Illegal immigrants
In the article, I quote, “As we enter the last few days before Christmas, we urgently pray that God will grant our law enforcement authorities prudence, justice and restraint in carrying out their duties…” I hope that our law enforcement - and medical personnel continue to carry out their duty – whatever it may be. Who are we to ask our law enforcement to NOT do their job. In fact what does the bible say about tax collectors and guards alike? I think the hang up is that the Catholic church doesn’t see illegal immigration as a crime, because if they did, then it should be enforced –right? Just because you don’t agree with it, doesn’t mean it’s not illegal. Imagine a society were people followed only the rules they agreed with. I’m sure the Archbishop has heard the term “cafeteria catholic” – one who picks and chooses what they want to believe or adhere to. But isn’t that what the Archbishop is doing with our laws? He is picking not to adhere to our current immigration laws – (we know they’re illegal, but let them be). Aiding and abetting a criminal is against the law – and by encouraging it, the Archbishop is somewhat culpable for people that get caught doing it, however, I doubt the church is going to pay their legal cost. No one is saying that we shouldn’t help the poor. If an illegal immigrant comes to your church, by all means feed them, cloth them, and give them shelter – and then call the police; just as you would anyone else who is breaking the law. Would you aid a burglar or a thief (outside the sanctity of confession)? Make no mistake about it, the thief and the illegal are both victimizing society- just in different ways.
Certainly a man with the education and experience of the Archbishop, can see the economic burden illegal immigration is costing this country. To acknowledge that fact and say “yes but” – is not acknowledging it, but minimizing its impact. The Roman Catholic Church has an estimated asset value in the hundreds of billions of dollars worldwide. Perhaps they wouldn’t mind footing the bill for the unpaid medical, education, social services, legal costs, loss of taxes not being paid (by illegals), and other expenses that illegal immigration costs us (the taxpayers), and not the non-profit entities like religious organizations (not tax paying).
As a church leader the Archbishop is doing exactly the opposite of what I as a catholic expect of him. I expect him to empower and lead, not take on public policy and encourage people to break the law. He’s setting the wrong example of how to help people help themselves. There is an immigration process in place – whether he likes it or not, it is in place and should be followed until it gets changed. I would like to see our politicians fix the immigration policies (that’s their job) and our religious leaders worry more about saving souls, keeping us focused on God, teaching us external/internal morality, and taking on the larger atrocities being committed to innocent people around the world – like Africa. Would the Archbishop feel the same and go to the extent that he has if the “undocumented” workers were 10-12 million Muslim workers? Because if he would, there are hundreds of thousands of dead Africans that could’ve used his help and hundreds of thousands more in dire need still.
There are more pressing issues in our country besides immigration for the Archbishop to hang his hat on. There’s pornography, abortion, morality, sermons that actually make sense, drug/alcohol abuse, homosexuality, church attendance, catholic education of Catholics, the ten commandments, and many more. Stick to serious issues –like educating the billion plus Catholics about the billion plus Muslims; can you say Holy War - someday?!
Doug V. Mahoney
Littleton
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Mr. Mahoney , I'm not a Catholic and i agree wholeheartly with most everything you said. I know the church see illegals as soul that need to know the Lord and i agree with that. In Mexico's history there was a Catholic father by the name of Hidalgo who stood up for the poor against the Spanish government. If the archbishop feels that strongly about the poor Mexicans he should go to Mexico and do a grass-root campaign so the poor have a voice that needs to be heard by their own government. I'm sure all Mexico's archbishops and Catholics would gather and support the grass-root movement. I mean no disrespect to the Archbishop and I sure he is a man who understands there are different opinion among the churches other than his.
Posted by Marvin Barela on January 23, 2007 12:13 PMI guess this catholic archbishop could care less of the fact these "Poor" illegals have put just as many American workers into poverty.
Wages have been going down every year for the last 20 yrs. Where was the Catholic churches concern for American poor. Not from him