Manassas All Saints Catholic Church on Immigration

Jesus makes a very shocking statement in the Gospel for today. He is saying that he is coming to bring division. He says: Do you think that I have come to establish peace on the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division. Jesus knows that even though His saving message brings peace, He knows that His message of salvation will be rejected by many as well. When we look at the history of Christianity, we see that many were martyred for the faith because throughout the centuries, governments and others in power saw Christianity as a threat.

Within our own nation and very own community, we are experiencing division. At this time in our nation's history, we are experiencing the difficulties that come with a new wave of immigration. These difficulties are similar to the ones that many of our own ancestors experienced  when they came to the United States. We can see how in the 18th and 19th Centuries, the difficulties of Irish, Italian, and German immigrants as they sought to establish a new life in the United States. Today, immigration to the U.S. is largely from Central and South America, from countries that have had a long history of poor economies and corrupt governments. Many immigrants are seeking to escape poverty and to establish a new life here in the U.S.

What is the Catholic position on immigration and specifically illegal immigration? How does the Church's teaching apply to such a complex issue? The Catechism of the Catholic Church says this about immigration:

The more prosperous nations are obliged, to the extent they are able, to welcome the foreigner in search of the security and the means of livelihood which he cannot find in his country of origin. Public authorities should see to it that the natural right is respected that places a guest under the protection of those who receive him. Political authorities, for the sake of the common good for which they are responsible, may make the exercise of the right to immigrate subject to various juridical conditions, especially with regard to the immigrants' duties toward their country of adoption. Immigrants are obliged to respect with gratitude the material and spiritual heritage of the country that receives them, to obey its laws and to assist in carrying civic burdens.

The Church's teaching, which is based on the dignity of all human persons, is balanced. It recognizes that people have a right to migrate in order to be able to provide basic needs for themselves and their families, at the same time; the Church recognizes that immigrants are obliged to respect the laws and heritage of the country that receives them. What the Church is calling for is a reconsideration of how we treat illegal immigrants in order to address their needs, that is, to first see them as persons made in the image and likeness of God and to address the causes of why they have come to the U.S. and to Manassas in the first place. The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops and the Bishops Conference of Mexico jointly released a document in 2003 called "Strangers No Longer" which addresses the issue of immigration. They outlined 5 principles by which we should judge the correctness of a nation's policy on immigration:

I. Persons have the right to find opportunities in their homeland. This means that countries that are losing population due to immigration need to examine their own economic policies in order to provide what is necessary for families to find work and to provide for themselves.

II. Persons have the right to migrate to support themselves and their families.

III. Sovereign nations have the right to control their borders. The Church is saying that the U.S. does have the right to protect and control its borders in order to ensure that people who threaten the U.S. are denied access. At the same time, the countries that have economic wealth have an obligation to accommodate immigrants who are seeking a better life.

IV. Refugees and asylum seekers should be afforded protection.

V. The human dignity and human rights of undocumented migrants should be respected. Whether you are a citizen, a legal immigrant or an illegal immigrant, every person is made in the image and likeness of God. Therefore, as a people who believe in the salvation we are offered by Christ, assist in providing for the needs of those who are undocumented.

At the same time that the Church is calling for an increased willingness to accommodate those who come to the U.S. seeking a better life, the Church also recognizes the need for immigrants to respect the culture and the laws of their new country. At our parish we do see every week classrooms filled with immigrants learning English as a Second Language. They want a better life for themselves and the education they need to be valuable participants of our community.

This teaching on immigration might not be popular. It might be a cause of division for some. But ultimately, Christ is calling us to be a people who see in every person their human dignity and to find ways to accommodate those who come to our country and our community seeking a better life.

P.S. Manassas City Councilman Marc Aveni (R), an All Saints parishioner, is also a member of anti-illegal-immigrant group "Help Save Manassas."  Sen. Chuck Colgan (D) is also an All Saints parishioner.  Apparently, some people pay attention at church, others don't.

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