Thread: Catholic Church Launches Campaign to Support Immigrants Worldwide

Catholic Church Launches Campaign to Support Immigrants Worldwide

DALLAS (WBAP/KLIF) – The Catholic Diocese of Dallas announced Wednesday that it had joined Pope Francis’ worldwide initiative to support immigrants.

Bishop Edward J. Burns said the Diocese will participate in the Share the Journey global campaign to support migrants around the world.


Bishop Burns was joined by clergy, lay leaders and immigrants from around the Dallas diocese at the Cathedral Shrine of the Virgin of Guadalupe to launch the program.

With Share the Journey, Burns said the Catholic Church hopes to dispel widespread fear of newcomers and to raise awareness of Gospel teaching and the words of Christ on welcoming immigrants.

The initiative comes at a time when rhetoric surrounding the Sanctuary Cities Law in Texas is creating fear in immigrant communities.

“I do not recall that there has been such sentiment to cause members of an immigrant community to have such fear that members of a family are going to be ripped apart,” Bishop Burns said.

The law allows Police to ask about a person’s immigration status during a routine stop. Many immigrants have been hesitant to approach Police in fear they may be deported.

“When I had a parishioner in one of our parishes who would not report a stolen vehicle because they are afraid of law enforcement agencies,” said Bishop Burns. “Their rights are being taken away. Their right to peace.”

The Dallas Diocese is encouraging Catholics to better understand why so many people are compelled to leave their homes at this time in history. Pope Francis has said he hopes the initiative will inspire communities to build relationships with refugees and immigrants, and to love their neighbors in the U.S. and around the world in a variety of ways. Bishop Burns said parishes, Catholic schools and organizations will participate in the Share the Journey campaign.

“It’s in knowing them personally that we recognize the hardships that they face,” said Bishop Burns. “When we recognize their hardships, hopefully are hearts are moved with compassion.”

Along with Pope Francis, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, Catholic Relief Services, Catholic Charities USA, and the Church’s global charitable network, Caritas Internationalis are collaborating in the effort.

Catholic Church Launches Campaign to Support Immigrants Worldwide

IRS should pull their 501 C 3 tax status. RIP IT AWAY!!!

with the Catholic Church we would have to bring migrants by plane I can't stand the priest I can't stand the pope

SUPPORT THEM ON THEIR SOIL

GO DIVERSITY THEIR COUNTRY

NO MORE TAX EXEMPT STATUS

AND YOU PAY FOR THEM OUT OF YOUR POCKETS!

RECOGNIZE THE HARDSHIPS WE FACE DUMPING THESE BREEDING PARASITES ON OUR BACKS!

SHUT THIS DOWN

Pope launches drive to aid migrants, refugees

German Chancellor Angela Merkel won a fourth term in elections held last September 24, with her conservative Christian Democratic Union (CDU) winning 33 percent of the vote, ahead of the center-left Social Democrats with 21 percent. But the far-right Alternative Fur Deutschland (AFD) also won 13 percent, putting right-wing extremists in the Bundestag for the first time since the Nazi era.

While Merkel retained her leadership of Germany, analysts said the influx of refugees was the single biggest reason for the rise of rightwing extremists who have opposed Merkel’s policy of accepting refugees since 2015.

Meanwhile, in the United States, President Donald Trump continues to push for a policy that is decidedly anti-immigration, highlighted by his ending the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program that had allowed children of deported illegal immigrants to remain in the US.

It is against this background of mounting anti-immigrant sentiment that Pope Francis launched last September 27 a two-year education campaign on the plight of immigrants around the world, led by the Vatican’s Caritas Internationalis, which is headed by our own Archbishop Antonio Luis Cardinal Tagle.

At the launch of the campaign in the Vatican, Cardinal Tagle recalled that his own grandfather was a young immigrant from China.

“Who would think that he would produce a cardinal grandson?” Archbishop Tagle said. “Don’t close the doors,” he urged nations where many immigrants from the Middle East and Africa seek entry today. ”You might be closing the doors on people who might enrich your society.”

Pope Francis, who is himself is the son of Italian immigrants to Argentina, urged people to meet with migrants, listen to their stories, and welcome them. For migrants, he said, are driven by hope, the very same Christian virtue of hope to find a better life. The two-year education campaign on the plight of migrants, called Share the Journey, seeks to counteract mounting anti-immigration sentiment in Europe and the US.

The campaign is the Vatican’s answer to the growing xenophobia and animosity towards refugees around the world today. Catholics are asked to take part in public action in support of immigrants, posting messages on social media, and participating in activities where they can meet and help them. It is a great source of pride for us in the Philippines that our own Cardinal Tagle is head of Caritas Internationalis which Pope Francis has designated to lead the campaign.

Pope launches drive to aid migrants, refugees » Manila Bulletin News

pope Francis is the enemy number one it's time for us to stand up for our right