The present difficulty when speaking about immigration reform is that the issue has become a politically polarizing one. Much misunderstanding exists, including misunderstanding about the position of the Catholic Church towards immigration reform. The Church speaks of immigration reform not to advance a political platform, but out of the recognition that every human person has infinite value as a child of God. The same principle that drives the Church to defend the life of the unborn drives the Church to defend the rights of immigrants.
Archbishop Gomez also stated at the Knights of Columbus convention that “the Church’s perspective on immigration issues is rooted in Jesus Christ’s teaching that every human person is created in God’s image and has God-given dignity and rights.”
The Church always speaks for the vulnerable and the weak. Jesus tells us that our love for God will be judged by our love for Him in the person of the least among us, this includes, He said, the immigrant and the stranger.
Our human dignity is not given to us by a government, a visa or a green card. Our dignity is given to us by God. Documented or undocumented, the Church has a responsibility to protect the dignity of all immigrants. This becomes more of a pressing issue when considering that a sizeable number of the undocumented in the United States at the present time are faithful Catholics.
The Church does not encourage undocumented immigration nor does the Church want the border with Mexico to be opened allowing everyone to come in, but the Church does advocate the respectful treatment of immigrants, even if undocumented, because every soul, including the soul of an undocumented immigrant, has infinite value and dignity.
An old Mexican lady once said to me, “Father, I know I am not wanted here, but if I return to Mexico, I will be killed. I am not wanted here nor there. When will I find a place where I am wanted?”
How terrible would it be for Jesus to say to any of us, “Depart from me, you accursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels… for I was a stranger and you gave me no welcome.”
While immigration reform is currently being debated throughout the country, I hope to address several angles of this very complex issue about which the bishops of our country feel very passionate.
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