Pope Says States Have Right to Defend Borders

  • Thread starter Thread starter irishpatrick
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
I

irishpatrick

Guest
VATICAN CITY — States must treat migrants with dignity but have the right to regulate immigration and defend their borders, Pope Benedict XVI said on Tuesday.

The pope made his comments in his message for the Roman Catholic Church’s World Day of Migrants and Refugees, touching on a subject that has caused tensions between the church and governments in European countries, including France and Italy.

nytimes.com/2010/10/27/world/europe/27pope.html?_r=2&hpw
It seems to me that the Pope’s statement should end the argument for all faithful Catholics.
 
irishpatrick said:
It seems to me that the Pope’s statement should end the argument for all faithful Catholics.
Click to expand...
:confused:

The Pope didn’t say anything new. The right of countries to regulate their borders and immigration have been a consistent feature of statements from the Church. And its even part of the Catechism:

Catechism of the Catholic Church said:
2241 The more prosperous nations are obliged, to the extent they are able, to welcome the foreigner in search of the security and the means of livelihood which he cannot find in his country of origin. Public authorities should see to it that the natural right is respected that places a guest under the protection of those who receive him.

Political authorities, for the sake of the common good for which they are responsible, may make the exercise of the right to immigrate subject to various juridical conditions, especially with regard to the immigrants’ duties toward their country of adoption. Immigrants are obliged to respect with gratitude the material and spiritual heritage of the country that receives them, to obey its laws and to assist in carrying civic burdens.
Click to expand...

vatican.va/archive/catechism/p3s2c2a4.htm#V
 
irishpatrick said:
I agree completely…but many do not know those facts and now the Pope has made it clear.
Click to expand...
Absolutely. Our new Bishop, who is very pro-immigration reform and such, made a similar statement in a Q&A press conference. From a US political standpoint, the Church is very Bush/Kennedy-McCain on this issue. Enforcing the borders and regulating immigration is fine, but treat immigrants and their families with human dignity in mind, whether they entered legally or not.

It seems that Catholics, both on the left and right, often ignore one facet of Church teaching on borders/immigration and focus on the other. We need to follow both.
 
rlg94086 said:
Absolutely. Our new Bishop, who is very pro-immigration reform and such, made a similar statement in a Q&A press conference. From a US political standpoint, the Church is very Bush/Kennedy-McCain on this issue. Enforcing the borders and regaling immigration is fine, but treat immigrants and their families with human dignity in mind, whether they entered legally or not.
Click to expand...
I agree 100% and hope that Catholics learn the true balance of this pov. 🙂
 
Dale_M said:
:confused:

The Pope didn’t say anything new. The right of countries to regulate their borders and immigration have been a consistent feature of statements from the Church. And its even part of the Catechism:

vatican.va/archive/catechism/p3s2c2a4.htm#V
Click to expand...
Agree. The Pope has made these statements and teachings know before many times. Their is no reason for immigrants not to respect and adopt the host countries culture or commit crimes against the host country citizens. As well, the host country or employers should not abuse the immigrants. Slavery is at an all time high world wide especially in Africa and Asia. To help the common man, woman and families The Church and free countries should work together to put international spotlight and pressure on the corrupt counties that do not allow their citizens freedom of dignity or enterprise.
 
TMC said:
It is odd that the NY Times focused on these couple of sentences. According to the Catholic News Service the thrust of his remarks were directed to the rights of emigrees and the duty countries have to treat them properly:

Pope defends ‘right to emigrate’ in annual migration message
Click to expand...
All of the above are correct, as already noted, so it doesn’t really matter which part is “focused” on. The NY Times article did mention the duty countries have, as well.

This is the best summary of the situation from a Catholic perspective:
The challenge, he added, was to ”combine the welcome due to every human being, especially when in need, with a reckoning of what is necessary for both the local inhabitants and the new arrivals to live a dignified and peaceful life”.
Click to expand...
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top