Posted on 09/09/2013 9:59:54 AM PDT by Alex Murphy
Dioceses across the United States placed special emphasis on immigration during Masses on Sunday, according to the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.
September 8 had been selected by the US bishops' conference as a day for special focus on the question of immigration. The nationwide campaign was complicated when Pope Francis asked for a worldwide campaign of prayer for peace in Syria during the same weekend.
In some dioceses, plans for a campaign to muster Catholic support for immigration reform were set aside temporarily, as parishes joined in the Pope's campaign of prayers for peace. In Arizona, Bishop Gerald Kicanas of Tucson explained that while the prayers for peace might take precedence on September 8, "we are certainly continuing our efforts to encourage members to support immigration reform." In other dioceses, the immigrant message remained on the top of the agenda.
Some bishops asked all priests to preach on immigration during weekend Masses. According to US bishops’ Justice for Immigrants campaign:
•“Diocese of Arlington, VA: Bishop Paul Loverde has asked pastors in the diocese to talk about immigration at Masses during the weekend.”
•“Diocese of Buffalo: At the request of Bishop Richard Malone, concern for immigrants must be mentioned at all Masses this weekend.”
•“Archdiocese of Kansas City, KS: Archbishop Joseph Nauman [sic] asked his priests to speak on immigration at the Sunday Masses.”
•“Archdiocese of Los Angeles: Archbishop Jose Gomez has asked every parish (288 in all) in the Archdiocese to dedicate at least one Mass for Immigration Reform this weekend. If this does not fit into the parish schedule, parishes are asked to celebrate a special mass for this intention sometime in September.”
•“Diocese of Reno: Bishop Randolph Calvo has asked all parishes to focus on immigration on Sunday, September 8.”
•“Diocese of Richmond, VA: Bishop Francis DiLorenzo has asked pastors in the diocese to talk about immigration at Masses during the weekend.”
•“Diocese of Arlington, VA: Bishop Paul Loverde has asked pastors in the diocese to talk about immigration at Masses during the weekend.”
•“Diocese of Buffalo: At the request of Bishop Richard Malone, concern for immigrants must be mentioned at all Masses this weekend.”
•“Archdiocese of Kansas City, KS: Archbishop Joseph Nauman [sic] asked his priests to speak on immigration at the Sunday Masses.”
•“Archdiocese of Los Angeles: Archbishop Jose Gomez has asked every parish (288 in all) in the Archdiocese to dedicate at least one Mass for Immigration Reform this weekend. If this does not fit into the parish schedule, parishes are asked to celebrate a special mass for this intention sometime in September.”
•“Diocese of Reno: Bishop Randolph Calvo has asked all parishes to focus on immigration on Sunday, September 8.”
•“Diocese of Richmond, VA: Bishop Francis DiLorenzo has asked pastors in the diocese to talk about immigration at Masses during the weekend.”
My Parish said NOTHING about immigration...thank God....at the end we did say some extra prayers for Peace in the Middle east.
Nothing said about immigrants at our parish here in Vermont, I’m glad to say. Just a sermon on the day’s three Bible readings.
These particular bishops are well meaning, but dumb, I’m afraid. We have an obligation to the poor, but that doesn’t mean helping people break the law or destroying one country to help another. I’m afraid a lot of Christians are also confused about government “charity,” which is rarely free from graft and corruption.
In any case, this stuff is what is known as “prudential” advice from the bishops—meaning just their opinion, which you can take or leave.
LOL will the "leave-er" be accused of being a virulent anti-Catholic for doing so?
Our parish had a visiting priest on Sunday (our regular pastor doing a wedding for a friend) and the visiting priest gave a homily against bombing Syria.
More Mexicans = More Catholics = More power and more $$$$$
Nothing said in Cleveland at two different churches with two different priests.
Ours just stuck to the Gospel. Made me proud.
There was a leaflet at the local Catholic church here. Loaded with leftist talking points such as calling the present unenforced status quo a “broken system”. What does that say of a church that is nominally anti-abortion yet supports the abortionists in this manner?
My parish said nothing as a new priest introduced himself.
The problem is that most of the Mexicans they get will either be only nominally Roman Catholic or not Roman Catholic at all.
I know how the movie and TV industry presents people from South of the Border but I have lived there.
If that is their motive they should be very careful what they ask for.
same at my Italian parish in DC. no mention of immigration, but he said Pope Francis had asked for special prayers to avoid war in Syria, so we said those.
“My Parish said NOTHING about immigration...thank God....at the end we did say some extra prayers for Peace in the Middle east.”
Same with mine.
NOTHING said about immigration here in Connecticut.
Instead the meaning of Luke 14:26 was discussed; why it is important to make God the center of out lives, and that God should not be compartmentalized.
But we did pray for peace in Syria.
That’s six dioceses out of 195.
Just one more reason I’ve grown completely disillusioned with Catholicism. They’re all in the bag for Obama and world socialism.
No, I wouldn’t say so. In fact, faithful Catholics have often been obliged to ignore or dispute such prudential advice from the bishops.
The problem is that unless Catholics take the trouble to do a little studying of theology, recent papal encyclicals, and orthodox books concerning the turmoil in the post-Vatican 2 church, many parishioners don’t know the difference between “prudential” opinions and obligatory church teachings.
The Church is still the channel God has provided for our salvation. I wouldn’t let a few dumb bishops or dissident priests turn you off. If all of the real faithful abandoned the Church, it would hardly help turn things around. Nor would it help them.
Same for me in CT, in fact, my priest went so far as to explain that the church does not advocate “pacifism”, that we may have to use violence/war to defend ourselves, our family, our country, and our church, because Satan is fighting us, in this battle between good & evil...
I love this priest, he’s been strongly pro-life, pro-family, and even called out Obama at Planned Parenthood, from the pulpit...
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