USCCB - (Office of Media Relations) - Sister Jane Burke Named To Head Justice For Immigrants Campaign

Sister Jane Burke Named To Head Justice For Immigrants Campaign

WASHINGTON (April 12, 2007)—Sister Jane Burke, SSND, former Provincial Leader, School Sisters of Notre Dame, Baltimore, has been named National Manager of the Justice for Immigrants Campaign.

The appointment was announced by Mark Franken, Executive Director, Migration and Refugee Services, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB). The Justice for Immigrants Campaign (JFI) is part of MRS.

"Through the Justice for Immigrants Campaign, the Catholic Church has been in the forefront of the public policy debate around immigration reform," Mr. Franken said. "Sister Jane Burke brings to her new position valuable experience and a compassion for justice that will serve the bishops' efforts well."

Now in its third year, the JFI Campaign strives to educate the public, particularly Catholics, about the Church's teachings relating to immigration and the bishops' call for reform of the nation's immigration laws and policies; to mobilize the public in a call for legislative changes; and to help Catholic networks develop the legal services capacity to assist immigrants who will eventually qualify for reforms once enacted into law.

Sister Jane Burke is a graduate of the College of Notre Dame and Loyola College, Baltimore. She earned a Master's in Social Work at the University of Georgia, and studied at the Institute of Process Facilitation in Ontario.

Sister Burke was Executive Director of Catholic Charities, Diocese of Venice, FL, and Co-founder and Executive Director of The Guadalupe Center, Immokalee, FL.

She was a classroom teacher in Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Riviera Beach, MD, and Principal of Our Lady of Perpetual Help School, Washington, D.C.

Sister Burke is Past Chair, Board of Trustees, College of Notre Dame, and a Corporate Board Member of Sisters Academy and Marian House, Baltimore.

She was Chairperson of the School Sisters of Notre Dame General Chapter Preparatory Commission in Rome. She has also been a member of the Pastoral Planning Committee, Diocese of Venice; Chairperson, Strategic Planning Committee, Provincial Assembly, Baltimore Province; and Chairperson of the Search Committee, Board of Directors, Habitat for Humanity.

Since its founding two years ago, an increasing number of dioceses, educational institutions, and organizations have looked to the JFI Campaign as an essential resource in the effort for immigration reform. Currently, there are plans to bring the diocesan JFI network to Washington in mid-April for planning meetings and visits to congressional offices as the national discussion of immigration reform continues.