Border bishops issue statement on immigration [CC]

[Catholic_Press]

Twenty bishops from Texas and northern Mexico met at the Basilica of the National Shrine of Our Lady of San Juan del Valle in San Juan, Texas, and issued a 19-point statement on immigration.

More…

 

[Ridgerunner]

The sentiment is good, but how many people from south of the border really fit the description:
“as a Church, we reiterate our commitment to care for pilgrims, strangers, exiles, and migrants, affirming that all persons have a right to live in conditions worthy of human life.”

“If these are not given, they have a right to migrate (Pope Pius XII),."

Is living in Mexico, for example “unworthy of human life”? Plenty of people live there and don’t choose to leave. Wages there are about 1/3 what they are here, but so is the cost of living.

“Unworthy of human life” might well fit Haiti. But Mexico, no.

 

[Reuben_J]

Twenty bishops from Texas and northern Mexico met at the Basilica of the National Shrine of Our Lady of San Juan del Valle in San Juan, Texas, and issued a 19-point statement on immigration.

In the statement, entitled “the cry of Christ in the voice of the migrant moves us,” the bishops said that “as a Church, we reiterate our commitment to care for pilgrims, strangers, exiles, and migrants, affirming that all persons have a right to live in conditions worthy of human life.”

“If these are not given, they have a right to migrate (Pope Pius XII), and we pledge ourselves as bishops, members of two different Episcopal Conferences, to walk with and care for the suffering of our migrant brothers and sisters,” the prelates added.

Seriously, can’t see any fault with that, in “care for pilgrims, strangers, exiles, and migrants, affirming that all persons have a right to live in conditions worthy of human life.”

Let the respective government see to it that they live in conditions worthy of human life. If people need to migrate, fine, facilitate them, so that they follow the proper procedure. Otherwise we would mistakenly think that the drugs peddlers and gangsters are also part of the migrants.

But right now the Catholic Bishops should focus their energy on the Sudanese. Their children are dying of starvation because of famine, nearly five millions of them in all.

 

[SuperLuigi]

Seriously, can’t see any fault with that, in “care for pilgrims, strangers, exiles, and migrants, affirming that all persons have a right to live in conditions worthy of human life.”

Let the respective government see to it that they live in conditions worthy of human life. If people need to migrate, fine, facilitate them, so that they follow the proper procedure. Otherwise we would mistakenly think that the drugs peddlers and gangsters are also part of the migrants.

But right now the Catholic Bishops should focus their energy on the Sudanese. Their children are dying of starvation because of famine, nearly five millions of them in all.

Pope Francis and the Vatican have issued more concrete stances that balance out the right to migrate and sovereign rights.

And it’s impossible to have a discussion with anyone on this who sees the migrants as a means to an agenda—like cheap labour or more votes----or worse.

 

[pnewton]

Text of the statement:

usccb.org/issues-and-action/human-life-and-dignity/immigration/upload/immigration-statement-from-tex-mex-bishops-2017-02-15.pdf
It seems like a balanced statement without too much political content.

1. In the Church, no one ought to feel like a stranger, and migrant families should feel at home in
   every church as their homeland. (Pope John Paul II)
2. Through Catholic Charities USA and various houses for migrants in Mexico, we will continue
   to offer quality services to migrants, including spiritual, legal, material, and family assistance.

My own parish is going to be opening a service center soon that will, as one component, help the immigrant, legal or not, with these needs. Right now, we do this in a less structured way, but we also support a place called Casa Juan Diego.
cjd.org/about/what-is-casa-juan-diego/

I have found what is said about sister cities to be largely true. There is more openness to the immigrant in those areas where there are immigrants in larger numbers.