I am a Catholic and I am opposed to illegal immigration.
Here's a thought I had when reading the latest screed from some pro-illegal immigration 'social justice' liberal priest pushing this very bad idea:
My wife is a legal immigrant. It took her many years to become a citizen. My wife also became a Catholic, through the process of RCIA. It was a year-long process, even for people who grew up in other non-Catholic Christian denominations.
At no time did the Catholic church say, "You know what. We have some rules here, but forget about them. You don't need to follow them. In fact, we *encourage* you to violate the rules, because we just want our pews filled."
Would Catholic Priests and bishops agree to give communion to Muslims who just show up one Sunday for Mass?
Would they start abandoning their catholic principles in order to placate non-catholics who show up at a mass and demands changes? We know the answer. Communion is not to be given to non-Catholics.
Yet the Catholic bishops think that American citizenship needs to be given to those here who have broken the law to get here. They think rules are okay for the Catholic church, but not for our borders and our immigration. They want to require amnesty for illegal behavior as a precondition for enforcing the law.
Jesus said "give to Ceaser what is Ceasar's", deflecting the trap laid by Pharisees. By that he meant we are in this world and we are subject to civil authorities, although the highest authority is not on earth, but God. We do no service to God when we unnecessarily advocate the breakdown of the civil order. And that is what advocacy of amnesty does.
Why are Catholic bishops walking away from the wisdom of Jesus and falling into the trap of bad public policy of encouraging illegal behavior? If it is about compassion, it is misplaced, for the negative consequences of illegal immigration is rampant: Legal immigrants are pushed to the back of lines; workers here get impacted by wage compression; and illegal immigration itself encourages illegal gangs of "coyotes", is dangerous (with many border crossers dying in the desert or suffocating in cramped hidden railroad cars and trucks).
If amnesty were indeed a solution, it might be reasonable for the church to consider advocating it, but we know from experience that the main impact of amnesty is to make the problem worse. More illegal immigration, less control of the immigration process, and a system further broken down.
There is a responsible way out: One that combines a secure border, immigration law enforcement, and adequate levels of legal immigration, both termporary and permanent, to make sure economic demands for labor and the desire formany to come to America is met.
America, like the church, is welcoming new members, but we must have some order in how these new members come in, or chaos reigns. We see that chaos today, with 12 million illegal aliens here, a large extent caused by previous amnesties. Let's avoid the trap of the zealots, and
BUMP
The Church is not saying that there should be consequences. Also the Church is not saying this in order to fill the pews up. You speak of RCIA. Well the proposals that people are calling Amnesty amount to whats basically a 12 year RCIA class but one to become an American citizen.
Furthermore, the above is consisent with Teachings of our most conservative and orthodox of Popes and Catholic Teachers. It can not just be dismissed as in the same category as liberation Theology.
The Church here is concerned about primarly the Dignity of the human person and the unity of the family. For it to remain silent aon those issues would be contrary to the call of the Church. One wonders what POland would have looked liked if the Church had not got involved in politics there. THe Church has a duty and obligation too be involved in issues like this.