Thread: CA: Catholic Bishop Walks fine Line on Immigration

10:00 PM PDT on Thursday, March 22, 2007

Inland Catholic Bishop Walks Fine Line in Immigration Role
By SHARON McNARY
The Press-Enterprise

Bishop Gerald R. Barnes says the 1.2 million Inland Catholics he leads are as divided as the nation itself on the question of giving legal status to millions of undocumented immigrants.

As point man for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bis5hops' national Justice for Immigrants campaign, he urges broad legalization. Yet, he is criticized from both sides of the immigration debate within his own diocese.

Local Catholics flooded his fax machine with threats to withdraw financial support and leave the church after he celebrated a Mass in January in honor of immigrants, Barnes said.

Others who agree with him complain he has not been visible or vocal enough locally. At times, Barnes finds himself caught in the middle.

"I don't want to apologize for what I've said, because I believe what I've said," Barnes said in a recent interview at the Diocesan Pastoral Center, the diocese's headquarters in San Bernardino.

"I want to make it understood that the Catholic Church is for the reformation of immigration laws so that we do not have illegal immigration."

Barnes must advocate for his beliefs nationally, yet avoid alienating the people he relies on to support the church locally, said Ivan Strenski, professor of religious studies at UC Riverside.

"He's dancing on the thin edge of a knife," Strenski said. "He has a lot of things he wants to say, and he cannot go too far out of line or people will not listen, just as people don't listen on birth control."

Barnes, a Mexican-American who grew up in East Los Angeles, estimated that about half the Catholics in the two-county Inland diocese disagree with him. The divisions cross racial and ethnic lines.

"It might seem strange, but there are some people who are descendants of immigrants, immediate descendants of immigrants, some Latinos themselves, who don't understand or don't support the church's position," Barnes said.

Barnes could be talking about Michael Jimenez, 36, of Corona, a Catholic and father of two young girls.

Jimenez's mother was honored for her Catholic volunteerism, and his grandfather was an illegal immigrant from Mexico in 1913, who insisted his children speak English in public and take sandwiches, not tortillas, to school for lunch.

But Jimenez quit practicing his faith, largely because of Barnes' stance on illegal immigration.

He sees the church depending on undocumented Latin American immigrants for growth, and he objects to church leaders lobbying the government.

"I have not yet baptized my daughter, who is 1 year old," he said. His older daughter, now 3, was baptized when she was 6 months old.

To Barnes he would say, "Quit being such a politician. It's not your place to do that."

Barnes said, "Non-Latinos, especially of European background, people who feel taken over by a certain culture," also disagree with the church.

The bishop takes a long-term view of the controversy.

The church has weathered centuries of criticism from Catholics who don't agree with its teachings on such issues as nuclear disarmament, opposition to the death penalty, birth control and abortion.

"What we cannot compromise as teachers -- and the bishops are the teachers of the church -- is the Gospel," Barnes said.

Leadership Strategy

Inland immigration-rights activists generally praise Barnes, especially for his leadership over the past two years. But they want more direct support, involvement and visibility from him.

"I think the bishop could certainly influence it by appearing and actually heading community meetings with the parishioners and talking about the issue," said Jesse del Rio, co-chairman of the diocese's political-advocacy committee.

When Barnes took over the national campaign in 2005, he delegated the local lead on immigration issues to his auxiliary bishop and the Office of Social Concerns.

He has written immigration-policy letters for priests to read from the pulpit, celebrated a Mass honoring immigrants, and has met with groups of Catholics.

The diocese leads immigrants in a letter-writing campaign to members of Congress, and some will fast for immigration reforms beginning March 26.

But his first large-scale public dialogue on illegal immigration was March 16 before 150 people at the Pastoral Center.

"The Catholic Church is not in favor of illegal immigration," Barnes told the crowd. However, it recognizes the right of people to emigrate from countries that cannot meet their basic needs, he said.

Millions of people are here illegally because the laws are unworkable and should be changed, Barnes said. A few speakers directed pointed, pro-migrant questions at the bishop, asking for more housing and other help for the poorest immigrants, however none challenged his views.

Maria Anna Gonzales, of the National Alliance for Human Rights, said she wished Barnes had not endorsed a compromise immigration bill last year that, if passed, would have legalized about half of the nation's illegal immigrants.

The rest, including the most recent arrivals and nonworking family members, might have been required to return to their home countries or remain underground, Gonzales said.

"How can you say you are the leader of the church that professes to practice the teachings of Christ but you're willing to leave some people out?" she asked.

Barnes said the bishops endorsed the compromise because it was the best bill available at the time.

Barnes could do more to intercede with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to reduce the number of apparently random arrests, said Mario Lazcano, of the Comite Latino of the Coachella Valley, an immigration-rights group.

Barnes said the church will not interfere with ICE actions nor does he expect the campaign to get involved in a new movement by a few Catholics and others to provide sanctuary to illegal immigrants trying to evade deportation.

Playing National Role

As a national church leader, Barnes has testified before Congress and said he will work for the passage of new immigration laws proposed this year.

Rep. Brian Bilbray, R-San Diego, a Catholic who leads the anti-amnesty, pro-enforcement Congressional Immigration Reform Caucus, said Barnes and the church had little influence on the debate in Congress.

He called the bishop's views "well-intentioned but dangerous," because talk of legalization entices would-be immigrants to come into the United States illegally.

"People talking about this, including the bishop, are responsible for people dying on the freeway, drowning in the rivers, and dying in the desert," said Bilbray.

Barnes rejects criticism that he or the church advocate lawbreaking.

"I want to make it understood that the Catholic Church is for the reformation of the immigration laws so that we do not have illegal immigration," Barnes said. "We are not encouraging people in any way to break the law. We want to change the law."

Reach Sharon McNary at 951-368-9458 or smcnary@PE.com

http://www.pe.com/localnews/inland/stor ... e318d.html

Priests like this have their apples and oranges mixed up. I'm just glad I'm not a Catholic because I would seriously resent being dragged into this guilt trip by the religious hierarchy.

It's awfully hard being Catholic these days. We parishoners are not without a voice.

Local Catholics flooded his fax machine with threats to withdraw financial support and leave the church after he celebrated a Mass in January in honor of immigrants, Barnes said.

I can tell you every Catholic I talk with is against illegal immigration. The open border bishops and cardinals can talk all they want, the parishoners are loyal US citizens. They can help these people in their own countries. I have written to the church in protest and many others have also. They are getting too political.

Help thy illegal neighbor in their homeland not here!

"It might seem strange, but there are some people who are descendants of immigrants, immediate descendants of immigrants, some Latinos themselves, who don't understand or don't support the church's position," Barnes said.

Why would it be strange, reason being a divine gift, for people
to actually see the weakness in the bishop's arguments for absolute
anarchy in the name of religion?