Missouri bishops to pols: Curb your anti-immigration talk
Monday evening, Missouri’s Catholic bishops jumped into the state’s ongoing debate over illegal immigrants by issuing a statement “delivered to Governor Matt Blunt and state legislators, calling for an end to rhetoric in which political candidates vie to see who can be tougher on illegal immigrants.
“The statement urges a more positive discussion of immigrant-related concerns and how our state might best address these issues,” the bishops said in a release.
The release doesn’t mince words. Here’s the rest:
“In the statement the bishops recall the Gospel story in which a lawyer asked Jesus ‘Who is my neighbor?’
“In response Jesus told the parable of the Good Samaritan, who recognized the neighbor in distress while others ignored him. Even those lacking legal status in our country merit our compassionate response, according to the bishops.
“While respecting national sovereignty, the bishops stated ‘that each person has a basic human right to migrate when faced with circumstances such as persecution, drought, famine or pervasive poverty.’
“Poverty in Mexico and Central America is so severe, the bishops note, that many people live on one dollar a day or less. Immigrants who cannot support themselves or their families in their home countries often come to find work and to send money back home to their families.
“The bishops asked ‘Would we, in their shoes, not do the same?’
”The bishops express concern that pending legislation could hinder humanitarian assistance offered by the Catholic Church and other churches to immigrants.
“Several pending bills would require social services agencies operated by churches but receiving government funds to screen all of their clients to ensure only those with legal status are served by the agency. Such restrictions would work a tremendous hardship on church social services agencies, which generally serve all applicants for assistance from either other government or other sources of funds.
“Other bills propose to penalize businesses that unknowingly hire illegal immigrants. There are also bills that direct local law enforcement to enforce national immigration policies as part of their duties. The bishops indicate that this may discourage immigrants from reporting crimes thereby undermining public safety for all.
“Several bills require officials at Missouri’s public colleges and universities to certify to legislative appropriations committees that they have not knowingly admitted students unlawfully present in the country.
“Instead of penalizing these students, the bishops urge that they be allowed to attend Missouri’s public colleges and universities while they seek to obtain permanent legal status. The bishops note that these children have been brought into the country by their parents and the state should not turn its back on them because they lack legal status through no fault of their own.
“The bishops call on public officials to consider scriptural values, including openness to immigrants and newcomers to the country, in seeking to further the common good of all people.”
The Catholic Church should return to their mission of saving souls and stay out of the political arena. If they want to help illegal immigrants they should arrange a way for them to return to their homes and provide assistance for them there. They are biting the hands that feed them while hiding under the cloak of piety. How many of their parishioners have seen their businesses go bankrupt because of the illegal immigrants the church is supporting? How many have seen their property values decline because of having hordes of illegal immigrants move into their neighborhood? How many have seen their hospitals close because of illegal immigrants. The church has a conflict: they cannot at once support their legal parishioners while providing sanctuary for illegal immigrants.
I am a lifelong Catholic and I stopped sending my check to the church about 1 1/2 years ago because of its support for illegal immigrants. I encourage others to do likewise.
As a fully lapsed Catholic, primarily due to the right wing politics and moral problems, here is a glimpse of the Church that I knew and loved - the one that led us to live Christ’s actual message.
The Catholic church is trying to fill the pews left vacant by political entrusion and moral decadence. The bishops are concerned about their own survival. The immigrant’s survival is secondary to their cause.
I wish the Post Disgrace would make up its mind…when the Archbishop points out that Pro-choice Catholic politicians and public figures are openly defying the church, he is roundly castigated and yet, when the bishops come out with a statement saying essentially the same thing about those who oppose criminal immigration, PD describe it as “calling for an end to rhetoric in which political candidates vie to see who can be tougher on illegal immigrants.”
Any more I only read the paper and this website to see if anyone I know has died.
They’ve already killed my confidence in objective journalism.
I lost my enthusiasm for dropping money into the collection basket over the pedophilia problems of the Catholic Church. If the Bishop wants to rely heavier on the donations of illegal aliens, just keep preaching.
JanetP:
“How many of their parishioners have seen their businesses go bankrupt because of the illegal immigrants the church is supporting?”
None. Not a single one. Cut off the supply of migrant and seasonal workers without providing some kind of replacement visa system, and you will see dozens if not hundreds of businesses and operations, especially in agriculture, close.
“How many have seen their property values decline because of having hordes of illegal immigrants move into their neighborhood?”
Where exactly are these neighborhoods? Did illegal immigration cause the decline in property values, or was the neighborhood “changing” and Hispanic immigrants (and you’ve checked their status to make sure they are illegal?) were just a part of the lower income flux into the neighborhood?
“How many have seen their hospitals close because of illegal immigrants.”
So the millions and millions of uninsured or underinsured US citizens (far more than all the illegal immigrants put together–and most of them avoid institutional medical care for fear of being found out by INS) and our failed medical insurance system (not to mention shifting demographics and a glut of hospital beds in most communities) aren’t the reasons why most hospitals close?
While there is a very legitimate need to secure our borders and ensure that everyone living here is here legally, this anti-immigration hysteria is just that–hysteria. Take out newspapers from the mid-18th century and replace “German” and “Irish” and “Italian” with “Mexican” and “illegals” and the screed sounds the same.
We need real immigration reform: a way to legalize (visas or citizenship) the millions of current illegals who are upstanding members of commuinities across the US, deport (and make sure they stay out) the habitual criminals and gangsters, and find seasonal and guest worker passes to provide industry and agriculture (and dozens of other fields) the workers they need.
And, all of that before you get to the nation’s history as a beacon of hope and opportunity:
“Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed, to me:
I lift my lamp beside the golden door.”
For over two centuries the United States has welcomed millions of immigrants, legal and illegal. They have enriched, shaped and powered our republic. There is no reason to believe they will do anything but the same in the future.
Regardless of whether you agree with the catholic church on this one or not, do you think they will even be listened to by Blunt and other protestant politicians?
DDJ (post #4) you are 100% correct. The Post must really think that no one reads the paper.
Garrison (post #3) doesn’t happen much, but you got this one correct. well said.
Suzyjax (post #7) would you have them listen on Abortion or Stem Cells? Silly question, I know.
Missouri Citizens to Missouri Bishops:
Stop harboring pedophile priests and tell Ed “Bunch of Mexicans” Martin to turn himself into the authorities immediately for his ruthless assault on Scott Eckersly.
Don’t preach to the rest of us when your sins are the ones corrupting this state!
Wells at 6: Couldn’t have said it better. Well put.