By Lisa Fabrizio on 1.13.10 @ 6:08AM
The U.S. bishops' call for a "humane and comprehensive solution"
is the correct one, Mr. Tancredo.
Servant of God, Bishop Fulton Sheen, once said, "There are
not more than 100 people in the world who truly hate the Catholic
Church, but there are millions who hate what they perceive to be
the Catholic Church." Sadly, Bishop Sheen's statement applies not
only to those outside the Church, but to millions who are
baptized Catholics. A case in point is the response to an
initiative
by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops calling for a
"humane and comprehensive solution to the problems which
beset our immigration system."
Go to any website and read the comments which follow
postings of stories like the above. The misunderstanding of the
Church's motives has spewed such hatred, that some sane folks
seem to have lost their powers of reasoning.
Consider this from fallen-away Catholic, Tom
Tancredo: "I suspect the pope's immigration comments
may have less to do with spreading the gospel than they do about
recruiting new members of the church," Tancredo said. "This isn't
preaching; it is faith-based marketing."
The notion that the only reason the Church is in favor of
immigration reform is to enrich her own coffers would be
laughable were it not so sad. If you are, as am I, a member of a
parish where there are lots of poor immigrants, you know that it
is the Church that aids them, and not the other way around.
However, it matters not to faithful Catholics whether or not
these folks can contribute financially; they know that the whole
Body of Christ is enriched by their worship.
Those who are Catholics should remember the Lord's command
to St. Peter to feed his sheep and tend his lambs. Do you really
think the race or nationality of the sheep matters to the Church?
If you do, then you'd better do some research into the millions
of poor and sick around the world who are tended by her. Indeed,
go to the Mother House of Blessed Teresa of Calcutta and you will
everywhere see the words, "As you did it to one of the least of
my brethren, you did it to me."
Is the Church's record in worldly affairs perfect? Hardly.
Throughout her history, many representatives of the Church have
erred gravely; a common saying purports that the road to Hell is
paved with bishops' skulls. And although the Church's main
concern is for the immigrants that are already here, they agree
that it's a good idea to tighten laws that will prevent further
illegal immigration and protect our sovereignty.
Yet it's also true that too many people merely look at this
question in terms of legality and ignore the dictates of
Christianity as it pertains to heavenly affairs. They cite our
Savior's injunction to render unto Caesar that which is Caesar's.
Yet many Christians agree that if a law or practice is immoral --
such as forcing doctors to perform abortions -- they will defy
that law. But when it comes to immigration, this moral imperative
doesn't seem to apply.
Consider that under the 2006 Republican bill that failed to
pass, priests and religious would have faced mandatory five-year
prison sentences simply for giving aid and comfort to members of
their flocks who were here illegally. If you can find a priest
who would ask for a green card before giving food or shelter to
someone in need, then he's in the wrong line of work. Again, at
the basis of her desire for immigration reform, the Church seeks
humane treatment for all peoples, regardless of their national
origin. Don't forget that the parable of the Good Samaritan was
given in answer to the question: who is my neighbor?
And make no mistake about it; a great many illegal
immigrants are suffering exploitation by various groups, when
their greatest sin is an overwhelming desire for a better way of
life for themselves and their families. We should take care lest
we, like the Pharisees, be lectured by our Savior for blindly
following the letter of the law: "If you only knew the meaning of
the words; 'I desire mercy and not sacrifice' you would not have
condemned the innocent." (Matthew 12:7)
All of this is not to say that the USCCB or their stance on
immigration is perfect. Sadly, some of the more liberal bishops
have spent more time catering to the whims of this world than on
the teaching of the Church's Magisterium. But if Catholics wish
to vent their frustration at the Church in America, let them do
so by praying that those bishops look into their hearts and
return to more Christ-centered forms of worship in their
dioceses, but let them also look into their own…for
charity.
topics:
Illegal Immigration, Catholic Church
