I’m a practicing Catholic and I don’t quite understand what the Bishops are saying. They need to clarify because it’s one thing to treat illegal aliens with dignity but quite another to allow illegals to have the privileges of citizenship.
I liken this situation to participation in the Mass. Anyone can attend Mass but not everyone can take the Eucharist. People are free to enter a Church and look around out of curiosity, or pray, or even stay for Mass, as long as the Church doors are open. But in order to fully participate in the life of the Church, you must first become a member. In order to become a member, you must know the rules, and your intentions must be right. And even if you are a member, you must be a member in good standing, that is, in the state of grace, free of mortal sin before you can consume the Body and Blood of Christ.
Let’s liken that to citizenship in the United States. Almost anyone can come legally to visit, to look around, or to participate in American life for a little while. You can even get special permission to hang out for extended periods of time, if you’re a halfway decent citizen. But in order to vote, let’s say, or to fully participate, you must become a member; you have to know the rules; you have to speak the language to a minimal degree. You have to be law abiding. The United States has to agree to accept you. Then you go through the process to become a legal alien. Why is that so hard to understand?
Agreed. I find the position of the pro-amnesty bishops quite scandalizing. They haven't made the case that US immigration law is an unjust law to be disobeyed.
And even if you are a member, you must be a member in good standing, that is, in the state of grace, free of mortal sin before you can consume the Body and Blood of Christ.
I find the pro-amnesty bishops scandalizing on this too. If, in discussing your situation with your confessor, he learned that you were violating the law here on an ongoing basis, would you get absolution without expressing firm purpose of amendment? Without some plan for restitution? What if he learned you were violating the law in another country in order to better yourself or your family? Would you get absolution?
I find it quite scandalous that Catholics here illegally apparently aren't bound by the same requirements--set in canon law, if I'm not mistaken--that you and I are. No wonder so many Catholics feel free to disobey Church teaching.
Allow me to help:
Archbishop Gomez on immigration, Pope Francis, abuse scandal
Latino Bishops: Undocumented Immigrants Are Not Criminals [USCCB / Archbishop José Gómez]
Law threatens Church’s ministry [official statement by Catholic Archbishop Jose Gomez]
USCCB backs Alabama bishops’ efforts to reverse immigration law [Archbishop Gomez statement]
USCCB campaign urges parishes to pray, preach on behalf of DREAM Act
Defeat of DREAM Act only a temporary setback, says Archbishop Gomez
President's immigration reform speech a good sign,says US Conference Catholic Bishops migration dir
New L.A. Archbishop...Discusses Immigration & Hispanics In Church
Immigration Integration [Catholic Bishops Advocate for Humane Treatment of Illegal Immigrants]
Catholic bishop calls for new thinking on illegal immigration
How to Train Catholic Citizens to Elect Morally-Perverted Catholic Politicians
US Catholic Latino leaders meet with Vatican officials, discuss ‘Hispanic reality’
Bishops to the Left of Senate Dems on Immigration
Praying for immigration reform [Catholic "Immigration Mass" in Los Angeles, CA]
Jose Gomez, champion of illegal immigrants [2005 post]
They are advocating for illegal immigration at the expense of the rights of American citizens and legal immigrants. They appear to be indifferent to the injustice of economy-destroying taxation and wage suppression resulting from massive violations of U.S. immigration laws. They completely ignore the the Catholic principle of subsidiarity in regard to this issue. They seem to suffer from the naive belief that America can and should absorb and provide for tens of millions of law breakers whose motives are purely economic (as opposed to actual refugees who are forced to flee somewhere for their lives). The injustice of their position speaks for itself. And ironically, although many bishops and cardinals appear to support socialism (in contravention of Church teaching), by supporting border violators they are aiding and abetting the "wild capitalism" (capitalism unameliorated by consideration for human rights and dignity) that the pope has decried. The logical consequence will be slave wages on both sides of the border, and a resultant increase in human misery.
Any chance to send this to the UCCB? It’s perfect!