The following comes from a Nov. 12 posting on Religion News Service.
The nation’s Catholic bishops are jumping into the increasingly contentious battle over immigration reform by backing President Obama’s pledge to act on his own to fix what one bishop called “this broken and immoral system” before Republicans assume control of Capitol Hill in January.
In an unscheduled address Tuesday (Nov. 11) at the hierarchy’s annual meeting, Seattle Auxiliary Bishop Eusebio Elizondo, chairman of the migration committee of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, said the USCCB would continue to work with both parties to pass comprehensive immigration reform.
But, Elizondo said, given the urgency of the immigration crisis and the electoral gains by Republicans who have thwarted earlier reform efforts, “it would be derelict not to support administrative actions … which would provide immigrants and their families legal protection.”
“We are not guided by the latest headlines but by the human tragedies that we see every day in our parishes and programs, where families are torn apart by enforcement actions especially,” he said.
During the summer, the president was moving toward unilateral action on immigration, despite warnings that such moves could exceed his constitutional authority or would turn voters against reform.
Then in early September, Obama said he would delay acting on his own, a move that was seen a way to protect vulnerable Democrats from any backlash in midterm elections. On Sunday, Obama told CBS’ “Face the Nation” that he was now “going to do what I can do through executive action.”
“It’s not going to be everything that needs to get done. And it will take time to put that in place,” he said.
Republican leaders in Congress responded by warning they will kill any immigration reform if Obama acts unilaterally. An immigration reform measure passed the Senate with the support of the bishops and the White House but was blocked in the Republican-controlled House.
Elizondo acknowledged that Republicans “might block any kind of initiative that the president might be taking” but said something had to be done.
Elizondo was not the only bishop to speak out on the issue this week. Bishop Gerald Kicanas of Tucson, Ariz., a leader in the USCCB and a vocal champion of immigration reform, told the Catholic news site Crux that “it may be necessary for the president to step up and to act” on his own.
Louisville Archbishop Joseph Kurtz, the president of the bishops conference, also made a point of telling the bishops — and the press covering the meeting — that he plans to meet with Obama and leaders of both parties in coming months in hopes of pushing immigration reform to the top of the agenda.
This week’s public lobbying by the bishops on immigration reform followed criticism by some commentators that the U.S. hierarchy was not following the new course set by Pope Francis, who has put such social justice concerns at the forefront of the church’s agenda.
It also marks a rare expression of support for the president from the bishops, who have battled the White House over gay marriage and the contraception mandate that was part of Obama’s 2010 health care overhaul. Many bishops had privately urged the USCCB to take a more vocal role on issues beyond gay marriage and abortion.
To read the original story, click here.
People have wondered why many US Bishops do not encourage people to read the Bible and the CCC which contains the Doctrine of the Faith.
This article says it all.
If everyone in their Diocese accurately knew they the faith, these Bishops could not tell the President to break the law (CCC 2240);
and
would have to tell immigrants to OBEY the law (including immigration laws (CCC 2241);
and
Bishops would have to stay out of politics which is the temporal role of the Laity (CCC 898).
Is there a remedial Seminary for wayward Bishops ?
“Is there a REMEDIALSEMINARY for wayward Bishops” ? –
Wish there was, and using only the Bible and CCC so they won’t get confused.
The Church needs to have a remedial seminary every decade or so for all the priests and the selection of bishops needs to be more responsibly done.
I am afraid that what you asked for above is already in existence, it is called ETERNAL DAMNATION!
“The pathway to Hell is covered with the skulls of bishops” St. Augustine, Bishop and Dr. of the Church
When Bishops don’t teach the Faith accurately and completely – is it any wonder why they are considered ignorable by many Catholics ?
Then hey want the President to ignore the Constitution, and give him cover – Bernardin style.
Where are these Bishops when it comes to the INTRINSIC EVILS – actively promoted by Obama = abortion, contraception, homosexual marriage, embryonic stem cell research ? ? ?
Oh, I forgot they don’t care about these minor things.
This is just one more reason why people are leaving the Faith – Bishops making up their own religion, and trying to run the federal government.
If the Bishops keep trying to impose their own personal politics on the federal government in the name of Catholics, they will chase people away from being interested in the Faith.
Terrible example.
They take $63 MILLION in Federal Grants each year and this is their cash cow.
Money speaks louder to some Bishops than God.
ILLEGALS who break the (immigration) law do not deserve the same legal protection as those who immigrate legally.
The DEMOCRATIC arm of the USCCB will be coming out in full force.
Politics as usual, rather than accurate teaching of the Faith.
Money from Government Grants must be preserved at all costs. Money makes the world go around. Follow the money, and you will find the USCCB and the California Conference of Catholic Bishops.
Money is more important to some of these Bishops than God.
Telling the President and others to break just laws – causes disorder and chaos.
But since the Democratic Party of Death lost big in the mid-term elections, the socialist Bishops need to make up ground.
Actively SANCTIONING the breaking of the just laws of the US Constitution by Obama is another scandal perpetrated by some Catholic Bishops.
Dan,
Change that from “some” to the overwhelming majority of”!
May God have mercy on an amoral Amerika and His Church!
Viva Cristo Rey!
Yours in Their Hearts,
Kenneth M. Fisher, Founding Director
Concerned Roman Catholics of America, Inc
Unfortunately this is one more time where Bishops are completely ignorable which means that they will be less effective when it comes to REALLY teaching the Faith accurately.
We should each write to the President, and to Congress,
telling them we are practicing Catholics,
and that they should IGNORE the USCCB when they advocate violating the law in opposition to our Faith – immigrants must “OBEY” immigration laws.
The ILLEGAL immigration supported by Bishops exacerbates:
breaking up of families; drug running; sexual slavery, murder, etc.
Get US Prisoners to build a fence across our southern border, which will only allow legal immigration and legal trade.
If Israel and China can do this why is the US so powerless to build a wall ?
If the Bishops really cared about immigrants they would do more to help them within their own Countries borders and have their own Bishops educate them in US immigration laws.
Let people apply LEGALLY to come into this Country.
Bishops should not discriminate in favor of criminals – those who break the law.
There should be no MIGRATION Committee at the USCCB (or in any Diocese).
This is a waste of our money; money that the USCCB forces us to pay through required dues from every Diocese, which in turn gets the money from us through required dues through our Parishes.
The USCCB wants to raise dues our again this year. They are spending unnecessarily beyond their means.
Time to clean house and get rid of ALL unnecessary committees in this large bureaucracy.
Send money to the poor in other Countries instead.
We already pay for Social services through the Federal and State government.
Why should be taxed again for the same thing through our Church ?
If Jesus didn’t do it, it is out of scope for Bishops.
Let Him be the example.
Get out of Government Politics.
LEGAL immigration – YES.
ILLEGAL immigration – NO.
Jose,
“Let Him be the example”! That would be a most pleasant change in the USCB!
May God have mercy on an amoral Amerika and His Church!
Viva Cristo Rey!
Yours in Their Hearts,
Kenneth M. Fisher, Founding Director
Concerned Roman Catholics of America, Inc
The bishops need to get their noses out of the affairs of politics siding with and encouraging a man and other politicians that openly oppose anti-catholic morals, values, and doctrine as it only opens the doors of scandal, and what is worse why aren’t they as vigorous in opposing abortion?
These bishops if they were truly bishops, would be caring more about the care and feeding of their sheep’s souls, than their earthly material needs. The time spent on earth is but a flash compared to eternity. God said the poor we will always have with us. The counterfeits who have undone the catholic church in the last 5 decades, reaching its collapse here in another generation or two have it all backwards. The great biblical prophecies of the Great Apostacy is here today. Pray to Jesus and Mary to help you find their way. Remember: Seek and you shall find, knock and the door will be opened. A true Roman Catholic Church of traditional parishes throughout the world does exist like in the days of the catacombs. There is the true Roman Catholic Church unmarked with so much scandal, controversy, and loss of the faithful. The true Roman Catholic Church with parishes practicing tradition where Christ promised He would remain until the end of time.
As I have written before, most bishops are members of the LEFT WING of the Democratic party. Pope Benedict remarked what Catholic theology has always taught: A NATION HAS A RIGHT TO DEFEND HER BORDERS, AND TO DECIDE WHO WILL ENTER TO LIVE THERE. A few years a Dutch priest wrote the same thing in his book, and argued that jobs are taken away by the illegal aliens. As Rush says, the Democrats want these illegals to come here so they can increase membership in the Democratic party. The bishops should concern themselves with saving souls, and winning them for Christ.instead of being the stooges of the left wing democrats. Ave Maria Purrissima!
I’ve said this before and I will say it again. The Dems main reason for fast tracking ILLEGALS to citizenship is because with them it is five million more votes for Dems. Not only that but if our Bishops thought it through instead of knee-jerking to the left, all of these new Democtatic voters are going to insure that any chance we faithful Catholics have of winning pro-life battles are going to be gone. As it is it’s getting harder to elect pro-life candidates.
Well, they you have, bishops that are generally too cowardly to profess the Faith (aside from yelling “bravo” when a young athlete “comes out”), are nonetheless always media darlings when it comes to being lap dogs for our Abortion President. There are many legal, and other reasons for President Obama not to unilaterally act on immigration. Reform is necessary and will come; Harry Reid has more to do with there being no immigation bill than anyone.
By stepping into this manure-pile, the bishops squander whatever objectivity they could claim. They completely ignore the well made demands of people in border states of America, and other citizens that do not agree with how the President wants to go about this issue.
These bishops are men without much Faith. Instead of stepping up and going to the media with demands that America should immediate shut down its abortuaries, or that Americans should learn the true meaning and value of sex and abstain until marriage, or that homosexuals cannot morally ever have sexual relations with each other (and can never, ever, adopt innocent children) — all of that — the bishops have plenty of time and energy to become sycophants of the Political Left, of the party of abortionists, of the party of socialists, of the party of sodomites and complete and unfettered sexual license (including lowering the age of consent, and redefining and making more lenient sanctions concerning sex with children).
Of course, the Vatican is silent on this (and one assumes, supports it). The Church is truly being administered, in substantial part, by pretenders to the Faith. People, you must OBJECT.
St Christopher,
The “bishops” couldn’t even speak up when amoral fashion were being worn TO THE HOLY SACRIFICE OF THE MASS!, and you expect them to speak up when THEIR political Party is under attack because of such mundane things as the murder of the INNOCENT unborn, They are not stepping into the manure pile, most of them are the manure pile!
Just where do we object to? Most who honestly object have become traditionalist.
Ask yourself why is it that the Am-Church priests and bishops will not speak up about immodesty because they are afraid of loosing their members (notice I did not write sheep), yet others such as Traditionalist, and Moslems can do so, and they are growing in numbers!
Pope Francis is the best recruiter for the Traditionalist there is!
May God have mercy on an amoral Amerika and His Church!
Viva Cristo Rey!
Yours in Their Hearts,
Kenneth M. Fisher
May God have mercy on an amoral Amerika and His Church!
Viva Cristo Rey!
Yours in Their Hearts,
Kenneth M. Fisher, Founding Director
Concerned Roman Catholics of America, Inc
It seems to me that Obama cold have worked on immigration when he had the house and the senate under democrat control. Instead he pushed health care down the Americans throats and we all know how well that has worked for the average American Catholic. I believe the Bishops were for the ACA except for the contraception part. What makes them think that Obama should act on his own and that something has to be done now for the illegals. Well, maybe it has something to do with the millions of dollars they were given for immigrant services. I am sure that it will work out for the average American Catholic as well. What with all of the overcrowded schools, contagious diseases showing up across the country, over burdened government services and health care. I hope they like euthanasia with their contraception.
The Bishops are wrong on this issue!
The United States has the sovereign responsibility to protect is borders and its people from the influx of illegal immigrants. Anything less is a violation of the governments sacred duty. For the Church to call for illegal immigration and calls for giving quasi-citizenship to illegal immigrants is too far off base. Our borders should not be fungible. On the other hand, we should welcome all who come here legally and help them assimilate into our culture. The Church was a driving force for this in past immigration bubbles. We can do it again, but only for legal immigrants. In California, illegals can get drivers licenses, they can get special admission to colleges and universities, they get free education in grade and high schools and they receive free health care. We must show compassion for those who are escaping foreign hostilities and human torture, but that doesn’t include opening the floodgates. The Bishops should be supporting better border control, return of people to their native country and acculturating them into our way of life. We can all pray that they will see the error of their ways.
What are they talking about? The system isn’t “broken”; what is “broken” is the law – on a daily basis as thousands enter this country illegally.
What is broken is the USCCB and most of their committees, and some of these Bishops.
Follow the MONEY – $ $, $ $ $, $ $ $. $ $
” For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. – JESUS Lk 12:34.
All the demoncrats and the presidiot care for are increasing the numbers of future voters to keep their power and continue their socialist agenda of changing America into a socialist or even communist state. They do not love or care about our country and its form of government. They care about changing it, something that they wouldn’t define for us when they ran their mudslinging campaigns, and all to many voters so stupidly never even challenged, What kind of change and to what extent? Had the presidiot and demoncrats told their voters what was really on their agenda about destroying the republic and democratic form of government like they have, a minority (all liberals) only would have voted for them. We need to wise up and pin these politicians down before we cast any vote and know their true character, whether they are even meet the qualifications of the electoral office they are running for. It’s somewhat our fault, because shame on us we let them with the press in their back pockets, do it.
Pray that God will save our country from these not-so-lame-duck congress that is about to be out of a job here the beginning of the new year. They and the presidiot have 6 weeks to save and impose on ‘We the People’ as much of their evil agenda as they can muster and time will allow. Then after praying, stand up and be heard peacefully, not like the renegade disrespectful out of state liberals converging in Ferguson MO.
The bishops are asking Obama to act as a dictator. Beware! A dictator can take away religious liberty reducing it to private religious worship
“Fool me once, shame on you…. Shame on those Bishops.
So many bishops have worshiped the creature (Obama) instead of the Creator. God has punished them by taking away their right reason. They think the ends justify the evil means.
Seriously, one shouldn’t have to be a devout Catholic to understand that these militants have lost their hold on reality. That, indeed, because of their predilection for lawlessness God turned them over to perverse minds. Our children, now, are being led to the slaughter by those who are amoral. They are unprincipled, unconcerned with the rightness or wrongness of their actions. Their acolytes and sycophants, other liberal “elite,” are just as depraved. They all have abandoned right reason, worshiping the creature instead of the Creator. God help us!
Here in the area where I live,the head of Catholic Charities and Catholic Social Services urged all her clients to vote the Democratic party. The Democratic party here is all anti family, pro abortion and pro homosexual. The bishops are supposed to be in charge of their employees and to make sure they enforce traditional Catholic morality. According to the POPE WHISPERER (see http://www.angelqueen.org), the example of the Cure of Ars is totally outdated for priests (which is what bishops were previously), so instead of saving souls with spiritual tools, their are using Marxist ideals to increase mammon. How sad and tragic!
The mostly Hispanic immigrants are nominally Catholic as the try to enter the USA. Unfortunately, as they assimilate into the neo pagan American culture, to which they aspired, they loose what little unformed, devotional Faith that they did have. With mostly no formal education or desire for the hard facts and choices that Catholicism demands, are they really going to get it? Other than the Germans, what immigrants did?
This is “Liberation Theology” at it’s peak..the end justifies the means…Also…the future of the church in the U.S. is totally dependent on the immigrants…there birthrate is 4.1….caucasians is 1.3…we do not have to agree with the Pope with all his musings…when he speaks EX CATHEDRA..we must obey…
Seems to me it’s a pretty revolutionary, subversive, destabilizing act to send thousands upon thousands of your kids on an open train 500+ miles across the Mexican landscape and dump them across the US border, paying a mule thousands of US dollars to do so.
The US Border Patrol have had their service weapons retired and not replaced by act of el Presidente Obama. You can’t have rule of law if there’s no use of force behind the law.Everyone knows this. We either have Rule of Law or “Rule of Romans.”
I think the people have spoken and they don’t want Jesus to be re-crucified, they want the Rule of Law to be restored on BOTH sides of the US / Mex border. You can’t do that if you ignore the legitimate results of a mid-term election. All you can do by going it alone and giving amnesty to illegal immigrants is to give the Revolutionaries more reason to hope that a lawless country cannot and will not resist more lawlessness. And those who want to have a nation ruled by law, not by men will be called “illegal.” and sent off to be crucified.
“Give us Barabbas!!”
Everything the Romans did to Jesus was legal because the Romans wrote anyone off as a heretic who opposed them, and sent them off to be crucified. Even the whipping Jesus took was entirely legal, and for the same reason. Jesus paid his debts, and ours, too. Jesus didn’t argue with Pilate when Pilate said he had the power to crucify him, he just said Pilate wouldn’t have the power if his Father in heaven hadn’t given it to him. God’s permissive will and God’s perfect will: which one do you think will prevail?
Our present administration is going to write anyone off who opposes amnesty as a heretic to progressivism, and they will be legally crucified. What role in this drama do you think the Bishops are playing?
Are we not helping those acting illegally by acting unconstitutionally, by executive order, to help these immigrants. I reason that this kind of thinking is what comes from faith WITHOUT reason and should be cautioned against. We should operate the government constitutionally or there wont be anyplace for the poor to run to. May the Holy Spirit enlighten us all! jim
No wonder so many have left the church. They see the Bishops reaping the federal funds for immigration counseling, and see them spending all this time feathering their own financial nests instead of guiding the faithful. But, maybe it’s better that they are not teaching us. . . .their teaching is flawed and underneath all the rhetoric, self-serving. For the first time since I converted almost 20 years ago, I am (almost) questioning my decision. I am only not leaving because I would not be protestant again and I don’t know where else I would go!
Elaine, the bishops do not make any money from this.
Their main concern is that families are being broken up.
I think you should take more time to learn the Biblical principles that are underlying the bishops actions.
And you are right. There is no where else to go if what you want is Jesus Christ.
Please remember that Jesus Mary and Joseph were immigrants also.
If you disagree with the bishops, it is OK. But to leave Jesus because you disagree with the bishops is not.
Elaine,
God bless you, remember the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church gave us the true Bible, and it is the only Church that still has it including the Seven plus books the so called reformers without any authority took out!
Find a Traditional parish, even if you have to go SSPX. Archbishop Levefbre was another St. Athanasius the Great and will someday great day be recognized as such!
May God have mercy on an amoral Amerika and His Church!
Viva Cristo Rey!
Yours in Their Hearts,
Kenneth M. Fisher,
Excuse me, but St. Athanaseus spent decades of his life making the teachings of an unpopular ecumenical council become the living faith of the Church, and he became one of our most cherished saints as a result. Archbishop Levefbre spent decades undermining a popular ecumenical council and was excommunicated for it.
YFC,
St. Athanasius was excommunicated because he refused to go along with the Arians and was canonized for that same reason. Pope Liberius I who excommunicated him was the only early Pope not to be entered into the book of Martyrology
God bless, yours in Their Hearts!
May God have mercy on an amoral Amerika and His Church!
Viva Cristo Rey!
Kenneth M. Fisher, Founding Director
Concerned Roman Catholics of America, Inc.
Who cares, Mr. Fisher? The point is that Athanaisus spent decades defending the inerrant teachings of an ecumenical council and was ultimately vindicated for it. Lefebvre spent decades undermining the inerrant teachings of another ecumenical council, and will be treated harshly by history for his refusal to submit to the Roman Pontiff and the Council.
Stick to a Catholic Bible, the “Catechism of the Catholic Church, second edition”, and the Sacraments.
Not ALL Bishops are bad.
But Bishops Elizondo and Kicanas would be better off on an island by themselves. They are preoccupied with supporting Democratic Party of death politics at all costs. They certainly do not adhere to the Catholic Faith in entirety.
Just remember that the 12 Apostles were sinners, and one of them helped to crucify Christ.
Elizondo was often a speaker at the annual dissent fest, the Archdiocese of Lost Angels (Los Angele) REC!
God bless, yours in Their Hearts!
May God have mercy on an amoral Amerika and His Church!
Viva Cristo Rey!
Kenneth M. Fisher,
Just disgraceful. This is so very harmful to the Church, and harm to the Church is like a cancer in human society as a whole.
I saw the article about Bp. Kicanas proposing immigration on Breitbart. Apparently, following laws is not important with these bishops. But, if one doesn’t believe in sin why would there be a need to follow a law. So, the Ten Commandments are the “Ten Suggestions”… I pray the USCCB stops playing sycophant to Obama.
Unfortunately huge amounts of public money have corrupted the bishops.
That is REALLY obvious.
The Church isn’t very good at politics. In the 60s and 70s, such luminaries as Cardinal Roger Mahoney demonized grape growers in California and supported the United Farm Workers union. Now the UFW is broke, with millions of dollars in unpaid civil judgments against it, and Cesar Chavez’s children are at war with each other over who controls the UFW. The UFW is also losing worker elections and has less than 10% of workers in their union than they had in their heyday. it’s now an artifact.
Cardinal Mahoney’s knowledge of agricultural economics is in line with his knowledge of child abuse and protecting children. To hear other Bishops tee off at Congress just goes to show there is no shame among these men, they do not understand, or care to learn, immigration law, and their support for an open border for anyone who wants to just walk in is shocking.
What is our US immigration policy? “if you can get under the fence, over the fence, or through the fence, you qualify to become a US citizen.” The US spends billions to try to patrol and protect the border from anyone trying to get into the US, then grants citizenship if you get through. Huh?
Sound like a sick board game….
Money is a big factor, but not the only one. Please see https://restore-dc-catholicism.blogspot.com/2014/11/us-bishops-push-for-amnesty-part-and.html.
This blogger does not seem to know anything other than what they read on the internet.
It never ceases to amaze me that people with absolutely no real knowledge of a situation will spout all kinds of bunk just because they read something on the Internet. Not too smart.
Obama is the most pro-abortion, anti-Catholic President in the history of the United States!
Perhaps the bishops think we Catholics are just too ignorant/stupid to know what is good for our country……(just like the voters). We continually see the clergy who are influenced by their heritage and not for the greater good of ALL the citizenry. Too bad – as we can see day by day the faithful leaving the pews and dioceses and churches closing. Time they wised up! Don’t any of these guys read the responses from sites like this? Not ONE comment in favor of their take on this situation.
My husband recently attended the funerals of two Sheriffs Deputies who were murdered by an illegal alien who had been deported twice.
No, Dear Bishop(s), you are WRONG on this one. This does not involve faith and morals…it involves money. Money which comes to your from illegals who have no problem putting their money into the collection box. Problem is, it isn’t their money, it’s ours! Remember? Mr. and Mrs. Joe Taxpayer who pay for their children’s education, food, healthcare and housing. We provide their living! It isn’t my job to provide anyone’s livelihood except my families. We can be charitable, but allowing people, who don’t even belong here, to steal from us isn’t charity!
Having worked in a parish where most of the parishioners were from the Caribbean, I noticed that when the immigrants first arrived they were conservative, friendly, and very religious. The Council on Black Catholics gets a hold of them, and they become red hot liberals, champions of liberation theology, very anti Anglo, and bad Catholics. In order words, they are brainwashed. Of course American culture is now in the sewer, but now a days, few immigrants want to be American. In Canada, a Hindu joined by his free will, the RCMP, and refused to wear the uniform, and insisted on wearing a turban. Many of the past presidents warned us NOT to accept immigrants who refuse to speak English, and who do not adhere to Judeo-Christian ethics. America is no longer a melting pot, but instead has become an hyphenated society. We used to be Americans and Catholics. Now we have adjectives to describe what we type of American or Catholic we are. This is tragic and is a sign that our faith and our country are headed towards ruination.
The bishops could care less that the American “dream” they are inviting these immigrant families into includes dropping off your unborn children at Planned Parenthood. Unintended consequences? or who cares consequences? Clergymen cooperating with evil? Interested in the 32 pieces of silver program sponsored by Aunt Sam. The Catholic bishops are getting rich on the souls of the immigrant class. Deadly policies. Bloody deadly policies from your Democrat friends. God have mercy on all of you promoting this.
It becomes clearer and clearer as time goes on why Our Lady of Medjugorje has asked us to “pray for your shepherds.”
There is over one billion Catholic’s in the world today and 300 hundred million plus people live in the U.S.. 30 million of them are catholic. A good portion of them are Hispanic. This means that the views expressed here are a minority of catholic bigots expressing their minority bigoted opinions. Pope Francis disagrees 100% with all of you.
Marc you have no clue what you talking about –
The Magisterium who gave us the Doctrine of the Faith contained in the CCC and it is very clear. These are the TRUE teachings of the Faith that one must abide by.
CCC: “2241 The more prosperous nations are obliged, to the extent they are able, to welcome the foreigner in search of the security and the means of livelihood which he cannot find in his country of origin. Public authorities should see to it that the natural right is respected that places a guest under the protection of those who receive him.
Political authorities, for the sake of the common good for which they are responsible, may make the exercise of the right to immigrate subject to various juridical conditions,
especially with regard to the immigrants’ duties toward their country of adoption. 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. ”
In the history of the Church, there have been 12 really bad immoral/corrupt Popes.
We are not obliged to adhere to a Pope’s personal opinions because they are not infallible, only those matters of Faith and Morals which are formally promulgated.
Next as we know the USA is no longer prosperous. Our debt is now at $17.9 TRILLION and growing.
And according to the CCC we must pay our debts. CCC # 2411.
Next people who enter a Country ILLEGALLY are not guests of the Country, they are criminals.
And ILLEGAL immigrants are not only Hispanic. – You and some Bishops are the ones who are profiling.
Unemployment in the USA is so bad that they are now releasing the numbers by State rather nationwide, and those on welfare and many of those who had been looking are no longer part of the statistics to make the Obama administration look better.
1 in 5 Americans is now on food stamps, and has now topped 46 MILLION.
____________________
And lastly the USCCB has the responsibility to donate to the poor in other Countries as best as they can, not bring them here for government assistance.
And certainly NOT USE ILLEGALS to pad their own bureaucratic social services pockets of the CCHD, Catholic Charities, and CRS with federal government grants (approx. $63 MILLION per year).
We all have an obligation to help the poor, using the principle of SUBSIDIARITY.
CCC: 1883, 1885, 1894, 2209.
Pete, President Obama is going to use executive action to temporarily halt the deportation of around 4 to 5 million immigrants and the Catholic Church has no authority to do anything about it one way or the other.
He will give an executive order just as Presidents Regan and Bush 1 did and it is not unconstitutional to do it. This is not about money. It is about real people and their families that are at stake here. Stop being a bigot, and start acting like a Christian.
Elaine,
Put your trust in Jesus and Mary. Ask them to show you where to find a true, authentic Roman Catholic Parish, they will positively answer your prayers and rosaries over time. They will reveal to you where they can truly be found. Don’t let the modern liberals frighten you from Roman Catholic parishes following tradition i.e. practicing the 7 Holy Sacraments said in Latin, because I am confident that is where they will send you. Then seek a Latin Mass Directory on the web, there is one, just type in ‘traditio’ and you will find most if not all of the Roman Catholic parishes in the world that worship God through the Latin Mass in that Directory. May God bless you, I know He will lead you to His Sacred Heart and His Mother’s Immaculate Heart. May God bless you on your journey! I will pray for you.
The war with Mexico ended with the Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo, which was signed in Mexico City on February 2, 1848. Under the terms of the treaty, Mexico ceded to the United States approximately 525,000 square miles (55% of its prewar territory) in exchange for a $15 million lump sum payment, and the assumption by the U.S. Government of up to $3.25 million worth of debts owed by Mexico to U.S. citizens. It appears that the Mexican government made a huge mistake in not conceding all Mexico’s territory to the United States. Now Mexican citizens prefer living in the United States as illegals rather than remain in Mexico. Possibly Mexico should sell the remainder of it’s land to the United States for $1.00 ( I believe it must be worth at least that amount). As part of the USA the Mexican citizen would then be better off. As corrupt the U.S. Government is the politicians in Mexico most be far worse or the Mexican citizens would stay in Mexico.
I also suggest that everyone read: ON THE IMMORALITY OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION by Father Patrick J. Bascio, C.S. Sp.
Any time any Bishops (or their Committees) support violation of Holy Scripture, or the Doctrine of the Faith as contained in the CCC in entirety – – – –
we each must write to Congress (and other elected officials as appropriate)
and state that we are Catholic,
and that those involved Bishops are violating the Faith, and that we DO NOT support their political position in this matter.
Since the US Constitution is just, and it is a violation of the Constitution for Obama to write his own laws (using an executive order), since law making is reserved for Congress –
Bishops Elizondo and Kicanas have no business using their titles as Bishops to promote their own personal politics by violating the US Constitution.
CCC: ” 2241 The more prosperous nations are obliged, to the extent they are able, to welcome the foreigner in search of the security and the means of livelihood which he cannot find in his country of origin.
Public authorities should see to it that the natural right is respected that places a guest under the protection of those who receive him.
Political authorities, for the sake of the common good for which they are responsible, may make the exercise of the right to immigrate subject to various juridical conditions,
especially with regard to the immigrants’ duties toward their country of adoption. 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.”
The definition of CRIMINAL is: ” involving illegal activity ”
ILLEGAL Immigrants are CRIMINALS.
ILLEGAL immigrants should not be rewarded for their criminal activity.
The bishops are pro-family.
Then President Reagan and George HW Bush wrote their own laws on immigration and no one complained. Why? The Catholic Church at that time pressured both of them to do it because congress would not do it, and no one complained. Why not? President Reagan gave 3 million of them amnesty. Why? Later Congress passed a bill that would make what both presidents did permanent. Why? President Obama has done the same thing they did and this Republican Congress wants to impeach him. Why? Once again the Catholic Church is pressuring a President to use executive action for immigration reform, which is no different than what the Bishop’s wanted from the other two presidents. This time the Bishop’s are against church teaching and they don’t know what they are doing. Why? What is wrong with you people and what is it that you don’t understand about executive action. Obviously everything! See you at the impeachment that will make us and the the Republican Congress the laughing stock of the world.
These bishops have already gotten us into enough trouble.
Actually it was discussed in the U.S. Senate whether the U.S. should not just annex all of Mexico as a further extension of Manifest Destiny. John C. Calhoun, the senator from South Carolina, was particularly in favor of this. However, the northern states were opposed because they figured that southern plantation owners would move into Mexico with slaves and that eventually Mexico would be carved into slave states. The north/ south balance of free and slave states in the Senate would be upset unless the U.S. annexed Canada as extreme Manifest Destiny proponents favored.
Many blinded bishops (not all) in the United States actually helped President Obama to have the current power that he is abusing. Why are they still blinded? Pray for our bishops who have failed miserably to be courageous men of God who would protect the most vulnerable immigrant of them all. Their inaction and failure to protect the unborn speaks SO LOUDLY. The faithful see right through this very empty and shallow showing of feigned concern. The faithful also saw the public record of donation money given to this pro-abortion president by many of our compromised clergy. DO they really think that God cannot see their ulterior motives that have absolutely nothing to do with caring about granting amnesty?
The bishops are telling Obama to ignore even more laws and to “act alone.” Isn’t that what our bishops have already done by also ignoring and not enforcing Canon 915? “Acting alone!” Yes, Our bishops have also selectively IGNORED useful Canon laws that have been given to the Catholic Church for a very GOOD reason. Now they are encouraging the rabidly anti-Catholic pro-abortion POTUS to also ignore laws and to also “act alone” but this time in regards to amnesty. Asking the POTUS to “act alone” is a clear testimony that God is not a part of that “action” or solution. A grace filled shepherd understands that it is “God’s TRUTHS alone” that should be RELIED on and THUS “acted on”…..and consistently instead of selectively. What part of “Thou Shalt Not Kill” multi-millions of helpless unborn babies is less important than asking a pro-abortion president to “act alone” on amnesty”? Mother Theresa was more worried about the violence in the US but our shepherds have collectively ignored Canon 915 for the sake of potentially stoking future votes. They are fooling no one. Many of our bishops have for many years decided to “act alone” and selectively ignore the Teachings of the CCC including the Canon law that the Magisterium provided to them in order to protect the most helpless immigrant of all.
continued……..
Mother Theresa Confronts America
Excerpt of Mother Theresa’s address at
the United Nations’ “International Conference on Population and Development”, held in Cairo on Sept 5 -13, 1994
(The Western countries, especially the United States, came to this conference with one of their major goals being to pressure developing countries to liberalize their abortion laws in order to combat overpopulation)
“I was surprised in the West to see so many young boys and girls given to drugs. And I tried to find out why. Why is it like that, when those in the West have so many more things than those in the East? And the answer was: ‘Because there is no one in the family to receive them.’ Our children depend on us for everything – their health, their nutrition, their security, their coming to know and love God. For all of this, they look to us with trust, hope and expectation. But often father and mother are so busy they have no time for their children, or perhaps they are not even married or have given up on their marriage. So their children go to the streets and get involved in drugs or other things. We are talking of love of the child, which is were love and peace must begin. These are the things that break peace.
” I feel that the greatest destroyer of peace today is abortion, because it is a war against the child, a direct killing of the innocent child, murder by the mother herself. And if we accept that a mother can kill even her own child, how can we tell other people not to kill one another? Many people are very, very concerned with the children of India, with the children of Africa where quite a few die of hunger, and so on. Many people are also concerned about all the violence in this great country of the United States. These concerns are very good. But often these same people are not concerned with the millions who are being killed by the deliberate decision of their own mothers. And this is what is the greatest destroyer of peace today – abortion which brings people to such blindness.”
They are not asking for amnesty, Catherine. Educate yourself on this issue.
and the unborn are not immigrants.
Pete,
To much credibility is put into that CCC, which is for the most part a book of Etiquette, man-centered and not God-centered as is its official predecessor the Catechism of the Council of Trent which has been long forgotten by the Vatican 2 church (just like much of everything else Roman Catholic before 1961) Granted it is about all that modern catholics have left or are aware of that they can refer too. The Vatican 2 church is all about man-centered politics, not centered about God as witnessed at the latest Synod. God doesn’t change, like-wise since He is the founder of Holy Mother our Church, nor should her Roman Catholic doctrine change, but the liberals have made un-catholic changes and will continue to do so until they succeed, changes that are all based on man-centeredness.
All USCCB lay and clerical staff, and all bishops, should be required to anonymously declare who they voted for in the 2012 presidential election. The results of such a survey would speak volumes.
tom insj, That would be unconstitutional. Hint: secrete ballot vote.
To put this in moral terms, free immigration is not quite the same today as when there was no such thing as a social safety net.
With public education, public benefits programs, and social security, illegal immigrants will overwhelm any such system if there are too many. If 1 billion poor people from around the world moved to America, they’d bust the economy.
You are also encouraging the sin of sloth. Some people will exploit a country that offers a more generous social safety net. Many bishops who support illegal immigrants talk about how Mary and Joseph at the inn.
There is a huge difference between Mary and Joseph vs. today’s illegal immigrants. Mary and Joseph knocked on the doors of inn after inn before someone offered to let them stay in a stable. Mary and Joseph did not simply march to the stable when they were denied space. Second, Mary and Joseph did not then break into the kitchen and steal food, nor did they demand well water, bedding, and education for Jesus from their hosts.
Certainly, the starving man has a right to feed himself from a field to stave off death, or serious bodily harm, from lack of food. But, someone who is NOT starving does not have the right to take better, or more tasty food from the table, because other people can buy it and he cannot.
https://www.latimes.com/opinion/op-ed/la-oe-guerrero-immigration-family-separation-20141116-story.html
The same dictator Obama that the bishops are asking to decree the illegal immigrants to now become legal residents, is the same dictator Obama that decreed the Catholic Church to provide birth control, abortifacients and abortions in health insurance to our employees and in our hospitals.
You just can’t have it both ways Bishops! If Obama doesn’t have to follow the constitution for one issue, then you can bet he won’t for the other issue either; talk about being enablers!
Alice the ACA bill was passed by both house’s of congress and signed into law by President Obama. That hardly makes him a dictator.