S. Eileen McCann, CSJ Featured in Tablet for work with Migrants
Aug 31, 2023
BRENTWOOD — Technically, Sister Eileen McCann is retired, but that hasn’t stopped her from working nearly full time as a lawyer helping newcomers to the U.S. navigate the complexities of immigration court.
She entered the congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Brentwood in 1956, and taught in Catholic schools in the Diocese of Brooklyn. But by the 1980s, many of her students were from migrant families mired in immigration court proceedings.
Sister Eileen became their champion, first as an accredited advocate and later as a lawyer with the Legal Aid Society.
Her life’s work will be honored at the 37th Annual New York Awards Dinner of the group Support our Aging Religious (SOAR!) Sept. 13, at the New York Athletic Club in Manhattan.
Although retired since 2017, Sister Eileen volunteers four days a week at the Long Island Immigration Clinic, a “pro-se” organization founded by the Sisters of Saint Joseph in 2021.