Thread: Church leaders to discuss role in immigration

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Church leaders to discuss role in immigration

Leonard Martinez
El Paso Times

A Catholic cardinal, 17 bishops from the United States and Mexico, U.S. Sen. John Cornyn and the Mexican foreign minister will meet in El Paso next week in what is being described as a historic meeting about the church’s spiritual, moral and legal obligation toward immigrants.

The conference, the first of its kind along the U.S.-Mexico border, will include 150 diocesan staff members from the two countries and will feature a variety of workshops on treating immigrants and fulfilling their religious needs.

“As members of a universal church, we are keenly aware of the realities of a geographical border region which is enforced by the civil and criminal laws of nation-states,� Catholic Diocese of El Paso Bishop Armando X. Ochoa said in a new release. “However, the also-present reality of migration is a constant invitation to the church to craft new responses to the ‘signs of the times,’ so that the human dignity and rights of our migrants are honored and respected.�

The conference, “Strangers No Longer: Together on the Journey of Hope,� will be Thursday through June 26 at the Camino Real Hotel in Downtown. The conference is not open to the public. Ochoa called the binational migration conference “historic.�

“The conference is designed to provide bishops with a learning experience of the phenomenon of what migration is all about so they can respond to people in their communities,� said Ouisa Davis, executive director of the Diocesan Migrant and Refugee Services of the Catholic Diocese of El Paso. “They will (also) be able to respond to their pastoral needs.�

She said El Paso’s migrant and refugee services get more than 60,000 requests for immigration help a year. She said they helped immigrants with sponsored immigration, naturalization and employment petitions.

The conference is based on a pastoral letter jointly released two years ago by U.S. and Mexican bishops’ conferences.

“The difficulties you encounter as migrants are many,� the pastoral letter said. “We cannot help but recognize your plight at these times; and so as teachers of the faith and promoters of justice in the world, we speak directly to you. The burden is heavy on your backs. We want to lighten the burden.�

Recent immigrant issues include the controversial Minutemen, civilians who patrolled the Arizona-Mexico border looking for immigrants; the many deaths recorded in the desert and all along the border; and a possible guest-worker program.

The Catholic Diocese of El Paso is in a unique position to help other dioceses with migrant issues because it is on the border, one official said.

“We have a longer history of working with bilingual liturgies and working with Spanish-speaking Catholics,� said the Rev. John Stowe, moderator of the Curia/vicar general for the El Paso Diocese. “Every time they come here (from other dioceses), they are impressed with the life of the church here. Our Diocesan Migrant and Refugee Services is a good example. It’s been studied by different dioceses around the country.�

Cardinal Theodore McCarrick of Washington, D.C., will speak Thursday on Ecclesia in America and “Strangers No Longer� as a way the church in the United States and Mexico can work together.
Friday, Mexican Foreign Minister Luis Derbez will address a session on Mexican migration policy, his country’s relationship with the United States on migration issues and possible goals of collaboration between the two countries.

Cornyn will speak June 26 about immigration policy reform in the United States and on human trafficking.

“The main purpose of the conference is to build relationships between dioceses on both sides of the border to work collaboratively on migratory issues,� said Kevin Appleby, director of Migration and Refugee Policy for the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. “It’s a way to build solidarity across borders and come up with a uniform strategy. In the policy realm, it’s a bit more difficult, but there are common issues with common messages.�

Appleby said the conference is a way to discuss these issues.

“The church’s perspective is we have a broken immigration system in the U.S. and Mexico, and immigrants who want to support their family are sort of pawns in both governments if you will,� Appleby said.

Last month, the bishops of the United States launched a three-year campaign to bring about comprehensive immigration reform. For more information on the campaign, go to www.justice
forimmigrants.org.

Leonard Martinez may be reached at lmartinez@elpasotimes.com; 546-6152.

The Catholic church in America is really hurting for membership after all of the child molestation scandals. They ought to realize that this is not the way to increase membership in American churches.

If the CC continues on this path, I believe they will find themselves falling even further behind the other churches in membership.

W

The Catholic Church is OBL. The Catholic Church Bishops need to work on mass, communion, confessions and collecting money....something they know how to do and STAY THE HELL OUT OF OUR POLITICS.

Now, we know who Cornyn really is....OBL all the Way!!

Yep....."strangers no more".....they got that part right!! Now we know who these people are and what they are doing to our country. We know you now....illegal aliens with their mouths open and their hands out....we know you well, too, and want you to STAY HOME or GO HOME.

Did you all know that the Catholic Church was very influential in Germany along with the Lutheran Church? So much so that they have a CHURCH TAX there, which taxes members of their churches through the Government. Just in case dissenters might....you know....hold back at the offerings on Sunday. If I were a registered Catholic in the United States, I would unregister. Because I believe this is why the Catholic Church is so involved in "politics" lately. The UN is working on a lot of TAXES as you know. I suspect the "transition" the new Pope was hired to lead the Catholics through is something very akin to what was established in Germany...to collect your "offerings" through the Church Tax. WE know what happens when you don't pay your "taxes"!!

Originally Posted by Judy

The Catholic Church is OBL. The Catholic Church Bishops need to work on mass, communion, confessions and collecting money....something they know how to do and STAY THE HELL OUT OF OUR POLITICS.

Sixx says: And away from our little boys

Now, we know who Cornyn really is....OBL all the Way!!

Sixx says: Him and Slick Rick Scary a.k.a "governor" rick perry

Yep....."strangers no more".....they got that part right!! Now we know who these people are and what they are doing to our country. We know you now....illegal aliens with their mouths open and their hands out....we know you well, too, and want you to STAY HOME or GO HOME.

Sixx says: Or to the Vatican't

Did you all know that the Catholic Church was very influential in Germany along with the Lutheran Church? So much so that they have a CHURCH TAX there, which taxes members of their churches through the Government. Just in case dissenters might....you know....hold back at the offerings on Sunday. If I were a registered Catholic in the United States, I would unregister. Because I believe this is why the Catholic Church is so involved in "politics" lately.

Sixx says: They have to pay those pedophile rape settlements somehow.



The UN is working on a lot of TAXES as you know. I suspect the "transition" the new Pope was hired to lead the Catholics through is something very akin to what was established in Germany...to collect your "offerings" through the Church Tax. WE know what happens when you don't pay your "taxes"!!

Sixx says: The new pope certainly has the boyhood background for the job

The only summit meeting that can succeed is the one that does not take place.

Barry Goldwater