Posted on 05/03/2010 3:31:46 PM PDT by Mrs. Don-o
A brief walk through one country’s history reveals why people migrate.
In the turbulent early years of the 20th century the Catholic Church seemed to face persecution almost worldwide. In his book on the 2,000-year history of the Catholic Church, Triumph (Forum, 2001), H. W. Crocker III writes of one particular country that in 1917 became “the first explicitly socialist, anti-religious, and constitutional revolutionary republic in the world” (p. 395). In the two decades that would follow, the Catholic Church in this country would witness all its property confiscated and nationalized and more than 40,000 Catholics killed and martyred, including 90 priests (equivalent to two-thirds of the Catholic population of East Tennessee and all of its priests and deacons).
Three papal encyclicals would be written between 1926 and 1937 concerning the dire situation in a country where 4,500 priests once served—but by 1935, according to some reports, fewer than 340 would remain to minister to a much persecuted and suffering Catholic population. At the turn of the millennium Pope John Paul II canonized 25 of this nation’s saints and martyrs from this period.
You may be surprised to learn that the country in question is not the Soviet Union but Mexico, and included in the list of those martyred were 70 Knights of Columbus, eight of whom have since been declared saints. Pope Pius XI would include Mexico with the Soviet Union and Spain in describing the “terrible triangle” of terror afflicting the Church at this time in history. But the blood of martyrs is never shed in vain, and much was shed in Mexico.
As one would expect, as a result of persecutions and the resulting civil war (1926-1929), large numbers of Mexicans were uprooted and fled from the terror. Up to one-quarter million people were internally displaced in the 1920s, with an additional half million people emigrating to the United States, sharing in the tragic mystery of the flight of the Holy Family to Egypt in order to escape Herod’s murderous rampage. Although by mid-century the persecution eventually gave way to a reluctant but nonetheless still harsh tolerance of religion, it was not until 1992 that many anti-Catholic restrictions were officially lifted.
With the advent of World War II, the United States turned to Mexico to help fill its vast labor shortages in industry and farming. In the decades that followed, the demand for foreign laborers only increased, especially for temporary and seasonal workers in the Southeast and Southwest. As a result of the economic crisis in Mexico of the 1980s the number of its people living in poverty increased dramatically.
As poverty and migration are so often intimately linked, many people are surprised to learn that one of the largest and most efficient programs for directly reducing global poverty levels is not a specific kind of aid program or global charitable effort but the result of remittances—money that foreign workers send back to their families. According to a 2007 World Bank study, remittances represented almost $170 billion in external financing for needy countries in 2005, a figure that today is likely well in excess of $200 billion.
The reasons for migration are complicated, as a snapshot of Mexico’s past century proves, but solutions are even more complex. Comprehensive immigration reform is as much about fixing a broken immigration system as it is about addressing the “push” factors behind migration—and none of these will be easy to address.
When it is difficult to be the face of Jesus to others, it is often because we first fail to see Jesus in the other person. Perhaps this is why God especially hears the cry of the widow, the orphan, and the foreigner (Exodus 20:20-22) and reminds us to be particularly mindful of their needs.
The widows and orphans of our time are the unborn and the despairing pregnant women whose boyfriends or husbands have abandoned their responsibilities to them. But let us not forget the third figure of this scriptural mandate, in whose history we share. For we too sojourn as foreigners in this life’s pilgrim journey and struggle to learn the one language that is most essential to learn: the language of faith.
Ending with my traditional play upon the words of Pope Paul VI, “If you want peace,” care for the widow, the orphan, and the stranger.
Mr. Simoneau directs the Knoxville Diocesan Justice and Peace Office.
Please be sure to read Mrs. Don-o's comments at #1.
I’ve been saying something basically along these lines for some time, but not nearly as well. Very well said.
>”Political authorities [snip] may make the exercise of the right to immigrate subject to various juridical conditions[...]. Immigrants are obliged to respect with gratitude the material and spiritual heritage of the country that receives them, to obey its laws and to assist in carrying civic burdens.”
But what happens if they do not respect them?
Here’s a possible solution: http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=0ATyjMtQJe7iWZHY2OTh0bV8yN2htZnBzOWQy&hl=en
Marking for my wife to read later...
Thank you very much for your post.
As you say, Mexico is a resource-rich country. Mexico’s poverty, and the massive immigration into our country from Mexico, is the result of policies of corrupt politicians and companies on BOTH sides of the border!!!! And the corrupt governmental and corporate leaders in the US and in Mexico, backed by the usual cabal of banksters, are in collusion with each other!!!!
This corrupt system thrives on depressing wages of BOTH American and Mexican workers, and on keeping Mexico poor. It also thrives on using massive Third World immigration (also including muslim immigration—many of these muslims infiltrate across our southern border) to destroy Euro-American culture and civilization!!!! This is punctuated by the bogus calls for “multiculturalism” and “diversity”, which is nothing other than cultural genocide.
In recent years, the growth of drug cartels and gangs in Mexico, which are also spilling across our border, has exacerbated the problem. Once again, this is driven by corrupt mis-leaders on BOTH sides of the border (for example, Soros’ well-funded drive for legalization and acceptance of drugs). These gangs are further oppressing (and murdering) the people of Mexico, and the violence of these gangs in Arizona is INTOLERABLE!!!!
obama of course is part of the corrupt cabal, and will do NOTHING to relieve this burdens of the people of Arizona. Therefore, the State of Arizona and her governor had to take action on their own. The evil obama cabal responds by labeling Arizona as “fascist” and “Nazi”. This only adds insult to injury, and only helps the corrupt cabal, not either Arizonans or Mexicans.
You are right, Mrs. Don-o. The Gospel imperative to love the stranger requires us to work to break the TRUE causes of the oppression of the Mexican people. Continuing to accept millions of unassimilable Mexican immigrants only contributes to the oppression, as well as to the destruction of the culture of our American neighbors whom we are called to love as well.
If it were serious, you'd have to institute all the massive machinery and trappings of repression necessary for a slave state running a chain of gulags: including the dogs, the barbed wire, and the wretched class of men who would be willing to be gulag-master, guards, enforcers.
No way. No way in hell; no way in my America.
>Oof. I have to regard yours as a “Modest Proposal” like that of Jonathan Swift: meant to provoke, but not serious.
Ah, the title gives it away, doesn’t it?
It is meant to provoke, a little, but more than that... I intended for it to make declaring them invaders and using military force against them more palatable.
Not Catholic but thanks for the ping.
To hear the “undocumented” migrants scream, you’d think the USA was requiring them to jump through a dozen flaming hoops to arrive on this side of the border. It’s actually pretty easy to get a green card.
Thank you! Those of us (even Christians) who are not Catholics really cannot speak with the voice of insider knowledge and fellowship that you applied. Nicely done!
The holier than thous, like mahoney, always forget Romans 13, and other admonitions about following the law.
““If you want peace,” care for the widow, the orphan, and the stranger.”
I’m assuming, then, that this fellow would not call the police upon finding a burglar in his house, sacked out in his bed sleeping after having raided his fridge and bank account.
Kudos Mrs. Don-o.....
Logical, fact based, brilliant.
In between your citation of the bishops’ failure to cooperate with law enforcement for sexual predators, and your citation of their campaigning for lawlessness in regard to immigration, you could cite their PERSONAL lawlessness in refusing to obey and enforce Canon 915. In other words, the bishops of the United States appear to have developed a quite comprehensive habit of lawlessness.
Thanks for the ping!
You really helped me to get my thoughts together, especially as to the reason I'm so aggravated with the US Bishops.
Correction: aggravated with the liberal ones. There are still some good Bishops around.
I agree in most part with your post. I am reminded of old ‘saint’ Teddy who apparently promised some across the pond their share of amnesty, maybe not in the numbers advocated from our southern border, but amnesty still the same.
Social justice is not advocating human rights, it is about equalizing outcomes in complete opposition to what our founding fathers acknowledged. There are unalienable rights that can only be endowed by our Creator... and these that attempt to replace the Creator as gods of rights are up to no good.
Outstanding commentary — I can use some of it too!
If I may, please.
BTTT
BTTT
Excellent. Thanks for the ping.
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