"Opening Doors to Citizenship" at St. Rita of Cascia Parish

Summary Report on “Opening Doors to Citizenship” Project at St. Rita of Cascia Parish, Chicago

“Opening Doors to Citizenship,” one of St. Rita of Cascia Parish’s ministries for immigrants, received from the Province of Our Mother of Good Counsel a Program 135 grant of $1800 for fiscal year 2020-2021.

These funds provided stipends to the volunteer teachers who helped eligible immigrants prepare for their comprehensive Citizenship Exams. The Exams test the candidates’ proficiency in speaking, reading and writing English, and their knowledge of U. S. history and government.

Classes met for two hours twice a week throughout the year. The COVID-19 pandemic made it necessary to switch from in-person to on-line classes. Thirty-five participants have passed the Citizenship Exam, and another 12 are scheduled to take the Exam in the near future. Assuming that they will pass, “Opening Doors to

Citizenship” will have resulted in 47 people becoming proud naturalized citizens of the United States of America during the 2020-2021 year.