Quisling: a synonym for traitor, someone who collaborates with the invaders of his country.
Posted on 03/01/2006 9:49:07 PM PST by NormsRevenge
Cardinal Roger M. Mahony called on Roman Catholics Wednesday to embrace immigrants regardless of their legal status, criticizing what he said was increasing hostility toward the nation's bulging undocumented population.
The cardinal also said he would tell priests to defy any law enacted that would try to force churches and other organizations to determine the legality of immigrants before giving them assistance.
Mahony, a longtime advocate of immigrant rights who oversees a racially diverse archdiocese of more than 4 million people, used Ash Wednesday and the beginning of the Lenten season to urge Catholics to "make room" for immigrants.
"Unless you are a Native American, everyone in here is the son or daughter of immigrants," said Mahony, speaking during Mass at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels.
Mahony said he was concerned that "voices that are very much anti-immigrant, mostly in California and Los Angeles, are catching fire," but didn't name any particular group.
On Tuesday, Mahony criticized the Minuteman Project and other anti-illegal immigration groups, arguing their efforts were misguided and wouldn't solve national security issues.
"The war on terror isn't going to be won through immigration restrictions," he told the Los Angeles Times.
Minuteman co-founder Jim Gilchrist accused Mahony Wednesday of pandering to Hispanic immigrants, and said the cardinal's stances encouraged illegal immigration.
"Cardinal Mahony must be part of a lawless group," said Gilchrist. "The church has no business messing in the rule of law."
As the illegal population balloons, now an estimated 11 million people, most of whom are Hispanic, the debate on how to deal with the phenomenon is intensifying.
Anti-illegal immigration groups regularly stage protests at day labor sites where Hispanics wait for work, threatening to report employers who hire illegal immigrants. Immigration advocates have responded, staging counter protests and organizing campaigns against legislation to crackdown on illegal immigrants.
Mahony told those attending Mass Wednesday he was not in favor of "unfettered immigration," but that the current system was inhumane and inefficient.
Mahony said stringent laws and government bureaucracy meant immigrants were often separated up to 15 years from family members trying to immigrate.
"We need reform that looks to family unification," he said. "What we have now is broken and invites violation."
Reflecting positions of the U.S. Roman Catholic bishops, Mahony said reform had to include a guest-worker program and the legalization of undocumented immigrants.
Mahony said the church's stance was not political, but he made reference to the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee, which is slated to take up immigration reform this week.
During an interview with Spanish-language press afterwards, Mahony vowed to instruct priests to disobey any law requiring churches and other social organizations to ask immigrants for legal documentation before providing assistance.
Such a provision was in the immigration bill passed by the House of Representatives in December.
"I would say to all priests, deacons and members of the church that we are not going to observe this law," said Mahony, speaking in Spanish.
When asked if he would be willing to go to jail for the stance, Mahony said "yes" because "helping people in need were actions that are part of God's mercy."
Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa backed Mahony's stance, saying the "church should not be in the business of enforcing our immigration laws" and calling "incredulous" the idea that church officials wouldn't help people in need based on their immigration status.
Mahony said he was concerned that "voices that are very much anti-immigrant, mostly in California and Los Angeles, are catching fire," but didn't name any particular group.
On Tuesday, Mahony criticized the Minuteman Project and other anti-illegal immigration groups, arguing their efforts were misguided and wouldn't solve national security issues.
"The war on terror isn't going to be won through immigration restrictions," he told the Los Angeles Times.
Minuteman co-founder Jim Gilchrist accused Mahony Wednesday of pandering to Hispanic immigrants, and said the cardinal's stances encouraged illegal immigration.
Illegals are unworthy of the name immigrants.
Quisling: a synonym for traitor, someone who collaborates with the invaders of his country.
Well, God bless Cardinal Mahony.
I'm sure the cardinal believes that we are all God's children.
But why can't God's Mexican children stay in Mexico where they belong? Would God object to that?
That's why they're strictly called illegal aliens by all but Republican liberals and moderates on this forum.
Sometimes I wonder why I'm catholic. I would have walked out of that mass.
Without immigration laws and regulations, there would be chaos. Illegals not being persecuted in their country of origin are not refugees and are illegal. That should mean something.
Gilchrest is a punk.
Tell the government to stay out of the business of the Church.
Congress, in it's cowardice, has now decided to try to make priests and ministers its bagmen in pursuing illegals.
Amen to that. I wish one of our representatives in congress had the courage to introduce legislation removing the tax exempt status of religious institutions. Today's churches fail to understand the edict delivered by a genuine authority on spiritual matters, "Yield unto Caesar that which is Caesar's."
In addition to calling for a Lenten fast to reflect on the contributions of immigrants, he said, he has sent informational packets to all parishes on how to preach, teach and lobby on the issue. http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/la-me-mahony1mar01,0,6407838.story
He is an idiot. If my parish starts up, I will give them my 2 cents worth.
Hey Mahony, my great-grandparents came here legally, picked up English quickly and spoke it exclusively, and bled red, white, and blue. .....no dual-loyalty BS.
....unlike untold millions of new immigrants from the third world (especially Mexico).
That passage doesn't mean what you think it means.
I would presume that Cardinal Mahoney's statement, in Spainish, would include not observing current immigration law also. Maybe the Cardinal will give up the Arch Diocese of Los Angeles' chaitable tax status for Lent.
ooooohhhhhh, I have used the term illegal immigrants. Not that I am a "moderate". I just didn't know the difference.
I would submit to you that the "separation of church and state" deal is meant to be a one-way street, meaning that the idea is to exclude the Hegelian "the state is God" types. For one to exclude their religion from forming their decisions is impossible, including their politics. For this Cardinal to be saying what he is saying I believe is sedition. If he wants to join with Soros and the one-worlders then let him. To me priority one is enforcement of laws against illegals and securing the borders. If Mr. Gilchrist's statement is valid then the inverse must also apply: "The state has no business messing in the rule of the church." May God have mercy on us for rejecting Him and His laws as a nation.
A law prohibiting a charity from using its own money to help the needy that come its way, who are not otherwise criminal in any sense that is malum in se, seems vaguely unconstitutional to me. Perhaps I misunderstand the bill the House passed. It seems quite bizarre and insane if Mahony's characterization is correct.
chaitable=charitable
Best,
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