San Diego’s Saint Jude Shrine of the West Church. (stjudesd.com)
A deacon in San Diego told parishioners last week that he will voluntarily deport himself after his residency status was revoked by the U.S. government.
The deacon reportedly made the announcement at St. Jude Shrine of the West during Masses on Sept. 14. Local media reported that the clergyman came to the U.S. when he was 13 and “served the St. Jude community for roughly four decades.” He will reportedly be returning to Tijuana, Mexico.
Local reports did not identify the deacon. A diocesan representative indicated to Catholic News Agency that the news reports were accurate, but the diocese said it could not identify the deacon himself and that he was handling the matter privately.
Representatives at St. Jude Parish did not respond to queries regarding the announcement.
The deacon’s self-deportation comes amid a wave of heightened immigration enforcement around the country as the Trump administration works to ramp up deportations of immigrants in the U.S. illegally.
Catholic and Christian advocates have criticized the elevated enforcement. Prior to his death, Pope Francis in February told the U.S. bishops that amid the deportations, the faithful “are called upon to consider the legitimacy of norms and public policies in the light of the dignity of the person and his or her fundamental rights, not vice versa.”
In the spring, meanwhile, religious leaders including the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops and the National Association of Evangelicals lamented the potential impacts of mass deportations on Christian families in the U.S.
A “significant share of the immigrants who are a part of our body are vulnerable to deportation, whether because they have no legal status or their legal protections could be withdrawn,” the leaders said.
In some cases priests have faced deportation or loss of legal status amid changing immigration rules. In Texas, a Mexican-born Catholic priest who served in the Diocese of Laredo, Texas, for nine years left the United States last month because his application for residency was denied and his religious worker visa was expiring.
Catholic advocates have repeatedly warned that changes to U.S. visa rules have brought about a looming crisis in which many U.S.-based priests will be forced to leave their ministries, return to their home countries, and remain there for lengthy wait times.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio told EWTN News in August that the Trump administration is “committed” to addressing that issue.
“We’ll have a plan to fix it,” Rubio said. Details of that plan have yet to be released.
From Angelus News
This Deacon should pray to St. Jude the Patron Saint of lost causes and desperate situations. St. Jude pray for us.
We don’t know whether the deacon is in the right or not. Why would you pray for someone without knowing all the relevant details. Would you pray for someone to be acquitted of murder if you knew he was guilty? Would you recommend praying to St. Jude that a murderer in desperate situation be acquitted? I hope not. Let’s get some more facts before we pray for an outcome.
Reply to facts are important: If you carefully read my post comment I clearly say St. Jude pray for us.
You are reading your own biases and hype into Restrainer’s excellent and wise comment. St. Jude is well-known as the Patron Saint of impossible, desperate causes. No matter what difficulties we may face in life– pray, and may God’s Will be done. Period.
Interestingly enough, I couldn’t find the name of any staff, whether clergy or laity, in their web site. https://www.stjudesd.com/
Neither on the diocesan website. Usually parish bulletins, containing all the personnel, are on the website. Neither the diocesan nor the parish website are informative. Immigration rules have changed regarding non citizen clergy, particularly foreign priests which are relied on heavily in many dioceses. Often foreign clergy had to return home for the renewal process, but I don’t know how the regulations read these days. Since no information has been given, it naturally raises curiosity as to why a deacon would not be granted a visa renewal; and since no information can be obtained, it’s best to let it go and not to speculate or attribute any reasons as to why this clergyman is departing, and for the readers to suffer unsatisfied curiosity.
There are cases such as this one that should be individually reviewed. Fingers crossed, this Deacon will be able to remain in the US.
Why do you want this deacon to remain in the US without having any more information? Because he’s Catholic? And clergy? Why should those categories get preferential treatment from the federal government? Because the deacon is on your team? This is just religious tribalism. Let’s be objective and impartial, applying the law equally and fairly.
Terrible reporting by Angelus News. Where are the details about why the government revoked this deacon’s residency status? Since the Angelus News didn’t mention it, I’m inclined to believe there was good reason for revoking it. The Angelus News is attempting to stir up pity, when perhaps pity is not warranted. Only if we know all the details can we decide whether this was an appropriate on inappropriate decision by the US government.
There you have it, folks: people on this website downthumbing a call to be objective and impartial and to apply the law fairly. These are Catholic integralists. They want a Catholic theocracy.
I have no idea as to the circumstances of this Deacon. Anyway– the Catholic Church has had a serious shortage of priests (and nuns, too) since Vatican II, and American dioceses have been importing many priests from other countries, as a result. What a shame, if American prelates ended up having to turn away someone like St. Mother Teresa of Kolkata, or St. Mother Frances Cabrini! Anyway, our prelates have been trying to work with U.S. immigration officials on this problem. Religious workers– Catholic or any denomination— are recognized as a special category– they are doing God’s work.
Wouldn’t this have come up years ago when, before his ordination, he would’ve had to comply with safe environment regulations, been fingerprinted and have had a background check?
And, why doesn’t the Diocese of San Diego list deacon assignments, like other dioceses do?
Something seems off or odd about this story.
Just the facts, man.
No one is above the law. I am sure there are good reasons for his refused visa.
As to the bishops they only care of the millions of dollars oh sorry billions of dollars that flow their way from Democrats when in power.
Bishops don not care about the faithful.
Actions speak louder than their words.
Bishops can care less about the faithful including immigrants. They want the free tax payer money.