On this very special day, a group of religious men and women, from a sabbatical program in Tucson, gathered in this memorial garden to honor the life and dreams of Ireny Perez Escalante. Only 23 years old, her body was found on September 28, 2020, near the Walmart in Sierra Vista, having died of dehydration. The participants in this ceremony of remembrance prayed for Ireny’s loved ones, who are surely thinking of her today, only 2 years since she tragically lost her life. The group expressed thanks to the parish who made room for this special cross in their sacred garden. Here Ireny, most likely a migrant-neighbor with family in Mexico, can be acknowledged by the family members who placed the ashes of their loved ones in the columbaria that surround her cross. Here will be Ireny’s name, among the many others, whose earthy pilgrimages are tenderly remembered.
Pilgrimage of remembrance 