the Archdiocese of Detroit, the conference brought together students to deepen their understanding of immigration through personal stories, expert insights and hands-on experiences. Participants heard a keynote address from Detroit's archbishop and engaged in a lively panel discussion.
NDP Director of Campus Ministry Della Lawrence said the opportunity allowed students to encounter the realities of immigration in a meaningful and personal way.
“They heard a keynote from Archbishop Weisenburger and participated in a panel with a young adult who came to the United States as a child, along with an immigration lawyer,” Lawrence said. “It helped put real faces and stories to an issue that can often feel abstract.”
Students also participated in breakout sessions covering a range of topics, including local immigration issues in Michigan, the basics of immigration law, and strategies for de-escalation and dialogue. One particularly impactful workshop challenged students to consider what they would take if they had to leave their homes suddenly, simulating the difficult decisions many migrants face.
“The students also chose from breakout sessions on topics such as what is happening locally in Michigan, immigration law, de-escalation techniques, and even a hands-on workshop exploring what you would take if you had to leave your home quickly,” Lawrence added.
In addition to learning sessions, the conference emphasized service and prayer.
“Prayer cards were created for local immigrant families and for those attending weekly prayer vigils, they decorated an altar cloth and developed action plans to bring back to our school community,” Lawrence said.
"This was an amazing opportunity to learn from other's experiences and listen to unique perspectives, said freshman Lily Buero. "Through hearing from lawyers and immigrants to the archbishop, we were able to look at immigration through the lenses of faith and empathy rather than politics."
According to coverage by Detroit Catholic, the conference aims to form young leaders who are not only informed about immigration, but also committed to walking alongside migrants and advocating for compassionate responses rooted in faith. Organizers emphasized the importance of accompaniment — a key theme in Pope Francis’ teachings — encouraging students to build relationships, listen to stories and respond with empathy and action.
The day concluded with students developing practical action plans to implement in their own schools and communities, ensuring that the experience extends beyond a single event.
For NDP students, the conference was a powerful expression of the school’s mission to form disciples who live out their faith through service and justice. By engaging directly with complex social issues and grounding their response in Gospel values, students were challenged to become “missionaries of hope” in their everyday lives.
As Hebrews 13:2 reminds the faithful, “Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some have entertained angels without knowing it.” That message was at the heart of the conference — and remains central to the ongoing formation of NDP students committed to faith in action.
For more information about the conference and its impact, visit
detroitcatholic.com/archbishop-stories/encouraging-young-leaders-learning-to-accompany-immigrants-refugees
.
For information on admission to Notre Dame Prep, please click
here
.
Comments or questions?
mkelly@ndpma.org
About Notre Dame Preparatory School
"At Notre Dame Prep, we inspire our students to become the best versions of themselves. We challenge them through an experience of academic excellence, focused on active, project-based learning. We invite them to explore a world of opportunities beyond the classroom. We guide them as they grow in spirituality within a community strong in its Catholic and Marist identity."
Notre Dame Preparatory School is a private, Catholic, independent, coeducational day school located in Oakland County. Notre Dame Preparatory School's upper school enrolls students in grades nine through twelve and has been named one of the nation's best 50 Catholic high schools (Acton Institute) four times since 2005. Notre Dame Prep's middle and lower schools enroll students in pre-kindergarten through grade eight. All three schools are International Baccalaureate "World Schools." NDP is conducted by the Marist Fathers and Brothers and is accredited by the Independent Schools Association of the Central States and the National Association of Independent Schools. For more on Notre Dame Preparatory School, visit the school’s home page at
www.ndpma.org
.
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NDP CELEBRATES 2026 IB DIPLOMA CANDIDATES
FAITH IN ACTION
THREE SIGN TO PLAY SPORTS IN COLLEGE
GRATITUDE IN ACTION
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THREE NDP STUDENTS EARN NJHS OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
NDP NAMES JASON WHALEN HEAD FOOTBALL COACH AND HONORS PAT FOX’S LASTING LEGACY
A COHERENT VISION FOR MATHEMATICS
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Office of Marketing & Communications
Dan Lai
Senior Director of Marketing and Strategic Communications
Phone: 248-630-7721
Mike Kelly
Director of Marketing
Phone: 248-972-7346
Jim Sesi
Webmaster
Phone: 248-630-7719
Email:
MAC@ndpma.org
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Skip To Main Content
FAITH IN ACTION
Share to Facebook
Share to Twitter
Share to LinkedIn
Share to Pinterest
Share to Email
Print this page
Share this article with a friend.
April 19, 2026
For information on admission to Notre Dame Prep, please click
here
.
NDP students immerse in prayer, learning and service while answering the Gospel call to understand and empathize with migrants and refugees.
Eight students from Notre Dame Prep recently joined peers from Catholic high schools across southeast Michigan on Friday for the sixth annual Strangers No Longer Youth Conference, an immersive day of prayer, education and action focused on immigration and the Church’s call to accompany migrants and refugees.
Lily Buero, Jayden Tillery, Adam Habbo, Hayden Sesi, Emma Shorter, Ava Barko, Meredith Wilson and Katie Fortino represented NDP at the gathering, which is grounded in Catholic social teaching and inspired by the pastoral message, “Strangers No Longer,” a joint statement by U.S. and Mexican bishops addressing migration.
Hosted by the Archdiocese of Detroit, the conference brought together students to deepen their understanding of immigration through personal stories, expert insights and hands-on experiences. Participants heard a keynote address from Detroit's archbishop and engaged in a lively panel discussion.
NDP Director of Campus Ministry Della Lawrence said the opportunity allowed students to encounter the realities of immigration in a meaningful and personal way.
“They heard a keynote from Archbishop Weisenburger and participated in a panel with a young adult who came to the United States as a child, along with an immigration lawyer,” Lawrence said. “It helped put real faces and stories to an issue that can often feel abstract.”
Students also participated in breakout sessions covering a range of topics, including local immigration issues in Michigan, the basics of immigration law, and strategies for de-escalation and dialogue. One particularly impactful workshop challenged students to consider what they would take if they had to leave their homes suddenly, simulating the difficult decisions many migrants face.
“The students also chose from breakout sessions on topics such as what is happening locally in Michigan, immigration law, de-escalation techniques, and even a hands-on workshop exploring what you would take if you had to leave your home quickly,” Lawrence added.
In addition to learning sessions, the conference emphasized service and prayer.
“Prayer cards were created for local immigrant families and for those attending weekly prayer vigils, they decorated an altar cloth and developed action plans to bring back to our school community,” Lawrence said.
"This was an amazing opportunity to learn from other's experiences and listen to unique perspectives, said freshman Lily Buero. "Through hearing from lawyers and immigrants to the archbishop, we were able to look at immigration through the lenses of faith and empathy rather than politics."
According to coverage by Detroit Catholic, the conference aims to form young leaders who are not only informed about immigration, but also committed to walking alongside migrants and advocating for compassionate responses rooted in faith. Organizers emphasized the importance of accompaniment — a key theme in Pope Francis’ teachings — encouraging students to build relationships, listen to stories and respond with empathy and action.
The day concluded with students developing practical action plans to implement in their own schools and communities, ensuring that the experience extends beyond a single event.
For NDP students, the conference was a powerful expression of the school’s mission to form disciples who live out their faith through service and justice. By engaging directly with complex social issues and grounding their response in Gospel values, students were challenged to become “missionaries of hope” in their everyday lives.
As Hebrews 13:2 reminds the faithful, “Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some have entertained angels without knowing it.” That message was at the heart of the conference — and remains central to the ongoing formation of NDP students committed to faith in action.
For more information about the conference and its impact, visit
detroitcatholic.com/archbishop-stories/encouraging-young-leaders-learning-to-accompany-immigrants-refugees
.
For information on admission to Notre Dame Prep, please click
here
.
Comments or questions?
mkelly@ndpma.org
About Notre Dame Preparatory School
"At Notre Dame Prep, we inspire our students to become the best versions of themselves. We challenge them through an experience of academic excellence, focused on active, project-based learning. We invite them to explore a world of opportunities beyond the classroom. We guide them as they grow in spirituality within a community strong in its Catholic and Marist identity."
Notre Dame Preparatory School is a private, Catholic, independent, coeducational day school located in Oakland County. Notre Dame Preparatory School's upper school enrolls students in grades nine through twelve and has been named one of the nation's best 50 Catholic high schools (Acton Institute) four times since 2005. Notre Dame Prep's middle and lower schools enroll students in pre-kindergarten through grade eight. All three schools are International Baccalaureate "World Schools." NDP is conducted by the Marist Fathers and Brothers and is accredited by the Independent Schools Association of the Central States and the National Association of Independent Schools. For more on Notre Dame Preparatory School, visit the school’s home page at
www.ndpma.org
.
Post RSS Feeds
NDP CELEBRATES 2026 IB DIPLOMA CANDIDATES
FAITH IN ACTION
THREE SIGN TO PLAY SPORTS IN COLLEGE
GRATITUDE IN ACTION
A MISSION IN MOTION
THREE NDP STUDENTS EARN NJHS OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
NDP NAMES JASON WHALEN HEAD FOOTBALL COACH AND HONORS PAT FOX’S LASTING LEGACY
A COHERENT VISION FOR MATHEMATICS
Prep News Now
Irish Magazine
Submit a story idea
Viewbook
Storybook
Visual Identity Standards
Office of Marketing & Communications
Dan Lai
Senior Director of Marketing and Strategic Communications
Phone: 248-630-7721
Mike Kelly
Director of Marketing
Phone: 248-972-7346
Jim Sesi
Webmaster
Phone: 248-630-7719
Email:
MAC@ndpma.org
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