Advocacy of the lower classes, even when they violate the law, is also a part of the Church's mission.
the RCC did persecute those who believed His Word.
The heretic does not know or understand the Word, that is why he is a heretic. However, in any case, all the heretics had to do was renounce Catholicism. If they want to belief their charlatan pastors they are free to do so but not under the Catholic label.
The Catholic Church does not vote, but millions of individual Catholics do. We voting Catholics have every bit as much franchise as any other collection of individuals. Get over it and get used to it because the Catholic Church will become even more politically engaged as we go forward.
Slavery was once constitutional and abortion still is. Mainstream Protestantism and Catholicism came down on opposite sides of both of those issues. 150 years ago there were similar animosities against the Irish immigrants and 100 years ago against the southern and eastern Europeans. Again, mainstream Protestantism and Catholicism came down on opposite sides of that argument. Which side do you think is right?
Endorsing, advocating and lobbying are not illegal. Neither is demanding that the protections embedded in out constitution be applied to all persons within our borders. Strip away those protections because someone entered the country illegally and you endorse the murder, robbery, rape, and exploitation illegal immigrants. That is hardly a Christian attitude.