BY DAVID O’BRIEN
I am a minority, the son of a Hispanic immigrant who left South America and moved to New York City in the 1950’s. After marrying my father, my mother’s legal status in this country regularized and she became a US citizen.
All this being said, if I were to be pulled over because of a broken tail light on an Alabama highway, I have nothing to fear. I look white.
My wife, however, is often mistaken to be a Mexican even though she is Filipina. Plenty of people test their Spanish on her, assuming she’s an immigrant.
When she read about Alabama’s new "toughest law on immigration," she responded: "Great, I better not forget my wallet because they can throw me in jail now for not producing proof that I am American."
Two weeks ago, a group of 2,500 U.S. citizens from churches across Birmingham marched in silent protest carrying candles and ringing bells. The impetus for their public demonstration? They wanted to stand alongside the strangers in our state whom Jesus insists we welcome. (Mt 25:35) By the way, the march was organized by rank and file Catholics, many of whom have never marched for anything in their lives. They had studied the church’s teaching through a parish program called JustFaith and the experience compelled them to put their faith into action.
The fact that our national immigration policy is deeply broken is not a matter of debate. It is. The right of a sovereign country to defend and control its borders is also not a contestable point. We all agree on that.
What is at stake these days is whether this country, with Alabama leading the way, will adopt laws that are purely punitive towards a vulnerable population of people. Are these strangers who come from south of the border not our brothers and sisters in the Lord, partakers of the one bread and the one cup which we call Holy Communion? (cf 1 Cor 10-12)
Church teaching speaks strongly in support of protecting the rights and dignity of those who migrate seeking a better life for themselves and their families. (www.mdcathcon.org/immigration)
Pope Benedict XVI states: "All, therefore, belong to one family, migrants and the local populations that welcome them, and all have the same right to enjoy the goods of the earth whose destination is universal, as the social doctrine of the Church teaches. It is here that solidarity and sharing are founded." (World Day of Migrants and Refugees 2011)
The Supreme Pontiff continues: "It is thanks to (the Eucharist) that the People of God includes "every nation, race, people, and tongue" (Rev 7:9), not with a sort of sacred power but with the superior service of charity. In fact the exercise of charity, especially for the poorest and weakest, is the criterion that proves the authenticity of the Eucharistic celebration" (cf. John Paul II, Apostolic Letter "Mane nobiscum Domine", 28).
Pope John Paul II struck a similar chord saying: "[the universal common good] includes the whole family of peoples, beyond every nationalistic egoism. The Church recognizes this right in every human person, in its dual aspect of the possibility to leave one’s country and the possibility to enter another country to look for better conditions of life" (Message for World Day of Migration 2001)
Archbishop O’Brien from Maryland recently wrote about the racist nature of the current immigration debate and the need for Catholics to challenge ourselves with this question:
Would we happily welcome immigrants to our country if they were here legally? (www.mdcathcon.org/immigration)
I wonder how many of us have formed our opinions on immigration based on politicians or TV and radio personalities rather than the gospels and our own Church’s clear teaching. I know I find it hard to hear the voice of the Lord amidst all the noise in our culture.
Still, after so many years of justifying Jim Crow as necessary for the well being of our community, shouldn’t we be a little careful that we aren’t now supporting José Crow laws?
I am a minority, the son of a Hispanic immigrant who left South America and moved to New York City in the 1950’s. After marrying my father, my mother’s legal status in this country regularized and she became a US citizen.
All this being said, if I were to be pulled over because of a broken tail light on an Alabama highway, I have nothing to fear. I look white.
My wife, however, is often mistaken to be a Mexican even though she is Filipina. Plenty of people test their Spanish on her, assuming she’s an immigrant.
When she read about Alabama’s new "toughest law on immigration," she responded: "Great, I better not forget my wallet because they can throw me in jail now for not producing proof that I am American."
Two weeks ago, a group of 2,500 U.S. citizens from churches across Birmingham marched in silent protest carrying candles and ringing bells. The impetus for their public demonstration? They wanted to stand alongside the strangers in our state whom Jesus insists we welcome. (Mt 25:35) By the way, the march was organized by rank and file Catholics, many of whom have never marched for anything in their lives. They had studied the church’s teaching through a parish program called JustFaith and the experience compelled them to put their faith into action.
The fact that our national immigration policy is deeply broken is not a matter of debate. It is. The right of a sovereign country to defend and control its borders is also not a contestable point. We all agree on that.
What is at stake these days is whether this country, with Alabama leading the way, will adopt laws that are purely punitive towards a vulnerable population of people. Are these strangers who come from south of the border not our brothers and sisters in the Lord, partakers of the one bread and the one cup which we call Holy Communion? (cf 1 Cor 10-12)
Church teaching speaks strongly in support of protecting the rights and dignity of those who migrate seeking a better life for themselves and their families. (www.mdcathcon.org/immigration)
Pope Benedict XVI states: "All, therefore, belong to one family, migrants and the local populations that welcome them, and all have the same right to enjoy the goods of the earth whose destination is universal, as the social doctrine of the Church teaches. It is here that solidarity and sharing are founded." (World Day of Migrants and Refugees 2011)
The Supreme Pontiff continues: "It is thanks to (the Eucharist) that the People of God includes "every nation, race, people, and tongue" (Rev 7:9), not with a sort of sacred power but with the superior service of charity. In fact the exercise of charity, especially for the poorest and weakest, is the criterion that proves the authenticity of the Eucharistic celebration" (cf. John Paul II, Apostolic Letter "Mane nobiscum Domine", 28).
Pope John Paul II struck a similar chord saying: "[the universal common good] includes the whole family of peoples, beyond every nationalistic egoism. The Church recognizes this right in every human person, in its dual aspect of the possibility to leave one’s country and the possibility to enter another country to look for better conditions of life" (Message for World Day of Migration 2001)
Archbishop O’Brien from Maryland recently wrote about the racist nature of the current immigration debate and the need for Catholics to challenge ourselves with this question:
Would we happily welcome immigrants to our country if they were here legally? (www.mdcathcon.org/immigration)
I wonder how many of us have formed our opinions on immigration based on politicians or TV and radio personalities rather than the gospels and our own Church’s clear teaching. I know I find it hard to hear the voice of the Lord amidst all the noise in our culture.
Still, after so many years of justifying Jim Crow as necessary for the well being of our community, shouldn’t we be a little careful that we aren’t now supporting José Crow laws?
 * | About David O’Brien David O’Brien is the Associate Director of Religious Education for Lay Ministry for the Archdiocese of Mobile. His column, Everyday Faith, appears regularly in the archdiocesan newspaper, the Catholic Week. Email David at dobrien@mobilearchdiocese.org. |
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