BBC: Cardinal urges 'fair' migrant law ~ Cardinal Roger Mahony of Los Angeles,

BBC ^ | Thursday, 6 April 2006, 10:58 GMT 11:58 UK | Duncan Kennedy BBC News, Los Angeles

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Cardinal urges 'fair' migrant law

By Duncan Kennedy BBC News, Los Angeles

Cardinal Mahony has intervened in the immigration debate before

The leader of the largest Catholic archdiocese in the US, Cardinal Roger Mahony of Los Angeles, has called for "just and humane" immigration laws.

This is in response to the growing controversy over the future of millions of illegal immigrants.

He said the debate in the Senate this week on immigration reform would have far-reaching effects for all Americans.

Cardinal Mahony leads five million Roman Catholics, 75% of them of Hispanic origin.

In a statement, he urged solidarity for those "undocumented" immigrants who he said often endured lives of deprivation and hardship.

He said Christian gospels called for people to stand with "the poor, the stranger and the least among us".

The debate in the Senate this week on immigration reform would be important for all Americans, including, he said, "those among us who are not citizens but who believe in the American dream", he said.

'Outspoken'

This is not the first time the cardinal has added his comments to this divisive debate.

Last month, he criticised a House of Representatives bill that would make it a crime to help any of the 12 million illegal immigrants now said to be living in the United States.

At the time, he urged priests under his control to engage in a campaign of civil disobedience as part of efforts to reject the bill.

Some commentators have attacked the cardinal's position, saying his outspoken views were an attempt to increase Latino numbers in Catholic churches faced with dwindling attendances.

President George Bush has again called on the Senate to pass a comprehensive bill on immigration.

He wants a guest worker programme that would give the illegal workers temporary permission to stay in the country.

But opponents, including some in his own Republican Party, say that would amount to an amnesty.

[MplsSteve]

When Archbishop Mahony owns up to the fact that he allowed a culture of priest pedophilia to go unchecked in his archdiocese, I may remotely start to listen to anything he says.

[cripplecreek]

Can't fill collection plates without filling the pews first.

[goodnesswins]

Follow the MONEY....

[Crispus Attucks Patriot]

If he would excommunicate people like Kerry, Kennedy, and Pelosi for being pro-abortion, then maybe we'd listen to him.

Until then this criminal-enabler needs to realize we're a constitutional republic based on law and not a dictatorship run from Rome based on legend.

[kellynla]

I called Mahony's office the other day and left him a nice message of outrage...not that it would do any good because like the GOP the only thing the parish priests pay attention to are the receipts.

[Milhous]

Leftist Catholic Cardinal does an infinitely better job of capturing his true affiliation. Leftist first and foremost with relatively minor negotiable affiliations following. A Hispanic associate of mine who describes himself as a paleoconservative often wears his US Marine uniform to church while confronting Leftist clergy to remind them that the Catholic church contains too broad of spectrum of people with differing political perspectives to serve soley as a Leftist sounding board.

[hershey]

The Church has a horse in this race, they're hardly impartial. (Plummeting revenues and the prospect of huge numbers of Catholic Hispanics attending church and dropping money in the collection plate -- in any language, that's called greedy self-interest.) Migrant is the word. Mexicans are migrating north. One quarter of Mexico is already here, half of everyone left...the middle class...is packing. Mexico is being depopulated, but the Church doesn't have a clue as to what that means for Mexico, but Fox is already telling the US to 'invest in Mexico's (collapsing), infrastructure'.

[rock58seg]

These are the people, who make me lose patience with my church. How can they can they climb so high and be so stupid. If he really wants to do something for the Mexican people, work with his counterparts in Mexico to improve that Hellhole. I suspect the Church Heirachy in Mexico is part of the power structure and therefore part of the problem, not the solution.

I feel betrayed by my Church, by my political party, and law enforcement that will not enforce.

[CWW]

Sadly, Cardinal Mahoney has been a disgrace to the Catholic Church.

But please don't judge the entire Catholic Church my the wayward acts of one cardinal or bishop.

[MplsSteve]

I'm Catholic too.

I absolutely wouldn't judge the Church based on a couple of far-left Archbishops.

But Mahony has no credibility due to his lack of action in dealing with the priest pedophilia issue within his archdiocese.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

I have a Flyer ( came in the OC Register ) selling homesites with a 180 degree view of the Sea of Cortuz in the Baja, El Dorado Ranch, at San Felipe.....

Beachfront Property and Home Sites "on the golf course"

[ArrogantBustard]

Mahony has zero credibility for a lot of reasons besides his inability or unwillingness to keep the homosexual predators out of the seminaries and rectories. This sort of nonsense is to be expected from him.

[BIGZ]

Cardinal Mahony leads five million Roman Catholics, 75% of them of Hispanic origin

I am ashamed to be Catholic, this from the man that hid the years of abuse by priests. Despicable.

The problem with the Catholic Church is the same problem that exists with the Muslims. Muslims in order keep their religion of Islam, must keep the general population poor. Democracy and Free Enterprise are not synonymous words but you must have both to succeed. Economic success in Iraq would destabilize the entire Muslim structure. Prosperous people do not need Religion. The Catholic Religion is in the same position, (as are most major religions) prosperous people don't need the religious crutch.

75% Hispanics Mahoneys's only hope for the Catholic Church in the prosperous United States.

I stopped attending the Catholic Church when the Church adopted the hippie, guitar culture and the hug and kiss your neighbor policy.

Don't feel good do good.

[ArrogantBustard]

I suspect the Church Heirachy in Mexico is part of the power structure and therefore part of the problem, not the solution.

More likely, the Catholic Hierarchy was driven to near extinction by the communist government in Mexico. Even today, the Church is barely tolerated.

!Viva Cristo Rey!

[ArrogantBustard]

If he would excommunicate people like Kerry, Kennedy, and Pelosi for being pro-abortion,

I appreciate your sentiments ... but Roger Cardinal Mahony is (sad to say) the Bishop of Los Angeles. Kerry, Kennedy, and Pelosi are residents of Massachussetts. They're more than a little out of his jurisdiction. He has no more authority to excommunicate them than I do. Excommunicating them is Sean Cardinal O'Malley's job.

[ArrogantBustard]

The Catholic Religion is in the same position, (as are most major religions) prosperous people don't need the religious crutch.

Take your (Marxist|Lenninist|Maoist) propaganda back to the DUmpster where it belongs.

[KeyLargo]

FBI stopped Hezbollah smugglers (US Mexico Border)
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1606335/posts

[A.A. Cunningham]

You're nuts.

[BIGZ]

Marxist, Lennist, Maoist, if they are what Capitalism is then I am wrong.

[conservative blonde]

Amen, brother

[ArrogantBustard]

Your comment about Religion being a 'crutch' is straight out of Marx.

And yes, you're wrong.

Go somewhere else to build your New Soviet Man.

[conservative blonde]

Sorry BIGZ you stopped being Catholic when you quit attending church. Quiting the Church didn't help did it? Unless the traditional Catholic continues in the Church working for good, the liberal bishops will continue to corrupt individuals. Quiting is never the solution. These Bishops will not last forever. They are not the controlling force in the Catholic Church, Jesus Christ is. If we are following Him in our service, we are doing good and should not feel ashamed of our beliefs.

[TBP]

Cardinal Mahony is an enabler of mass pedophilia and an advocate of lawbreaking who seems to think that the law doesn't apply to him. If we followed his recommendations, we'd lose our country.

We're losing it enough already. I want my country back. People like Mahony need to be held to account for their coverup of crimes, not consulted on how to run our country.

It has nothing to do with compassion for Hispanics -- Mahony's just out for his interests.

[TBP]

Leftist Catholic Cardinal does an infinitely better job of capturing his true affiliation.

Or maybe just Communist Cardinal.

[TBP]

What about some of those allegedly CAtholic Hollywood types? Tehy're in Phony Mahony's jurisdiction.

I'm astounded that FReepers are making excuses for this creep.

[BIGZ]

I am not alone if 75% of Catholics under Mahoney's church are Hispanic. Which should be first Church or Country ? Let Mahoney's ILLEGAL immigrants take political control and you will have his Church but not your Country.

[Milhous]

Or maybe just Communist Cardinal.

Good point. Communist serves as an excellent power word to put emoting barking moonbat clergy on the defensive.

[BIGZ]

Typical. Take me out of context. True Liberal thinking.

[TBP]

The Catholic Religion is in the same position, (as are most major religions) prosperous people don't need the religious crutch.

"I come that you may have life and have it more abundantly."

[TBP]

If he really wants to do something for the Mexican people, work with his counterparts in Mexico to improve that Hellhole.

Taht would require real compassion for people, and Mahony's conduct during the pedophilia scandal shows he has none.

[petkus]

AS A ROMAN CATHOLIC, I WOULD URGE ALL CATHOLICS WHO OPPOSE CARDINAL MAHONY'S POSITION ON ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION TO BOYCOTT THE COLLECTION PLATES FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR!

LET THE ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS THAT CARDINAL MAHONY SUPPORTS MAKE THEIR DONATIONS TO SUPPORT HIS LIFE STYLE!

[TBP]

FBI stopped Hezbollah smugglers (US Mexico Border)

I bet Mahony's upset.

[TBP]

Sorry BIGZ you stopped being Catholic when you quit attending church. Quiting the Church didn't help did it?

Isn't it "once a Catholic, always a Catholic"? They can excommunicate you but you can't quit.

[JoeFromSidney]

(Plummeting revenues and the prospect of huge numbers of Catholic Hispanics attending church and dropping money in the collection plate

Plummeting revenues, yes. The Bishops failed to preach against Birth Control a generation ago, and we're seeing the results. Typical Catholic family size: two children. Not even replacement rate.

As for Hispanics dropping money in the collection plate, that's not happening either. Most don't go to church at all. Those who do go don't have much money, and certianly aren't dropping much in the collection plate.

As for their "Catholicism," the illegitimate birth rate among Hispanics is almost as high as it is among Blacks. Looks like the Bishops and the Priests aren't doing a good job with the Hispanics, either.

If the Bishops think an influx of illegal Mexicans is ging to "save" the Church in the US, they're going to be gravely diasppointed.

[TBP]

As for their "Catholicism," the illegitimate birth rate among Hispanics is almost as high as it is among Blacks. Looks like the Bishops and the Priests aren't doing a good job with the Hispanics, either.

But it doesn't seem like Mahony and some of the others care about this.

Here is what tehy care about:

As for Hispanics dropping money in the collection plate, that's not happening either. Most don't go to church at all. Those who do go don't have much money, and certianly aren't dropping much in the collection plate.

Well, now here is a problem we'll have to address immediately!!!

[ArrogantBustard]

In #14, you wrote:

"The problem with the Catholic Church is the same problem that exists with the Muslims. Muslims in order keep their religion of Islam, must keep the general population poor. Democracy and Free Enterprise are not synonymous words but you must have both to succeed. Economic success in Iraq would destabilize the entire Muslim structure. Prosperous people do not need Religion. The Catholic Religion is in the same position, (as are most major religions) prosperous people don't need the religious crutch."

Your words, expressing your beliefs, straight out of Marx. You can apologise for them, or you can retract them, or you can be man enough to at least proudly stand by them (as a Marxist) ... but trying to weasel out of them just makes you look foolish.

[BenLurkin]

http://www.tsha.utexas.edu/handbook/online/articles/SS/qis1.html

[Petronski]

I am ashamed to be Catholic...

[snip]

The Catholic Religion is in the same position, (as are most major religions) prosperous people don't need the religious crutch.

You're not much of a Catholic if that's what you think of the Church.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Very interesting.

[Convert from ECUSA]

Balony-Mahony can go take a very long walk off a very short pier!

[Zetman]

Cardinal Mahony seems to put godless marxism before even the teachings of the Church. He needs to become more familiar with the teachings of the Church he represents. This excerpt from the Catholic Catechism was posted on another thread within the past couple of weeks. Apparently, Mahony is not familiar with it:

"2241 ...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."

Does this sound ANYTHING like what Mahony and his cronies on the Church's left are espousing?? For that matter, does it sound like the supposedly Catholic illegals who are pouring into this country are following this Church teaching??

Don't be too quick to judge the entire Church based upon this Cardinal Mahony phony, and all the other left-wingers who are permeating the church (even though many are in the American hierarchy). There IS a small contingent of Traditional Orthodox Catholics who are trying to stand fast against this type of crap. They deserve credit and support. In addition, it looks like Pope Benedict may be more sympathetic to the Orthodox cause (hoping and praying).

IIRC, Mahony has put effort into restricting Traditional Catholics in his diocese (big surprise there, huh??). He makes it difficult for them, and does not think very highly of them. He seems to be VERY sympthetic to homo's, and as many have pointed out, he seems to have done little about the pedophile problem. In addition, I seem to remember hearing that the seminaries in his jurisdiction are very liberal.

So, Mahony is out trying to remove the splinter from the eye of the U.S. Government, when he can't see the entire tree in his own eye!! The fact that he does it in the name of the Catholic Church irks me to no end.

In addition, I am not sure where all the empty pews are in Catholic Churches. Both Parishes that I attend always seem to be crowded during Mass, with people frequently having to stand in the back at one of the churches. I hear many others from other parts of the country report the same thing. So, I don't buy this uninformed Michael Savage-spawned crap that the Church is doing this because of greed. Maybe some left-leaners in the hierarchy are, but this is certainly NOT true for all of the Church.

[A.A. Cunningham]

Pelosi is from San Francisco. She's Niederauers' problem.

[ArrogantBustard]

I stand corrected. And I'm sure it wouldn't be hard to come up with a list of candidates for excommunication in Lalaland ... and they are Mahony's problem.

Trouble is, I'm not sure but what Mahony himself wouldn't head the list.

[ZULU]

I won't listen to anything this guy says.

Maphoney was interviewed last night and the interviewer questioned the appropriateness of his commenting on a political issue like this from the pulpit.

Maphoney's response was that any legislation which impacts people was a moral issue.

Well, since ALL legislation impacts people, I guess that gives Maphoney and the other socialist liberal clerics in the Country the right to operate as PACS without having to declare themselves as such and pay taxes like all other PACS.

Well, I think Maphoney and his band of illegal alien aiding and abetting brothers hould be taxed - along with any other clerics and their churches who get involved in political issues.

Who knows, there might be enough doallars in all those taxes to fund the socialist foreign aid-right-here-in- America programs Maphoney's apparently so fond of.

[Just mythoughts]

HEY, Mahony move your pious behind to Mexico, stop making the WRONG appear RIGHT. Wolves in sheep clothing.

[CdMGuy]

Roger Mahoney. Ah yes, the pedo enabler of LA. As a resident of LA County and a Catholic, I can report that the hardest thing to find here is a White Catholic who has any use for Mahoney. In fact, I do not know one single White Catholic either in LA or the surrounding counties who has anything but distain for this creep.

[BIGZ]

Please explain how my remarks are Marxist, I don't understand. Are you saying that the Catholic Church is not Liberal? Liberalism and Socialism are synonymous words. I am a Marxist and the Church is not? Strange.

Weasel, typical liberal attitude, call your opponent names.

[dfwgator]

When you hear anything with the word "fair" in it, grab your wallets.

[ArrogantBustard]

1) The Catholic Church has been condemning socialism since it was 'invented' in the early to mid 19th Century. If you are unaware of this, you need to educate yourself. Seriously.

2) Your use of the term "religious crutch" is semantically equivalent to "opiate of the masses". It's 100% pure Marxism. Marxist ideology goes 'way beyond mere economics. If you are unaware of this, you need to educate yourself. Seriously.

3) I'm not 'calling you names'. I'm telling you where your anti-religious ideology came from.

4) I strongly suspect that I was a 'conservative' when you were in diapers.

5) Your pretense of obtuseness does not reflect well on you.

6) You are dismissed.