Thread: Catholic Sentinel-Immigration reform effort called success

http://www.sentinel.org/articles/2006-20/14703.html


Immigration reform effort called success
05/17/2006
The Catholic effort in Oregon for immigration reform is being called “a big success,” by the Archdiocese of Portland official who organized it.

“I am pleased to report that the huge effort to advocate for comprehensive immigration reform legislation has paid off,” reports David Carrier, director of the archdiocese’s Office of Justice and Peace.

After a prime-time speech by President Bush, the Senate is expected to take up legislation that could create a guest-worker program, a way to earn citizenship and possibly allow families to reunite, some of the elements the U.S. Catholic bishops have advocated.

With the help of volunteers from Catholic Charities and the formation group called JustFaith, seminars and a letter-writing campaign held after Masses in western Oregon created more than 5,700 letters in support of bipartisan comprehensive immigration reform on the federal level.

The letters, which opposed enforcement-only measures like one passed in the U.S. House last year, were hand-delivered to the local offices of the Oregon congressional delegation.

Parishioners took many letters home and sent them in later.

Representatives from Catholic Charities, Oregon Catholic Conference, St. Vincent de Paul, Network Catholic Lobby, and the Archdiocese of Portland then made several visits to the offices of Senators Gordon Smith and Ron Wyden and Representatives David Wu and Earl Blumenauer.

“In each case we were told our letters made a big impact,” Carrier said in an email to supporters.

Staff for lawmakers who already backed comprehensive reform said the letters bolstered their position.

On the last of four visits to Senator Gordon Smith’s office, his staff said he intends to support comprehensive reforms that the U.S. bishops, Archbishop John Vlazny, and many Oregon Catholics have called for.

“We will hold them to this promise when the legislation is debated again on Capitol Hill,” Carrier says.

Meanwhile, the U.S. bishops are wary of President Bush’s reported proposal to send National Guard troops to the U.S.-Mexican border and are calling for reform of U.S. immigration laws.

“Over the past ten to twelve years, our nation has spent billions of dollars on border enforcement and has tripled the number of Border Patrol agents along the U.S.-Mexico border,” migratuion committee head Bishop Gerald Barnes said just before Bush’s Oval Office speech. of San Bernardino, California, chairman of the bishops’ Committee on Migration. “Yet, our nation’s immigration system, including its legal channels for entering the country, remain woefully antiquated and ill-suited to address today’s migration phenomenon.”

The Catholic Church has lost a member of their congregation here. Let them support the illegals and pay for their FREE benefits. This makes me sick!

Originally Posted by Iiamstheone

The Catholic Church has lost a member of their congregation here. Let them support the illegals and pay for their FREE benefits. This makes me sick!

Anyone who is still a member of the Church needs to rethink their priorities.

My father went to Diocesan schools for his entire life, up to and including his graduation from Fordham University, a (nominally) Catholic institution of higher learning.

However, the Church in America is a sham.

The Voice of the Faithful demonstrated that better than anyone else.

Just because you refuse to drink the Kool-Aid being dealt by Gregory and Mahoney, among other venal, greedy, self-flagellating Quislings, doesn't mean that you're a bad Catholic.

It means you're a good American.

If they want to throw out Americans, and replace those parishioners with illiterate congregants working at sub-minimum wage jobs, then they can do it without our help.

Let's see how well they do with their all-Spanish masses when the people showing up for Mass, and being tithed, are working as landscapers and fruit-pickers.

-good times, G.J.P. (Jr.)

I will say it again "ROMAN"catholic

Most people don't think of Calvinists, the Orthodox, or Protestantism when they think of the term "Catholic" today, although I wouldn't be surprised if the shameless hispandering of the Church led to an eventual backlash against Christians-of all stripes-in this country, and an increase in the number of people calling themselves agnostics, or atheists.

Dumb-asses.

Originally Posted by Iiamstheone

The Catholic Church has lost a member of their congregation here. Let them support the illegals and pay for their FREE benefits. This makes me sick!

DITTO!
I am so sick and tired of the Catholic church meddling in politics where they dont belong. You are right, let them support the illegals!

Hmmm, I was just having this discussion with one of my sons the other night.

To me, it's very simple. As a ROMAN Catholic, my "religion/Doctrine" is separate from the church. They can highjack the "church" but they can't highjack my religion/faith.

Personally, I stopped giving/attending years ago when I realized certain hypocracies couldn't be reconciled in my mind. They'll have to get funding for their follies somewhere else.

my 2 cents