Thread: Priest accused of encouraging illegal immigrants

http://www.theunion.com/article/20061106/NEWS/111060087

Spanish Masses debated Priest accused of encouraging illegal immigrants

BY SOPhoto:2806497,left;UMITRO SEN
November 6, 2006

Some parishioners of St. Patrick's Church were surprised by a letter they found on their windshields after attending a recent Saturday evening Mass. The missive, written by Grass Valley resident Ed Yarborough, accused the church's priest, the Rev. Tim Nondorf, of encouraging illegal immigrants by offering special services, including Mass in Spanish.

"Do you believe it's ethical for a clergyman to help criminals break the law?" Yarborough wrote in his public letter. "Aren't illegal aliens criminals? Their very presence in this country is a violation of federal law. Does that not concern you? Didn't Jesus say 'render unto Caesar'?"

In December 2005, Yarborough, 50, launched a one-man campaign against Nondorf, 36, alleging the priest is promoting illegal immigration by helping members of his growing Spanish-speaking congregation.

"They are evidently Spanish-speaking people, and that is a fairly good indication they are illegal," Yarborough said recently.

Nondorf explained the church's stance on immigration by quoting from a letter the Rev. Richard J. Garcia, auxiliary bishop of the Diocese of Sacramento, wrote to Yarborough on Aug. 3, 2006.

"It is to serve the people of God that a priest is ordained, that is, to serve all people, regardless of a person's legal status in a particular country," Nondorf read. "As St. Paul reminds us, Jesus ministered to Jew and Gentile alike."

St. Patrick's Church hosts Spanish Masses on the last Sunday of every month. Bilingual Mass is offered on high holidays and sacraments in Spanish on special occasions. The church also hosts a social group for Hispanic youth and English classes.

The church has not taken any major legal action against Yarborough for posting letters on the parishioners' windshields. The action violates a city ordinance, Grass Valley Police Chief John Foster said.

"If people feel they are being harassed or threatened, I would encourage them to contact us," Foster said.

"But if you don't report the crime, we can't do anything about it."

Yarborough said he is not sure of his future line of action against Nondorf.

"I'm kind of disappointed with the wishy-washy position they (the Catholic Church) have taken on the immigration issue," Yarborough said. "But as long as they offer special Spanish-language services ... for illegal aliens, they are ... taking a political position (on immigration) whether they want to admit it or not."

Yarborough is a Nevada City native who graduated from the University of California Santa Cruz and works for a local insurance agent. He is a Catholic but said he is not a member of any Catholic church in town.

"I pray for Mr. Yarborough every day, asking that God touch his heart," Nondorf said. "On Sunday, July 30, when he stood outside our church picketing, the Spanish community said a decade of the rosary for him.

"That's all we can do - pray for him."

Most of us are familiar with the catholic church's participation on this issue but there is a church down the street from me, a baptist church, I believe, here in Columbus, with a spanish language banner hanging on the front of it. I believe it is a welcome sign and may also have spanish services.

The Catholic church gets a lot of publicity for supporting illegals because they are a large organization and have taken a very public position on this issue; however, they are not the only church to do so. The Presbyterian Church (USA), Lutheran Church, Episcopal, United Methodist, Morman, and even some evangelical churches have done so.

If these churches continue to defy our laws, which are not "unjust", then they should lose their tax exempt status. I'll bet they would come to see the light if that were to happen.

These churches suffer no ill effects from illegal immigration; in fact, they benefit from it by having increased donations into the church coffers. But, they have the audacity to criticize and look down upon those legal citizens who are being adversely affected. They are the misguided ones.