Immigration and border enforcement are issues facing our country like never before. Before the celebration of Thanksgiving last month, Bishop Luis Zarama sent a letter out to the faithful of the Diocese of Raleigh, saying, in part, “Immigration is not merely a matter of public policy or law enforcement; it touches the very heart of our faith. Every person is created in the image of God and deserves dignity, compassion, and care. (Jesus) commands us to welcome the stranger, for in doing so, we welcome Him. A broken immigration system will not be improved through fear. We welcome comprehensive reform of the U.S. immigration system through a dialogue that respects both borders and human dignity.”
Similarly, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) stated: “Despite obstacles and prejudices, generations of immigrants have made enormous contributions to the well-being of our nation. We as Catholic bishops love our country and pray for its peace and prosperity. For this reason, we feel compelled in this environment to raise our voices in defense of God-given human dignity. Catholic teaching exhorts nations to recognize the fundamental dignity of all persons, including immigrants. We bishops advocate for a meaningful reform of our nation’s immigration laws and procedures.”
The Catholic Community of St. Francis of Assisi has long been a leader in immigration and the complex issues it entails. Mary Ellen McGuire, Director of Justice and Peace at our parish, says, “We are grateful to Bishop Zarama for his strong statement of compassion and support for immigrants in our Diocese, and we will follow his lead about any formal parish communication with government leaders.” She adds, “Our response will be to advocate for humane immigration reform that recognizes the dignity and value of immigrants. Three ‘JustFaith’ modules on Immigration have just finished, so there is good energy and sensitivity in the parish right now. The immigration Realm group is the place where our office is facilitating resources for prayer, action, and formation.“
“Immigration reform touches on so many aspects of our Catholic faith,” Mary Ellen points out. “In the language of Catholic Social Teaching, we can relate it to the dignity of the human person, workers’ rights, the call to participation, or the family. Many immigrants share the Catholic faith and, as such, are our brothers and sisters in Christ. As St. Paul says, when one member of the body suffers, we all suffer.” She highlights just some of the things the parish is doing: “St. Francis is a leader in so many efforts of compassionate care and outreach with food, housing, affordable housing advocacy, migrant worker fiestas, our Advent Tree gifts, and so many other ministries. Each of these areas affects immigrants in concrete ways. We need to ask ourselves, ‘What do immigrants who live in our community need from their local Catholic parish right now?’ and then we need to figure out how to do it.”
Bishop Luis lauds the efforts of those who support migrants to the United States, saying, “I thank all of you who accompany immigrants with love and call on leaders to seek just and humane solutions. We take heart in knowing that Christ walks with us always, and for all of us, our true homeland is God’s Kingdom, where we will all dwell together in perfect peace.”
His call for leaders to make just reforms to the immigration system is echoed by his fellow bishops at the USCCB, who say, “Human dignity and national security are not in conflict. Both are possible if people of goodwill work together. We recognize that nations have a responsibility to regulate their borders and establish a just and orderly immigration system for the sake of the common good. Without such processes, immigrants face the risk of trafficking and other forms of exploitation. Safe and legal pathways serve as an antidote to such risks. The Church’s teaching rests on the foundational concern for the human person as created in the image and likeness of God.”
Do you want to help advocate for commonsense reform of our immigration system and support those who come to the United States seeking a better life and more opportunities? Please join the Immigration Realm group to connect with prayer, learning, advocacy, and formation opportunities. For more information or questions about advocacy at St. Francis, contact the Director of Justice and Peace, Mary Ellen McGuire, at 919-847-8205, ext. 270.
