Posted on 06/18/2005 5:27:43 PM PDT by Happy2BMe
Church leaders to discuss role in immigration
Leonard Martinez
El Paso Times
A Catholic cardinal, 17 bishops from the United States and Mexico, U.S. Sen. John Cornyn and the Mexican foreign minister will meet in El Paso next week in what is being described as a historic meeting about the church’s spiritual, moral and legal obligation toward immigrants.
The conference, the first of its kind along the U.S.-Mexico border, will include 150 diocesan staff members from the two countries and will feature a variety of workshops on treating immigrants and fulfilling their religious needs.
“As members of a universal church, we are keenly aware of the realities of a geographical border region which is enforced by the civil and criminal laws of nation-states,” Catholic Diocese of El Paso Bishop Armando X. Ochoa said in a new release. “However, the also-present reality of migration is a constant invitation to the church to craft new responses to the ‘signs of the times,’ so that the human dignity and rights of our migrants are honored and respected.”
The conference, “Strangers No Longer: Together on the Journey of Hope,” will be Thursday through June 26 at the Camino Real Hotel in Downtown. The conference is not open to the public. Ochoa called the binational migration conference “historic.”
“The conference is designed to provide bishops with a learning experience of the phenomenon of what migration is all about so they can respond to people in their communities,” said Ouisa Davis, executive director of the Diocesan Migrant and Refugee Services of the Catholic Diocese of El Paso. “They will (also) be able to respond to their pastoral needs.”
She said El Paso’s migrant and refugee services get more than 60,000 requests for immigration help a year. She said they helped immigrants with sponsored immigration, naturalization and employment petitions.
The conference is based on a pastoral letter jointly released two years ago by U.S. and Mexican bishops’ conferences.
“The difficulties you encounter as migrants are many,” the pastoral letter said. “We cannot help but recognize your plight at these times; and so as teachers of the faith and promoters of justice in the world, we speak directly to you. The burden is heavy on your backs. We want to lighten the burden.”
Recent immigrant issues include the controversial Minutemen, civilians who patrolled the Arizona-Mexico border looking for immigrants; the many deaths recorded in the desert and all along the border; and a possible guest-worker program.
The Catholic Diocese of El Paso is in a unique position to help other dioceses with migrant issues because it is on the border, one official said.
“We have a longer history of working with bilingual liturgies and working with Spanish-speaking Catholics,” said the Rev. John Stowe, moderator of the Curia/vicar general for the El Paso Diocese. “Every time they come here (from other dioceses), they are impressed with the life of the church here. Our Diocesan Migrant and Refugee Services is a good example. It’s been studied by different dioceses around the country.”
Cardinal Theodore McCarrick of Washington, D.C., will speak Thursday on Ecclesia in America and “Strangers No Longer” as a way the church in the United States and Mexico can work together.
Friday, Mexican Foreign Minister Luis Derbez will address a session on Mexican migration policy, his country’s relationship with the United States on migration issues and possible goals of collaboration between the two countries.
Cornyn will speak June 26 about immigration policy reform in the United States and on human trafficking.
“The main purpose of the conference is to build relationships between dioceses on both sides of the border to work collaboratively on migratory issues,” said Kevin Appleby, director of Migration and Refugee Policy for the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. “It’s a way to build solidarity across borders and come up with a uniform strategy. In the policy realm, it’s a bit more difficult, but there are common issues with common messages.”
Appleby said the conference is a way to discuss these issues.
“The church’s perspective is we have a broken immigration system in the U.S. and Mexico, and immigrants who want to support their family are sort of pawns in both governments if you will,” Appleby said.
Last month, the bishops of the United States launched a three-year campaign to bring about comprehensive immigration reform. For more information on the campaign, go to www.justice
forimmigrants.org.
Wonder what he knows?
======================================
The conference is based on a pastoral letter jointly released two years ago by U.S. and Mexican bishops’ conferences.
“The difficulties you encounter as migrants are many,” the pastoral letter said. “We cannot help but recognize your plight at these times; and so as teachers of the faith and promoters of justice in the world, we speak directly to you. The burden is heavy on your backs. We want to lighten the burden.”
Recent immigrant issues include the controversial Minutemen, civilians who patrolled the Arizona-Mexico border looking for immigrants; the many deaths recorded in the desert and all along the border; and a possible guest-worker program.
The Catholic Diocese of El Paso is in a unique position to help other dioceses with migrant issues because it is on the border, one (Church) official said.
Maybe these good church leaders should look up the Biblical warnings to Babylon.
It looks like he's in the loop, and the rest of us are out of it.
This will become a large issue. And a difficult one.
Friday, Mexican Foreign Minister Luis Derbez will address a session on Mexican migration policy, his country’s relationship with the United States on migration issues and possible goals of collaboration between the two countries.
(Hint: Read my profile page.)
The church has two choices; 1) they can continue helping migrants break the law, or 2) the church can go into the countries that need help and do their best.
The conference, "Strangers No Longer: Together on the Journey of Hope,"
Oh, gag me with a spoon.
And don't start that journey without a passport and a visa!
Maybe Rome should consider returning the billions of dollars they have collected from Mexicans over the past two hundred years and start helping the poor of that country as Jesus instructed them to do.
That is no secret.
But for the Catholic Church to openly give solace now to illegal aliens gives a large degree of public sanction to those activities. And this is being done in a public forum now and with Mexican Government officials being consulted for guidance.
Why aren't United States Government officials going to be in attendance at these meetings?
'Immigration reform' means open borders. Isn't it odd that Canada, the third partner in this open borders deal (forget Central and South America, they're in this, too, but we're dealing with the big three here), hasn't uttered a word yay or nay? The Catholic Church getting involved is not a good sign for the US and the rule of law. When you hear 'compassion' and churches on both sides of the border 'coordinating efforts' to work on migratory issues', you know exactly what's going on, and it's not good. The Church has its own agenda, which includes more parishioners, legal or not, more money in collection plates. They're as bad as politicians trolling for Hispanic votes. The one honest word in that article is 'migratiory'. Mexicans are migrating or invading the US. Massive and constant. Someone should be held accountable when terrorists come over that border and blow up thousands of Americans.
Falling attendance at church in the US, falling revenues, (bad press vis a vis pedophile priests). The Church sees millions of illegals as the answer to their prayers. Despicable.
And yes, I'm a Catholic and angry.
Maybe the President will send his "faith based initiatives" liaison.
U.S.- Mexico Binational Commission Working Group on Homeland Security and Border Cooperation
Released by the Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs
U.S. Dept. of State
Washington, DC
November 12, 2003
The Bi-national Commission Working Group devoted to the border is the BNC Working Group on Homeland Security and Border Cooperation.
This group's broader portfolio underscores our mutual resolve to create a border that embraces technology and enhances bilateral cooperation to ensure a humane and efficient management of the border that joins our peoples and our economies.
A Catholic cardinal, 17 bishops from the United States and Mexico, U.S. Sen. John Cornyn and the Mexican foreign minister...
"popular assumption is that Minnesota is active in resettlement because of Lutheran and Catholic church groups, and while that is partially true, ultimately it's the State Department that decides who gets resettled where. Twelve national nonprofits get contracts for so many refugees per year, and the State Department grants money based on that number. In 2000, for instance, three-quarters of the roughly 73,000 refugees admitted into the United States were settled in 15 different states. California resettled the largest number, at 13 percent, while Minnesota came in sixth, taking in roughly four percent."
(Why isn't someone from the U.S. government invited to these meetings?)
As a Catholic this mindset within some in the hierachy, that promotes the degradation and misery of these "migrants"( illegals to everyone else) go through is a sin. How could ANYONE think that incouraging people to leave their homes, family and country to chance death , and working for pennies, to further the profits of unscrupulous employers. These Bishops etc should hang their heads in shame.
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