As a Catholic, allow me to publicly state how disgusted I am at the hypocrisy of more than a few clerics, Religious, and laity within my own Church.
The longstanding official teaching of the Catholic Church is that every sovereign nation has the absolute right to control their own borders and immigration laws, but I’ll get to the specifics of that later.
Here’s what gets me… I’ve noticed on social media is that an awful lot of folks are roasting Catholic Charities for their role in giving so-called “sanctuary” to unknown thousands of those who have entered this nation illegally.
Don’t get me wrong. Catholic Charities more than deserves to be roasted, but here’s what the detractors certainly appear to conveniently have forgotten: This isn’t just the organizational Catholic Church that’s pulling this garbage.
Numerous Protestant and at least one Jewish organization are just as culpable as Catholic Charities.
Here are just some of the specifics. By the way, if you disagree with the facts I’m about to state, then take it up with the good folks over at the very pro-border control Center for Immigration Studies report from March, 2012.
Amongst some of the major Protestant denominations who are at the receiving end of the Biden Administration’s largesse with our tax dollars (emphasis mine);
- Church World Service in conjunction with the ACT Alliance. An umbrella group of well over 100 organizations such as the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America; Christian Church (Disciples of Christ); Methodist Development and Relief Agency; Presbyterian Relief and Development Agency; the Salvation Army; and the World Communion of Reformed Churches.
- Southern Baptist Convention
- National Association of Evangelicals
- Episcopal Migration Ministries
- Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society (another Episcopalian organization)
- World Relief (6,000 various Evangelical churches)
At least one Jewish organization is also on the government gravy train. Specifically, the Hebrew Immigration Aid Society.
For information more up to date, CIS cited a report from Jan. 2020 that notes the Southern Baptist Convention as well as the Lutheran Immigrant and Refugee Services.
Yet another recent report from CIS (July, 2020), cites Church World Service (over 100 various Protestant denominations); Episcopal Migration Ministries; and yet again, the Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Services.
OK, back to how the hierarchy in my own Church is violating the very same teachings.
According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, section 2241 clearly states (emphasis mine);
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 [My comment: Which America already does in regards to legal immigrants].
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.