R
richardacombs
Guest
Misconceptions seem to abound when the subject of immigration, deportation, and Catholicism comes up either on this forum or conversations on the street.
The stance of the Catholic Church appears to be that nations have the right to protect their borders and to secure them against unwanted immigration. On the other hand, the automatic and mass deportation of unwanted immigrants seemingly goes against the teachings of the Church.
On individual bases, Catholics, even evidently devout Catholics, differ greatly on how to handle unwanted immigration, how to treat unwanted immigrants once they have arrived, and whether to deport them automatically when they have been apprehended and identified.
Certainly, good sense dictates that governments have the right to restrict immigration and to secure their borders to prevent unwanted immigration, but not for economic reasons: Catholics should not deny necessities of life to other humans, whether those people must illegally cross a national border to obtain them or not. St John the Baptist told the crowds searching for salvation, “He that hath two coats, let him give to him that hath none: and he that hath meat, let him do in like manner” (Luke 3:11, Douay Rheims). Similarly, Jesus instructed the young man looking how to follow God more perfectly, “One thing is wanting unto thee: go, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me” (Mark 10:21, Douay Rheims).
Of course, some Catholics will argue that they want nothing of that: what they possess, they have earned, and they will not share it with someone branded “Illegal.”
Exactly what have those Catholics earned? Did they earn life? Did they earn birth in a wealthy nation? Did they earn good health? Did they earn salvation? Did they earn Christ?
Of course not, all that humans possess is a gift, every breath is a gift of God, Who upholds creation with His will. If certain people have the environment, the health, the circumstances to earn an honorable and prosperous living, that is good, but–at least according to Scripture–they must be willing to share; share it all if need be, to follow Christ. And why shouldn’t they be asked to share their possessions, sacrifice family and friends, lay down their lives? None of those things belong to them; they belong to God.
That leads to the automatic and mass deportation of unwanted immigrants. The Catholic Faith cannot condone such a thing for the very same reasons.
St. James clearly tells us in his epistle: "And if a brother or sister be naked, and want daily food,
"And one of you say to them: Go in peace, be you warmed and filled: yet give them not those things that are necessary for the body, what shall it profit?
“Even so faith, if it have not works, is dead in itself” (James 2:15-17, Douay Rheims).
Our Faith is a stern Master requiring all that we possess, and our individual faith, our acceptance of Christ, is shown in how we act. Catholics should not attempt to justify turning away the hungry, the sick, the dispossessed, because they brand those searching for a better life “illegal.” As Sister Teresa told assembled dignitaries in her address to the United Nations in September 1994, “…I find it sometimes very difficult to smile at my spouse, Jesus, because He can be very demanding…”
I realize that this will be a controversial post. Many people are very emotional on both sides of this subject.
So, I’ll close this post with another bit of advice from St. James: "Thou believest that there is one God. Thou dost well: the devils also believe and tremble.
“But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?” (James 2:19-20, Douay Rheims)
The stance of the Catholic Church appears to be that nations have the right to protect their borders and to secure them against unwanted immigration. On the other hand, the automatic and mass deportation of unwanted immigrants seemingly goes against the teachings of the Church.
On individual bases, Catholics, even evidently devout Catholics, differ greatly on how to handle unwanted immigration, how to treat unwanted immigrants once they have arrived, and whether to deport them automatically when they have been apprehended and identified.
Certainly, good sense dictates that governments have the right to restrict immigration and to secure their borders to prevent unwanted immigration, but not for economic reasons: Catholics should not deny necessities of life to other humans, whether those people must illegally cross a national border to obtain them or not. St John the Baptist told the crowds searching for salvation, “He that hath two coats, let him give to him that hath none: and he that hath meat, let him do in like manner” (Luke 3:11, Douay Rheims). Similarly, Jesus instructed the young man looking how to follow God more perfectly, “One thing is wanting unto thee: go, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me” (Mark 10:21, Douay Rheims).
Of course, some Catholics will argue that they want nothing of that: what they possess, they have earned, and they will not share it with someone branded “Illegal.”
Exactly what have those Catholics earned? Did they earn life? Did they earn birth in a wealthy nation? Did they earn good health? Did they earn salvation? Did they earn Christ?
Of course not, all that humans possess is a gift, every breath is a gift of God, Who upholds creation with His will. If certain people have the environment, the health, the circumstances to earn an honorable and prosperous living, that is good, but–at least according to Scripture–they must be willing to share; share it all if need be, to follow Christ. And why shouldn’t they be asked to share their possessions, sacrifice family and friends, lay down their lives? None of those things belong to them; they belong to God.
That leads to the automatic and mass deportation of unwanted immigrants. The Catholic Faith cannot condone such a thing for the very same reasons.
St. James clearly tells us in his epistle: "And if a brother or sister be naked, and want daily food,
"And one of you say to them: Go in peace, be you warmed and filled: yet give them not those things that are necessary for the body, what shall it profit?
“Even so faith, if it have not works, is dead in itself” (James 2:15-17, Douay Rheims).
Our Faith is a stern Master requiring all that we possess, and our individual faith, our acceptance of Christ, is shown in how we act. Catholics should not attempt to justify turning away the hungry, the sick, the dispossessed, because they brand those searching for a better life “illegal.” As Sister Teresa told assembled dignitaries in her address to the United Nations in September 1994, “…I find it sometimes very difficult to smile at my spouse, Jesus, because He can be very demanding…”
I realize that this will be a controversial post. Many people are very emotional on both sides of this subject.
So, I’ll close this post with another bit of advice from St. James: "Thou believest that there is one God. Thou dost well: the devils also believe and tremble.
“But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?” (James 2:19-20, Douay Rheims)
My response is a bit wordy … and I will need to divide this into two parts.
Migration patterns seem to put us all as coming out of Africa!