Posted on 09/08/2025 11:01:11 AM PDT by AndyJackson
... Law, Prudence, and the Common Good
In his Summa Theologiae, Aquinas’ theory on immigration reflects a Golden Mean between indiscriminate openness and rigid exclusion, thoroughly grounded on the principles of natural and human — or positive — law, the common good (bonum commune), and order of charity (ordo caritatis), fostering peace and the conditions for virtuous life.
....
He observes that Mosaic law distinguished among kinds of “strangers” and “foreigners” and regulated their relation to the people of Israel with both hospitality and caution.
...
Such exclusions, Aquinas insists, were not born of racial hatred but of political prudence. Aquinas affirms that “the reason for this was that if foreigners were allowed to meddle with the affairs of a nation as soon as they settled down in its midst, many dangers might occur, since the foreigners not yet having the common good firmly at heart might attempt something hurtful to the people”.
In the Exodus account, Sacred Scripture records that a “mixed multitude” departed Egypt alongside the Israelites — referring to those Egyptians who, moved by divine signs and the justice of Israel’s cause, sought fellowship with the people of God.
Their inclusion reflects the principle that political and spiritual incorporation must be governed by prudence, charity, and the common good. These Egyptians, having freely chosen to align themselves with Israel’s worship and law, exemplify the gradual assimilation Aquinas commends: one rooted not in mere proximity, but in shared moral and religious order, and their reception by the Israelites affirms that “strangers” may be welcomed into fellowship when their intentions harmonize with the ends of peace, virtue, and rightly ordered community.
Because particular circumstances differ, those entrusted with authority must exercise prudence in applying these universal principles to particular examples. ...
(Excerpt) Read more at atlaspress.co ...
We the people paid BILLIONS to a bunch of fake Christians to traffic humans into our nation .... BILLIONS .... and this bunch claim to have and hold Peter’s keys ... Sadly the majority NEVER read the book of Acts ... and the prophet Joel. They just cannot help themselves fulfilling prophecy .... and that is NOT for the good ... they are just like Pharaoh ...
This type of Christianity is certainly not what is being taught today in most churches.
Today it is completely unbalanced towards “service” to anyone who happens to show up, no matter how badly they might act.
Oh, and congregations are expected to “serve” free of charge while the churches’ affiliated NGOs rake in hundreds of millions in taxpayer funded grants.
There’s a minister in our town who’s always imploring her congregation to “serve” migrants. Went to their website and saw a NGO her church partners with. It didn’t take much digging to find out the NGO was on the federal dole to the tune of about $35 million. That tidbit of information somehow didn’t make its way into her sermons.
bump
The amazing thing is that the new American left are not the first people in history to confront this issue and some pretty impressive folks from the past have done a lot of clear-headed thinking about the subject. Perhaps we can learn - oh wait, this is another dead white male.
Notwithstanding your gross implication that Catholics are "fake Christians", the number of NGOs involved with helping migrants and refugees settle in America is an interdenominational problem.
Except for everybody is doing it excuse the fake Christians hauled in the lion's share of dollars to traffic .... EVERY death, rape and property destruction done by these CATHOLIC traffickers is ON YOUR account... STOP playing BS with the literal numbers... YOU really think the Heavenly Father has NOT kept the perfect record on WHO charged 'we the people' to traffic trash for a dollar?
There you go again with the "fake Christian" libel.
And how do you know it's "the lion's share"? Have you actually seen any data? Are you operating on a per-capita basis, given that Catholics are the single largest individual denomination in the United States? Have you comprehended just what perverse incentives are in place to promote resettlement in America?
EVERY death, rape and property destruction done by these CATHOLIC traffickers is ON YOUR account...
By what metric?
If you mean by the mere action of tithing (because I guarantee that the parishes I attend have not contributed a single penny to these sorts of resettlement agencies), then by that logic, all tax-paying Americans are accountable for the sins of our government. If it's merely because I'm Catholic, then the same logic applies: 'you're American, therefore every wrong committed by America is on your account', etcetera.
STOP playing BS with the literal numbers...
You've not provided any numbers, so how do you know I'm "playing BS"?
Meanwhile, consider this old article from Baptist Message, which shows Catholic Relief Services getting matched by...World Vision, which is interdenominational. Another example shows Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service (despite Lutherans comprising less than 4% of America's population) reporting revenues of nearly a quarter billion within the last couple of years.
And so on, and so forth.
Like I said: it's an interdenominational problem.
YOU really think the Heavenly Father has NOT kept the perfect record on WHO charged 'we the people' to traffic trash for a dollar?
Of course He has; where have I said He doesn't? We will all be held accountable at our final judgment.
What I object to is your contention that enabling migrants and refugees (illegal or otherwise) to resettle in America is somehow a uniquely Catholic problem, and not a widespread issue that affects multiple denominations, aided and abetted by perverse incentives, lax immigration enforcement, and a long-term unwillingness by our government (which is only now starting to change) to crack down on those involved with trafficking illegals into our country.
https://americanfaith.com/catholic-charities-funding-immigration-surge/
YES I have seen the data!!! Why are you defending the indefensible? The Heavenly Father keeps the perfect record ... and HE also keeps the record of those that accuse lies ... There is NOT one thing you can do to absolve the money grubbers calling themselves ‘Catholic Charities’ ... YOU are in for one big surprise ... and Jesus, NOT Mary is coming to take a harvest ... swing your smoke and chant your Mary Mary Mary how does your garden grow ... STUCK on stupidly...
Jesus said that alllll but the very elect would worship, the get it the devil the fake Jesus ... you have just paved your own path.,
I have been watching the ‘data’ since Catholic Jeb Bush's brother the demented W Bush started funding in particular Catholic Charities to traffic illegals ...
Where, in any of my posts, have I defended the resettlement of illegals by NGOs bearing the name Catholic? Because I haven't.
Notwithstanding the rest of your anti-Catholic pablum (since you haven't actually remarked on the actual content of what St. Thomas Aquinas wrote on the matter of foreigners, which is the subject of this thread), I find it odd that you bring up Jeb Bush, as though he has anything to do with this thread.
Believe it or not, politicians using their faith (Catholic or otherwise) as a shield for bad or immoral policy isn't something I've ever supported (notwithstanding the fact I've never supported Jeb politically, either).
"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." - CCC 2241
I spent MY time reading the WORD unfiltered by a bunch of control freaks ...
Christ declared in Mark 13:23
Mark 13:23 (KJV) states: “But take ye heed: behold, I have foretold you all things.”
This was how many years before Aquinas got in on the ‘act’?
Anything you all worship of Aquinas is OFFFFF from Christ the Saviour .... because when Christ spoke the words that HE had foretold all things ... catholicism was NOT yet even on the ‘board’ ... sad you all have so much bagggggage to release...
My ‘so-called- ‘anti-Catholic’ pablum is learned first hand ... Oh, Lord, the stories I could recount ...
That's kind of the point about why Christ instituted His Church, because we're incapable of standing on our own. Why do you act like that's a character defect?
I spent MY time reading the WORD unfiltered by a bunch of control freaks ...
You say, without irony, before citing a verse from the King James Version (who wasn't a control freak at all. /s ). I bet you've also never used a single study guide, commentary, or educational reference about Scripture; I'm sure you're *entirely* self-taught...
Mind you, even the KJV relates St. John, at the end of his Gospel, saying quite explicitly that not everything Christ did or said was written down. So what exactly did John omit, since you apparently claim to know all the things that Christ foretold?
This was how many years before Aquinas got in on the ‘act’?
Years before you and I, for one. But in all seriousness, did he write anything about the topic of foreigners (i.e. the actual topic of this thread) that you disagree with?
Anything you all worship of Aquinas is OFFFFF from Christ the Saviour
You have a strange notion of worship. Anyhow, here's Aquinas, famously straying away from Christ: "Grant me, O Lord my God, a mind to know you, a heart to seek you, wisdom to find you, conduct pleasing to you, faithful perseverance in waiting for you, and a hope of finally embracing you. Amen." - a prayer credited to St Thomas.
when Christ spoke the words that HE had foretold all things ... catholicism was NOT yet even on the ‘board’ ... sad you all have so much bagggggage to release...
This isn't even a counter to anything I've said, because of course the Church didn't yet exist when He said those words; Christ hadn't founded it, yet.
My ‘so-called- ‘anti-Catholic’ pablum is learned first hand ... Oh, Lord, the stories I could recount ...
My condolences for whatever bad experiences you've had. But allegedly poor experiences with ostensibly bad Catholics is no excuse to tar every single one with the same brush (because otherwise, I could use my experiences to tar all Protestants, even those of good will). That's just common sense.
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