Posted on 03/23/2006 5:36:10 AM PST by Cboldt
The American Catholic bishops are waging an intense, sophisticated campaign to promote their version of immigration reform, which happens also to be big business's version of immigration reform. The campaign comes complete with brochures, a well-designed website, prayer cards, bracelets, and phony arguments.
In Wednesday's New York Times, Roger Cardinal Mahony of Los Angeles made his case. He not only opposes the House Republicans' immigration bill, which emphasizes enforcing the laws against illegal immigration, but has directed the priests of his archdiocese to disobey it if it becomes law. The bill, he writes, "would subject [priests], as well as other church and humanitarian workers, to criminal penalties." He adds, "Providing humanitarian assistance to those in need should not be made a crime, as the House bill decrees. As written, the proposed law is so broad that it would criminalize even minor acts of mercy like offering a meal or administering first aid."
If the House Republicans had proposed such a bill, they would deserve to be opposed. But they have not, and Cardinal Mahony is at least uncharitable in claiming that they have. The cardinal points to a provision of the bill that makes it illegal to "assist" an illegal immigrant to "remain in the United States." (The person providing such assistance would have to know, or recklessly disregard, the assistee's legal status to have committed an offense, by the way, not that the cardinal shares that information with his readers.) That provision is directed at those who traffic in illegal immigrants. Its language largely replicates existing legal provisions that have never been applied against charitable work. The cardinal has never raised any objection to the existing law, and indeed praises it in his op-ed.
Mahony writes, "Only comprehensive reform of the immigration system, embodied in the principles of another proposal in Congress, the Secure America and Orderly Immigration bill, will help solve our current immigration crisis." He is referring to the McCain-Kennedy legislation that (to characterize it polemically) would provide an amnesty for illegal immigrants here and raise immigration levels.
The cardinal's language ("What the church supports is. . .") may confuse the casual reader. Surely he is not suggesting that it follows from the Magisterium of the Catholic Church that a particular piece of legislation is the "only" way to "solve our current immigration crisis." That would be an absurd abuse of Mahony's teaching authority. Presumably what he means is that this legislation, in his judgment and the judgment of other bishops, best embodies the moral principles that the Church believes should govern immigration policy.
Those principles, if not every explication of them by the Church's bureaucracy, are sound. Illegal immigrants, like all other persons, should indeed be treated with dignity and respect. Enforcement of immigration laws should be humane. Refugees from persecution deserve protection. It is also true -- we quote one of the bishops' statements of principle -- that "sovereign nations have a right to control their borders." Faithful Catholics will disagree about what legislation would best apply these principles, just as they do in other areas. (So, for example, two Catholics who agree on the moral principle that unborn children should be protected in law might disagree about whether this should be done at the federal or state level.)
None of these principles, taken separately or together, are incompatible with the conclusion that we should be more serious about enforcing our immigration laws. A faithful Catholic might, indeed, reach the conclusion that the legitimate interests of this sovereign nation, and the dignity of immigrants, would best be protected by a reduction in legal-immigration levels -- which would go well beyond anything the House Republicans have proposed. He might even decide that a lax border policy, while serving some employers' interest in cheap labor, erodes the dignity of work, which Church teaching requires us to protect.
But whatever policy he deems most consonant with the Church's moral teachings, as he participates in the debate over that policy he will do his best not to bear false witness -- even against Republican congressmen.
One thing seems obvious to me. The whole society and all levels of government must get together on this to make it work. The idea that some fed agents can enforce laws while cops and priests look the other way is absurd.
Can priests still offer Holy Communion in your "must get together too make it work" world?
I'm Catholic.
Having said that, I think the old cardinal is swinging in the dark.
He thinks that the feds will close his soup kitchens that will cost him federal dollars.
I think the Catholic Chrches in the US should lose their tax exempt staus if they are engaged in partisan politics. The NYT has called for a similar loss of tax exemption for Evangelical Churches participating in the abortion debate why not here?
I agree the Diocese of Los Angelos should loose their tax exempt status for getting involved in politics!
How old is Mahoney? Maybe Benedict XVI will put him into retirement!
The American Bishops should be listening to the Pope.
MESSAGE OF THE HOLY FATHER JOHN PAUL II FOR THE 90th WORLD DAY OF MIGRANTS AND REFUGEES 2004
--As regards immigrants and refugees, building conditions of peace means in practice being seriously committed to safeguarding first of all the right not to emigrate, that is, the right to live in peace and dignity in ones own country
Is this part of the doctrine called "revolutionary theology", once popular during the 1970's? During that time illegals were held in Church basements.
Some were facing death squads back home.
These illegals don't face anything more than a ride back to the border.
No.
Catholics should stop putting money in the collection baskets on Sunday.
This will send Mahoney a message!
They are lost and on the wide path to destruction. b'shem Y'shua These fellows need to seek the face of G-d.
I already sent in my views about Cardinal Mahoney's slanted and biased illegal immigrant crap. Let him hear from you!
Cardinal Migrante website address
http://www.la-archdiocese.org/english/
Evaluate website:
http://www.archdiocese.la/help/feedback.html
Fill out form page
Archdiocese of Los Angeles
3424 Wilshire Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90010-2202
Sirs,
I wanted to contact Cardinal Mahoney's office about some his politician statements. For many years now, seeing the Cardinal's politician statements has frustrated me. And when he made his recent Ash Wednesday illegal aliens (Yes, 'aliens'. A legal classification since they are not following US immigration rules!), I needed to voice some issues to him.
I oppose his constant political views. His comments about evading immigration laws and drivers licenses for illegal aliens are very troubling to read as a Los Angeles Catholic. And to add to the Cardinal's public record, his past and current legal embarrassments over pedophile priests are making EVERY Catholic a source of ridicule & sometimes-malicious attacks. And also with Catholic Charities funding various Day Labor Centers without checking to see if the workers using those centers are legal which is required by labor law. I oppose his political demands of Catholics.
If the cardinal is not more careful about his political views and actions, the IRS may take away the Archdiocese tax-exempt status. The IRS has done similar actions to other tax-exempt churches. Elected leaders should handle political actions and edicts, not the Cardinal. I find it extremely ironic that a tax-exempt Cardinal is making edicts to his Catholic followers about what our government's needs to do with taxes. He can have an opinion, but do not connect his Catholic leader's position to those opinions and instruct these matters to his flock. I DO NOT agree with his views on these and many other political matters.
=
I got back this from my email and sent in a letter.
Unfortunately, Cardinal Mahony is unable to handle business or correspondence via e-mail.
If you'd like to send him a signed letter by postal mail, please include your full name and postal mailing address and send it as follows:
Cardinal Roger M. Mahony
Archdiocese of Los Angeles
3424 Wilshire Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90010-2202
Thank you. *j
James R. Celoni
Information Services
Archdiocese of Los Angeles
In real life, that fable never has a happy ending...
"Thou shalt not steal."
b'shem Y'shuaMatthew 22:19 Show me the coin used for paying the tax." They brought him a denarius,Roger fails to realize that Y'shua put this Government and it's laws in place for us.Matthew 22:20 and he asked them,
"Whose portrait is this? And whose inscription?" Matthew 22:21 "Caesar’s," they replied. Then he said to them, "Give to Caesar what is Caesar's, and to God what is God’s."Roger needs to repent for the sins of child abuse over which he has control.
Roger needs to urge people to vote for those politicians who believe in the sanctity of life, all life: young or old or infirmed.
Roger needs to urge people to vote for those who do not steal from one person and give without another.
Income redistribution is not charity it is theft.Roger needs to urge Mexico to take care of it's people and not have Mexico steal money from Americans by supporting Illegal aliens.
Roger is not a follower of the Christ; he endorses people stealing from others.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.