[Alex Murphy]

In the letter written by Cardinal Secretary of State Tarcisio Bertone on the Holy Father's behalf...Pope Benedict encouraged the bishops to continue in their efforts to offer "adequate pastoral attention to all those who suffer the consequences of having abandoned their homeland" or those who have no country to which they refer as their place of origin.

[Frantzie]

No Padre!

[babygene]

As long as they come here legally, no problem...

[oldenuff2no]

Get it right. I don't care who you are, you need to understand that illegals do not have the same rights a legal immigrants or citizens. US citizens will decide what our laws are and how they need to be enforced. NO ONE ELSE!!!!!!!!! If they don't like it then they can leave and leave us alone!!!!!

[Parmy]

What is there about the word ‘illegal’ that they can’t understand?

[Salvation]

I see that your suspension from posting anti-Catholic articles on the religion forum is over.

Hmmmm.

[Stingray51]

Border security and immigrtion control are clearly not within the competence of the Pope, whose responsibilities include faith and morals. In any event, I am guessing that he is talking about the immigrants to Europe, for example the Turks in Germany who live and work there for generations with different treatment than Germans. I don’t read him to say that the US, the only advanced country with thousands of miles of borders with a third-world country, shouldn’t control its borders.

[RobbyS]

I don’t think that the Holy Father has a clue about the nature of the situation. He is playing into the hands of the elites who have exploited the migrants and betrayed their fellow Americans.

[orinoco]

I have to disagree with the pope on this issue. This is not a moral issue it is a legal issue and a political issue. The Catholic Church should stay out of politics. I know that many of the illegal immigrants are Catholic and the pope and bishops want to fill the pews and increase donations but comprehensive immigration reform should not include amnesty as an option.

[marron]

Immigrants to the US have almost all of the rights of a citizen except for the vote.

As long as they are legal.

[Just mythoughts]

There is NOTHING holy about organized church sanctioned theft. Credibility is quickly dripping down the drain.

[onedoug]

The Holy Father sent a telegram to European bishops gathered in Spain this week for an international conference on immigration.

Yeah, make it easier for muslims. Just tattoo your throat, Papa: Cut Here!

[M Kehoe]

To his holiness Pope Benedict. What does this mean...?

In his message, he urged the Catholic leaders to work to give immigrants the "firm hope" that their rights be recognized.

What rights do they have? Are they the same rights that a Costa Rican would have attempting to enter Mexico illegally? Or the same rights that I would have attempting to enter Cuba illegally?

Just some food for thought for the Holy See.

5.56mm

[marshmallow]

Show of hands from anyone here who is an immigrant or whose ancestors were immigrants?

Nobody?

Thought so.

On another note, did the Jamestown settlers get clearance from the INS?

I'd hate to think the early settlers were illegals.

[HarleyD]

...or those who have no country to which they refer as their place of origin.

Don't they have a birth certificate? They must be from Hawaii.