Packed into the lobby of a Motel 8 in Indio on a sweltering September afternoon, a Diocesan delegation led by Bishop Alberto Rojas listened to powerful stories from families who had made desperate journeys to the United States in recent weeks.
A family of three from Venezuela described their northward trip through six countries, during which they experienced extortion, a brief separation from their 12-year-old daughter and constant threats of violence.
“In spite of it all, it was good for us,” said the father, speaking in Spanish. “We made it … but some didn’t.”
Bishop Rojas led a brief prayer service with the families and offered them his customary fist bump. “Welcome to the United States. We are your brothers and sisters. We are here to help you,” he told them.
The families that offered testimonials, who came from places like Haiti, Chile and Brazil, were among the many assisted by ministers from the Galilee Center, a non-profit organization based in Mecca. Its founders, Gloria Gomez and Claudia Castorena, were inspired by their Catholic faith to start this ministry to migrants and asylum seekers in 2010.
Prior to visiting the Motel 8, the Diocesan delegation stopped at the Galilee Center, where they heard testimonials from employees there along with deacons who have been providing pastoral support to asylum seekers at the center. A common theme of the testimonials was the mutual evangelization that takes place between the ministers and the migrants.
“When you give you receive,” said Deacon Fernando Heredia. “That is completely true with the asylum seekers.”
Full story at Inland Catholic Byte.
How about telling them they are cutting in line, taking the places of people who actually respect the laws of the country they want to live in.
There really isn’t a line.
Yes there is and it’s in their own countries where they are supposed to start the application process.
Asylum seekers start the application process at the US border.
Maybe if they are coming from far away like Afghanistan, it starts at the airport or embassy.
These are people who came here seeking asylum. They have obeyed the laws and been accepted into our country and are awaiting their court date. They are not people who entered illegally.
Cutting in line-yes just like the crippled man who was lowered through the roof in Luke 5:19, or the woman with the hemorrhage in Mark 5:25. How dare they!
No
It would be great if the Catholic Bishops in the countries of origin of these asylum seekers would promote and lead revolutions (violent if necessary) against the corrupt governments and narco gangs so that these people would not be drawn to the United States for a better life.
Not the job of bishop to lead political revolutions.
“Welcome to the United States”
Remember that old bumper sticker that said, welcome to california now go home?
Remember that old statue that said “give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to be free”
Well these are not asylum seekers, they are coming for welfare benefits to expand the ever growing permanent under class brought to you by the DNC.
Really? I’ll try to be polite here…
When that phrase had meaning this country needed alot of immigrants to fill up the empty continent. These were predominantly of european descent of shared values and culture with a desire to assimilate ie be “Americans” and not… what ever. FWIW, my grandpa used to tell us that his dad would not let them speak galic in their house or in public. My people served in the police and army and parish councils to show the other “Amercans” what good “Americans” they were. Finally, those 19th and early 20th century immigrant waves were tightly regulated and controlled.
This is not the current situation and has not been for a very very long time. Wake up! This is an invasion with the idea of population replacement.
Matthew 25:41-46
Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you accursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.
For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink,
a stranger and you gave me no welcome, naked and you gave me no clothing, ill and in prison, and you did not care for me.’
Then they will answer and say, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or ill or in prison, and not minister to your needs?’
He will answer them, ‘Amen, I say to you, what you did not do for one of these least ones, you did not do for me.’
And these will go off to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”
We’ll send them to your house, provided you have any room left after housing the masses of drug addled homeless.
I wish they would send them here to take the jobs at hotels, fast food, stores that cant stay open because no one will take the jobs. There are lots of jobs available with good pay now.
I can’t work because of physical disability and I can’t host company because of the same reason, but maybe they could work to take care of elderly people who want to stay in their homes instead of go to an assisted living.
There are so many kids orphaned by Covid and so many working mothers who lost the grandparent that helped them with the kids.
There are just so many useful things that the US needs help with.
Maybe they could unpack the ships that can’t unload or clean up the oil spill.
There is lots to do if they want to work.
Biden pays them not to work, so they don’t. Cut off the Covid unemployment benefits, see people work again.
It ended last month.
@tremblng another liberal whose is always generous with other peoples money… and he/she is enjoying of the American working and middle classes.
I am not a liberal. I am a fiscal conservative. I do not collect anyone’s money. I do not distribute anyone’s money other than my own. Not sure what the last part meant.
It is interesting how people jump to conclusions.
My name trembling is taken from Philllipians 2:12 work out your salvation with fear and trembling.
As a Catholic, I am more traditional than most.
Church-ianity.
I won’t pay for the privelege of my replacement.
Even the devil quotes scripture, hence all the thumbs down for your attempt to virtue shame.
How about the bishop tell these illegals to obey the law of this land and that “if you break the Law you can be deported.”
If they are here illegally they already broke the law, a bishop telling them won’t matter.
Americans have become so wimpy that they are cowed into believing it’s ok for people to invade our country. It’s not, try doing that in Vatican City and see how fast Pope Francis has you deported and not allowed back.
They broke no laws. They are not here illegally.
They did not invade our country.
These are asylum seekers. They have approached the government of the United States legally and asked to live here until the situation in their home country is resolved and they can go home.
They have filled out the paperwork. They are awaiting a court date where the court will review their petition for asylum. If denied, they will go home or they can appeal the decision.
Your Democrat talking points are wearisome and false but you are free to believe whatever pablum you are served.
I am not a Democrat. These are the laws of the United States.
I’m going to camp out on your property, claim asylum and wait for you to give me everything I want that you have. If you don’t, I will call you a hater and a bad Christian. You won’t like it.
Obviously, you have not seen my “property.”
If you don’t like the laws of the United States, write your congressperson.
I will give you this. There are people who enter illegally and then ask for asylum when they are apprehended. There are procedures for handling that.
Again, if you do not like the way the government does things (and almost no one does) write or call your representative or senator. If you live in a state where this happens, write or call your state representative or senator, your governor, your attorney general etc.
How stupid are we to sit and argue about this on the internet. I know I need to get a life.
Then take your ball and go home smh.
There are different reasons that people want to come to live in the U.S. Some may be in danger in their home countries because of political turmoil or persecution. Some simply want a better life because they are fleeing poverty in their home countries. It seems to me that if the U.S. gave entry to everyone who was fleeing from poverty, this country would collapse under the weight of immigrants. These newly arrived immigrants need housing, food, health care, and other services. Jean Raspail’s novel Camp of the Saints is a glimpse of what would happed if everyone in disadvantaged nations came by boat or on foot into developed nations. The result: everyone with a home or an apartment in the developed nations were compelled to let the immigrants live with them. Of course, this is an exaggeration; however, a country without borders will cease to be country at some saturation point. It would be better to provide foreign aid to impoverished countries to help them raise the standard of living instead of trying to support massive immigration. I suspect the current open border policy may be a ploy to import potential voters to help a certain political party stay in power.
Do not neglect hospitality, for through it some have unknowingly entertained angels.
How many homeless “angels” have you let stay in your house overnight?
I have had to turn down family if they want to visit so I can’t meet your standard.
I do deserve damnation for that and other things-like hypocrisy and Matthew 7:2.
All you can do is go to confession and try harder.
If I got murdered by a homeless person that I was trying to help, that might be the best thing that could happen for my soul.
Christianity is really hard. God is merciful and Mary intercedes for us-my hope.
Kate Steinle unavailable for comment.
Eternal rest grant unto her O Lord and let perpetual light shine upon her. May she rest in peace.
Yeah, well those with Santa Muerte and MS13 tattoos aren’t angels and despite your kindness, will torture and kill you. Trust but verify, as Reagan said.
UN Agenda 2021 and 2030…51 cities world wide where all people will reside in apartments. Go to the UN website and read it for yourself, I have. The masters of the inverse are simply carrying out their plans. They always tell you what they are doing but no one really listens. The few that do are labeled conspiracy theorists and shunned. Then eventually it’s revealed. It might be too late??? before people repent and put on sack clothes and ashes.
The basic problem with these immigrants is that most are here for money, and a better life. The problem is that many do NOT support the United Sates, but rather their own native country. If you doubt this, there is for example, the immigrants from Mexico. Watch a soccer game here between Mexico and the US. The stands of large stadiums are jammed with Mexican immigrants waving Mexican flags, and they are often very demeaning of the US flag, and often jeering and disrespectful towards their adopted country. So is this a problem? These immigrants are clearly supporting the Mexican flag and country, and not the US. Isn’t this disrespect going to damage our government, and our American standards? Do we want Mexican drug cartels controlling cities and states?