On Sunday, June 18, we will celebrate our annual Mass in Recognition of All Immigrants at our Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels.
In preparation for the Mass, throughout the archdiocese we have been praying a novena focusing on the needs of immigrants, refugees and human trafficking victims. We are encouraging the faithful to share their stories on social media, using the hashtag #PrayForImmigrants. And we have established a new online resource for immigrants and advocates, TheNextAmerica.org.
In addition, on Friday, June 16, a group will make a three-day, 50-mile pilgrimage from Orange County to the cathedral, walking and praying for those suffering under our broken immigration system.
We are praying for the intercession of St. Junípero Serra — who himself came to this country as an immigrant from Mexico and helped to shape the moral and spiritual direction of our country.
We know that we will not make any progress until we make substantial reforms in our system.
For the Church, immigration reform has never meant “open borders” or “amnesty” for those who are in this country in violation of our laws.
The Church has always taught that every nation should have secure borders and every nation should be able to regulate how many people are let into the country, who they are and how long they are allowed to stay.
We are working to strengthen our country through common sense immigration reform that our country needs to grow and to welcome those who want to join us in the great American adventure.
Right now our visa system is too complicated and imposes quotas that make it difficult for American employers to find the workers they need — in areas ranging from the hi-tech sector to agriculture, and construction-related industries.
We need visa reforms in every area. We also need reforms to make it easier for religious workers from other countries to receive visas.
And we need to find ways to help the millions who are undocumented and have been living in our country for many years, working honestly and raising families — but who right now have no way to address their immigration status.
We have millions of men and women in our country who are undocumented, but are parents of U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents in this country. It only makes sense that we put in place a permanent visa system to allow these men and women to work and to make their contributions to our society.
And, of course, we have the “Dreamers” — those undocumented young men and women who were brought to this country as children or young adults. It is not right that these fine young people are made to live in a kind of “limbo” — without a home country and without a way to fully participate in our American life.
Full story at Angelus.
Always another pro-immigration event from Archbishop Gomez, blah blah blah. Between immigration and homosexual issues, this man seems to have nothing left for the rest of his flock. The largest diocese in the United States and it’s leader holds himself to political matters rather than the salvation of all souls under his spiritual care. Shame.
As the grandson of four legal immigrants, I am a supporter of immigration, that is LEGAL immigration. Any person who wants to come to the US needs to follow our legal requirements in order to take up residency here.
Unless we remain a country of laws, chaos will follow.
I agree, Xavier, but …. The people of our nation, built on immigrants, has a long history of anti-immigrant fears. We are afraid they will change our culture, take our jobs, speak a different language, etc. I’m old enough to remember the “Irish need not apply” signs in stores and factories, old enough to remember how Cubans replaced African Americans in low paying jobs in southern Florida. I also know that today we can’t operate without immigrants to harvest our food or design our software. Should they come in legally, Yes ! But so many are coming in as refugees from Central American and other countries. We don’t need to fear these people anymore than we needed to fear the Irish a couple of generations ago.
Thank God Donald Trump is the President!
Build the wall!
Maybe Catholics should start praying for The Wall.
On June 15, Department of Homeland Security Secretary John F. Kelly, after consulting with the Attorney General, signed a memorandum rescinding the November 20, 2014 memorandum that created the program known as Deferred Action for Parents of Americans and Lawful Permanent Residents (“DAPA”). President Trump keeps his promises. I hope he does rescind DACA too but the time is not ripe yet. We will have laws again with Trump. Our Nation has been given a last chance by God. We must take it and support our incredible President Trump. Pray.
God Bless all immigrants the majority of whom move from their home countries in search of a better life or in order to escape violence. May God help us to see these people as human beings – our brothers and sisters on the journey.
Thank you Harold for your CHRISTian belief/comments. Guess all the negative commentatiors are Native Americans. In my belief division of races is not a quality of good character a holder of the highest office in the U.S. should have
To be accurate Fr. Junipero Serra, now St. Junipero Serra, was born on November 24, 1713, in Petra, Majorca, Spain.
Are we praying for Legal Immigrants or Illegal immigrants? Ever since the illegal immigrants from Mexico and Central America have arrived in our Bay Area and beyond, the crime rate has quadrupled. These immigrants are hard working at commiting Crime! In the Silicon Valley area there is a Hispanic/Latino homicide/shooting every week.
Illegal Hispanic and Latino immigrants are denying many, many immigrants who want to come the US legally. They cannot walk across the border because they cannot walk across the Atlantic or Pacific oceans. I met a Turkish family in Paris who would love to come to the US legally but they cannot afford the expenses and as they told me “they cannot swim across the Atlantic. I am praying for them/.
I recently saw a cartoon that showed American Indians standing on the shore of the Atlantic as Columbus’s ships came into view. One said to the other “maybe we should build a wall.” Immigrants are the lifeblood of our nation, for two hundred plus years. We are all descendants of immigrants and refugees. It’s not just the Mexicans and Hispanics that coming illegally, but from all over.
NO Bob One we are a nation of laws, and any sane nation would not allow what is going here or worse in Europe (my prediction total war in Europe with 5 years) And no Bob One the citizens of the nation are its lifeblood, we should have a complete freeze on immigration ( and yes its been done before), but this insane globalist running things that will never happen.