- Feb 5, 2002
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Life comes at you fast.
Last week I wrote a piece at The Stream asking U.S. Catholic bishops and the priests at their command to treat illegal immigrants like the actual, adult, and full human beings they are by calling on them to repent. That’s the Church’s first job, full stop. We’re here to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the central tenet of which is that each of us is a sinner who needs to repent and reform his life. Violating just, duly enacted laws is sinful, especially when it concerns a grave matter such as citizenship.
On July 20, Miami Archbishop Thomas Wenski held a very public protest outside the “Alligator Alcatraz” detention facility, accompanied by a few dozen Knights of Columbus on motorcycles. They recited the rosary and called attention to the fact that Florida officials had not yet allowed the Archdiocese to send in chaplains to serve the immigrants. Last week, Florida came to an agreement with the Church, and chaplains can now go into Alligator Alcatraz and celebrate Mass. That’s a win for all involved.
The statement from Archbishop Wenski didn’t mention whether the chaplains would be hearing confessions. That got me to thinking: Would any of the priests who ministered to these illegals point out that breaking our immigration laws is immoral? The Catechism of the Catholic Church states that governments must regulate immigration, and that migrants are obliged to obey local laws.
Thus, any priest who heard a detainee’s confession ought to inquire as to whether that migrant has broken any of a long list of laws—for example, those that forbid: entering our country illegally; working here off the books and outside labor laws without paying taxes; making false persecution claims (i.e., lying) to gain asylum; skipping court dates to adjudicate such claims; and committing identity theft via Social Security fraud.
Continued below.
Last week I wrote a piece at The Stream asking U.S. Catholic bishops and the priests at their command to treat illegal immigrants like the actual, adult, and full human beings they are by calling on them to repent. That’s the Church’s first job, full stop. We’re here to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the central tenet of which is that each of us is a sinner who needs to repent and reform his life. Violating just, duly enacted laws is sinful, especially when it concerns a grave matter such as citizenship.
On July 20, Miami Archbishop Thomas Wenski held a very public protest outside the “Alligator Alcatraz” detention facility, accompanied by a few dozen Knights of Columbus on motorcycles. They recited the rosary and called attention to the fact that Florida officials had not yet allowed the Archdiocese to send in chaplains to serve the immigrants. Last week, Florida came to an agreement with the Church, and chaplains can now go into Alligator Alcatraz and celebrate Mass. That’s a win for all involved.
The statement from Archbishop Wenski didn’t mention whether the chaplains would be hearing confessions. That got me to thinking: Would any of the priests who ministered to these illegals point out that breaking our immigration laws is immoral? The Catechism of the Catholic Church states that governments must regulate immigration, and that migrants are obliged to obey local laws.
Thus, any priest who heard a detainee’s confession ought to inquire as to whether that migrant has broken any of a long list of laws—for example, those that forbid: entering our country illegally; working here off the books and outside labor laws without paying taxes; making false persecution claims (i.e., lying) to gain asylum; skipping court dates to adjudicate such claims; and committing identity theft via Social Security fraud.
Continued below.
