Posted on 10/09/2007 8:29:32 AM PDT by isrul
Following is a statement from Richard E. Barnes, executive director of the New York State Catholic Conference, regarding Governor Spitzer’s plan to allow undocumented immigrants to access to New York State driver’s licenses:
“For the past several years, the Catholic Church has been involved in the area of comprehensive reform of our national immigration policies. In his executive action regarding identification requirements for state driver’s licenses, Governor Spitzer has addressed a problem that is in actuality a symptom of a larger problem that should be resolved ultimately by the federal government. Clearly, a balance must be struck between important homeland security concerns and certain economic realities. But the federal government has not instituted a comprehensive immigration policy; therefore these issues end up being addressed piecemeal by state and local governments. Given that reality, we believe that Governor Spitzer’s action was appropriate.
“While this matter is partially one of economic justice for the immigrants themselves, the state also has an economic interest at play. In certain sections of our state, we see labor market shortages, which are being filled by this population. In order to fill these positions, which are of critical importance to our state’s economic well being, the immigrant community needs valid licenses in order to get to the jobs.
“While the Church’s role is to speak to issues of human dignity and economic justice, the government’s role is to balance all of these needs, including the legitimate security issues that have been raised by others. We leave it to the Governor and other state officials to resolve these matters as they deem necessary to protect our citizenry, to ensure economic justice, and to meet the labor needs of business and industry.”
The Catholic Conference represents New York State’s Bishops in matters of public policy.
465 State Street, Albany, NY 12203-1004 - Phone: 518.434.6195 - Fax: 518.434.9796 Copyright © 2004 New York State Catholic Conference - All
Disappointing but sadly not surprising. The Church will never get as much as a penny from me. Never again.
I say this as a Catholic, BTW.
One ugly truth about many Catholic clergy is that they view poor people as moral inferiors. For this reason many clergy don’t believe the poor have the same obligations to God or nations as those with more money. I believe this hurts the poor and helps them not at all. I have not for several years put money in the collection plate because about 20% of it goes to the Bishops. There are many worthy Catholic charities that actually help the poor. My money goes to them.
The Knights of Columbus won’t go along with this. We are not the group that the hierarchy wants to piss off.
I always had problems with the Catholic Church when they criticize Christians for following the Bible too literally. If the Catholic Church followed scripture, the first molestor priests would be out of the church and not covered up, if they had followed scripture, many Catholic politicians must choose between supporting the basic tenets of the Church’s teachings or leave. Instead the Catholic Church (because in practice they believe there is wiggle room with God’s word) became worldly. To save embarassment, they covered up the molestors and kicked the problem down the road to some unfortunate future bishop to handle. They overlooked the sins of powerful Catholic politicians (who can buy marriage annulments with money, support abortion, sodomy and etc) in order to preserve their access to power. Worst it sends a message to many young Catholics that the Church is BS and it is all about money and power. When the Catholic Church reverses their own guidance on how to be lawful immigrants and immigrant citizens in order to placate their growing congregation of illegal immigrants, it does not surprise me a bit considering the church’s past behavior.
Ping!
Not worth replying to. No closed minds will be changed.
The Knights are a group that I’ve come to see as truly defending the Church. My son has recently become a Fourth degree Knight while still in college. (/proud Mom)
Effeminate priests are all too common now. In some places, especially seminaries, they seem to hold sway.
As if that weren't bad enough; leftist ideology began infecting the church, especially in the Americas around the same time the fruits began to appear. I'm not sure if these are related or simply ugly coincidences but it cost the church dearly. It lost millions of devout Catholics who weren't about to but into the excrement spewed by the new "enlightened" vicars. It's too bad. I have very fond memories of the church from my childhood and early adulthood. Now, even the Vatican is starting to spout some questionable drivel beyond the "let thee eemigrants in" garbage babbled by the last pope.
ping
Just because some bishops might be misquoted, does not mean the entire Catholic Church is wrong/has made a mistake.
No. But the NYS Conference of Catholic Bishops is and has.
I’m not familiar with them. Sad state of affairs. However we can pray for Pope Benedict to put some good ones in there!
God bless.
They are not alone. The United Methodists, Quakers (Soceity of “Friends”), Episcopalians, and other “religious” groups are up to their necks in blatant treason against the American public.
Its no wonder that Islam is making such inroads against modern Christianity which has become merely socialism-in-a-black- collar.
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