Maywood, IL, November 12, 2025 – Iskali will celebrate a Mass in honor of Mother Cabrini on Thursday, November 13, at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church in Melrose Park, Illinois, USA. This celebration will mark the conclusion of 40 days of fasting, prayer, and spiritual reflection, a time dedicated to strengthening solidarity with immigrant families and reaffirming the community’s commitment to the dignity of every person.

40 Days of Fasting and Prayer: Solidarity in Action

During these 40 days, community members engaged in a spiritual journey that included praying the Rosary, daily meditation on biblical passages, and practicing fasting as an expression of closeness with the most vulnerable. Each day focused on different challenges faced by immigrant families: family separation, access to education, health, and dignified work.

In the words of Edgar de la Cerda, Deputy Director and Board Member of Iskali, the experience represented a period of spiritual growth and committed solidarity:

“Our 40 days of prayer and fasting for immigrant families have been a time of deep conversion and solidarity. Forty days remind us that faith is lived by accompanying the suffering of our people and offering hope in the midst of pain. At Iskali, we aim to always serve the realities of our time, walking alongside families and young people who most need support and presence.”

Inspired by Pope Leo XIV’s Message

The Mass on November 13 will be a moment of spiritual gathering and community, celebrating shared faith and reaffirming Iskali’s commitment to migrants. In the words of Pope Leo XIV, in his apostolic exhortation Dilexi te:

“The Church, like a mother, accompanies those who are walking. Where the world sees threats, she sees children; where walls are built, she builds bridges. She knows that her proclamation of the Gospel is credible only when it is translated into gestures of closeness and welcome. And she knows that in every rejected migrant, it is Christ himself who knocks at the door of the community” (Leo XIV, 2025, Dilexi te [Apostolic Exhortation], n. 75).

Published one month before Iskali’s commemoration, this exhortation resonates especially among Hispanic communities in the United States, where thousands of immigrant families face increasingly restrictive policies. In this context, Iskali’s work becomes a concrete response to the Gospel and Pope Leo XIV’s message: to welcome, accompany, and offer hope in a context where it is increasingly difficult to find space and voice.

In the same spirit, Vicente del Real, founder of Iskali, recalls how the organization draws inspiration from the legacy of Saint Francesca Cabrini:

“Mother Cabrini came to the United States to serve the most vulnerable immigrants, and at Iskali, we feel that same calling. Especially with young people, our ministry seeks to bring hope, accompaniment, and faith, building—just as she said—an ‘empire of hope’ for our community.”

Iskali in Numbers

In the past five years, more than 5,000 people have joined Iskali’s mission as active participants, with 300 volunteers across 28 communities in the United States. The organization has awarded 105 scholarships over the past three years to students from 24 universities, supporting their education and leadership development.

Its work is sustained by six fundamental pillars: sports and wellness, scholarships and mentoring, international community, professional development, service to those in need, and faith and formation. Through these pillars, Iskali promotes the human and spiritual flourishing of new generations.

Giselle Campos, a member of Iskali, reflects on the role the organization has played in her life:

“Through Iskali, I have found a place where I am welcomed and loved just as I am, in my strengths and my weaknesses, and through that love, tasked with the mission of service.” She also reflects on the current situation of many migrants in the U.S.:  “In a world where darkness often feels like all that’s left, Iskali is a light of hope for our Latino community. (…) A community that lives for God’s mission and in pursuit of eternal life with Him is a community of action, service, and true sacrificial love.”

15th Anniversary Gala

The Mass honoring Mother Cabrini will also serve as a moment of preparation and gratitude ahead of Iskali’s 15th anniversary gala, to be held on November 14 in Illinois, USA. During this event, 15 young people who embody hope, leadership, and service in their communities will be recognized, serving as living symbols of Iskali’s legacy and its commitment to the holistic development of Latino youth.

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About Iskali: Iskali is a nonprofit service organization founded in June 2010 by Vicente del Real. It promotes the leadership and holistic development of Latino youth in Chicago, helping them flourish spiritually, personally, academically, and socially. Present in more than 28 communities, including parishes and universities across four U.S. states, Iskali engages in sports, education, service, and faith initiatives.