[fusion_builder_container hundred_percent="no" hundred_percent_height="no" hundred_percent_height_scroll="no" hundred_percent_height_center_content="yes" equal_height_columns="no" menu_anchor="" hide_on_mobile="small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility" status="published" publish_date="" class="" id="" background_color="" background_image="http://casacornelia.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/logo-bg.png" background_position="center center" background_repeat="no-repeat" fade="no" background_parallax="fixed" enable_mobile="no" parallax_speed="0.3" video_mp4="" video_webm="" video_ogv="" video_url="" video_aspect_ratio="16:9" video_loop="yes" video_mute="yes" video_preview_image="" border_size="" border_color="" border_style="solid" margin_top="" margin_bottom="" padding_top="" padding_right="" padding_bottom="" padding_left=""][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type="1_1" spacing="" center_content="no" link="" target="_self" min_height="" hide_on_mobile="small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility" class="" id="" background_image_id="" background_color="" background_image="" background_position="center center" undefined="" background_repeat="no-repeat" hover_type="none" border_size="0" border_color="" border_style="solid" border_position="all" border_radius_top_left="" border_radius_top_right="" border_radius_bottom_left="" border_radius_bottom_right="" box_shadow="no" box_shadow_vertical="" box_shadow_horizontal="" box_shadow_blur="0" box_shadow_spread="0" box_shadow_color="" box_shadow_style="" padding_top="" padding_right="" padding_bottom="" padding_left="" margin_top="" margin_bottom="" animation_type="" animation_direction="left" animation_speed="0.3" animation_offset="" last="no"][fusion_accordion type="accordions" boxed_mode="no" border_size="1" border_color="" background_color="" hover_color="" divider_line="yes" title_font_size="24px" icon_size="1" icon_color="" icon_boxed_mode="no" icon_box_color="" icon_alignment="" toggle_hover_accent_color="#db6332" hide_on_mobile="small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility" class="" id=""][fusion_toggle title="Mission" open="yes"]<span style="font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.5em !important;">Casa Cornelia Law Center is a 501(c)(3) public interest law firm providing quality legal services to victims of human and civil rights violations. Casa Cornelia has a primary commitment to indigent persons within the immigrant community in Southern California. It seeks to educate others regarding the impact of immigration law and policy on the community and the public good. The mission and spirit of Casa Cornelia is rooted in the tradition of service of the Society of the Holy Child Jesus and that of its founder, Cornelia Connelly. It encompasses the belief that God has chosen to need men and women in every age to reveal God’s love and to make known the reality of God’s saving presence through their service to others. Casa Cornelia seeks to foster a spirit of simplicity, honesty, kindness, and cheerfulness among colleagues and with those served. It has chosen Thomas More as the exemplar of these qualities to mark its practice of law.</span>[/fusion_toggle][fusion_toggle title="Society of the Holy Child Jesus" open="no"]<span style="font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.5em !important;">The Society of the Holy Child Jesus (Society) is an international congregation of women within the Roman Catholic tradition, committed to providing service to others. The Society is comprised of three provinces: African, American, and European. Its international offices are in Rome, Italy; the offices of the American Province are in Rosemont, Pennsylvania, USA. Although Casa Cornelia Law Center is a legally independent corporation governed by its own Board of Directors, Casa Cornelia continues to be sponsored by the American Province of the Society.</span>

<span style="font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.5em !important;">The Society was founded in England by Cornelia Connelly in 1846. The Law Center is named after this nineteenth century American woman whose courage, faith, and vision gave birth to the Society.</span>[/fusion_toggle][fusion_toggle title="Cornelia Connelly" open="no"]<img class="alignright size-full wp-image-116" src="http://casacornelia.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/550afab86cabf491d3e8db250d0f3ade.png" alt="Old drawn portrait of Cornelia Augusta Peacock wearing sheer headscarf, white collar and modest dress" width="242" height="316" /><span style="font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.5em !important;">Born in Philadelphia in 1809, Cornelia Augusta Peacock married the Reverend Mr. Pierce Connelly in 1831 and assumed the role of rector’s wife at Trinity Episcopal Church in Natchez, Mississippi. They served this congregation until 1831 when both Cornelia and Pierce became Roman Catholics. Eventually, the Connelly’s relocated to Grand Coteau, Louisiana where Pierce taught English in the Jesuit college and Cornelia taught art and music in a nearby academy for girls. During the course of their marriage, five children were born to Pierce and Cornelia; one died in infancy and another, tragically, at four years of age. Both Cornelia and Pierce were deeply religious; both nurtured their lives through prayer and reflection.</span>

<span style="font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.5em !important;">Cornelia, however, was not prepared when, in October 1840, Pierce confided to Cornelia his decision to resume his ministry by becoming a Roman Catholic priest; he was ordained in Rome in 1840. The consequences of his decision profoundly changed Cornelia’s life and that of the children.</span>

<span style="font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.5em !important;">On 1846, at the invitation of Bishop of Westminster, Cornelia went to England to found a congregation of women educators. This new congregation, which became the Society of the Holy Child Jesus​ prospered under Cornelia’s leadership and at the time of her death in 1879, the Society numbered over one hundred women and its work had expanded to America.</span>[/fusion_toggle][fusion_toggle title="Prayer for Attorneys" open="no"]

<span style="font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.5em !important;"><img class="alignright size-full wp-image-811" src="http://casacornelia.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Hans_Holbein-_the_Younger-Sir_Thomas_More.jpg" alt="" width="330" height="410" />Creator God, sustainer of Life and Law,
grant that I may minister to justice with compassion.
In this pursuit, enable me to strive,
as did your servant Thomas More,
To be able in argument and accurate in analysis,
strict in study and reasoned in conclusion.
Make me candid with clients
and honest with adversaries.
Keep me wary of cleverness
lest I win the point but lose myself.
Help me to treasure gentleness and simplicity.
and to be attentive to each client;
Sit with me at my desk; stand with me in court.
Grant me courage, wisdom and counsel.
Keep me kind and cheerful.</span>

<em>Amen</em>

[/fusion_toggle][fusion_toggle title="Our History" open="no"]<span style="font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.5em !important;">Casa Cornelia Law Center was founded when the leadership of the Society requested that Ann M. Durst, a member of the Society and an attorney, explore the possibility of founding Casa Cornelia as a contemporary mission serving those in need throughout the southwest of the United States of America.</span>

<span style="font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.5em !important;">Sister Ann conducted a study along the Mexican-American border to determine the need for legal services among the immigrant community. She travels brought her to San Diego in the summer of 1992. Here in San Diego, the busiest land border crossing in the world was the place to begin the Society’s work for immigrants. On August 1, 1992, she was joined by Mary Wayne Gradon from the European Province of the Society. That day they signed the lease that made Casa Cornelia a reality.</span>

<span style="font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.5em !important;">Today, the need for Casa Cornelia’s pro bono legal services remains. Each year there are more children crossing the San Diego/Tijuana border. Victims of domestic violence continue to contact Casa Cornelia seeking safety for themselves and their children. And, as conflict worldwide evolves, so do the number of asylum seekers pursuing freedom from persecution. We hope to alleviate these injustices using our training as lawyers and our passion for serving those in need.</span>[/fusion_toggle][/fusion_accordion][/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]