Immigration reform a challenge for all Catholics

[SecularMotion]

November’s election found Catholics divided, with CNN exit polling showing a 50-48 percent split between votes for President Obama and Governor Romney. Many wrote all-too-familiar stories pitting liberal and conservative Catholics against each other.

Our faith shouldn’t be so easily pigeonholed. As New York’s Cardinal Timothy Dolan has said, Catholicism is a ‘”both-and’ not ‘either-or’” faith: we’re called to serve the vulnerable wherever we find them, a task that doesn’t fall into neat political categories. Particularly after this divisive election, it’s time for Catholics to move past a false left/right paradigm and stand together across the broad range of issues on which our faith bears.

Immigration reform provides a perfect opportunity for us to do just that.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/guest-voices/post/immigration-reform-a-challenge-for-all-catholics/2013/02/04/ddb4e4e4-6ed8-11e2-ac36-3d8d9dcaa2e2_blog.html

[rug]

1. This is one area where there is little institutional controversy.

http://www.globalpost.com/dispatches/globalpost-blogs/rights/catholic-church-crusades-dreamers

[pipoman]

3. I believe the church has long supported immigration reform..

it is the rank and file hypocrites who semi-secretly oppose it..

[rug]

4. Some do, some don't.

That's why there's not really a Catholic vote. Democratic voters are the majority but there are still lots of republicans. It's a big institution.

[pipoman]

5. I agree...certainly not all oppose..

[pipoman]

2. Immigration reform

is where the posers reside. The religious like to pretend to care of people's plight as long as they stay in their oppressive states. When oppressed people come here, they are less than receptive to actually helping people and in fact rail against helping people who need and deserve help...hypocrisy comes to mind, to use language all religious people understand..

That said, has anyone else noticed the reluctance to address this issue right here on DU...I mean there are threads but few get more than a couple responses..I suspect some of the same issues among Democrats on this issue as among Catholics...'I like them there, not here, even though this belief is contrary to the cause I profess believing in'..sad..

BTW...I am watching closely for amnesty of some stripe, when it comes, I will be ready to put my money where my mouth is and help as many good people as I can, who only came here to make a better life for themselves and their children, gain legitimacy in our country..

[cbayer]

6. Where do you get this kind of information?

Many of the religious, including a large number of Catholic groups, are heavily involved in immigration reform and in providing services to immigrants and undocumented people who can get them no where else. Not only that, but some groups have provided significant legal assistance in fighting against discriminatory legislation:

http://www.catholiccharitiesdc.org/page.aspx?pid=398

http://www.americanbar.org/content/dam/aba/publications/supreme_court_preview/briefs/11-182_respondentamcutheconferenceetal.authcheckdam.pdf

http://www.usccb.org/issues-and-action/human-life-and-dignity/immigration/churchteachingonimmigrationreform.cfm

Your accusations are completely off base. Actually, if you really want to find a group of people who are more interested in immigration reform than DU members, you might want to find some catholic or evangelical sites.

Or you could just continue to sit on your erroneous assumptions about where religious people are on this issue.

[pipoman]

7. I sometimes come off harsh..

and I know there is a large contingent of Catholics and other religious people who do support immigration reform and hope as much as I that reform comes quickly and isn't nearly impossible to claim. There are many among religious people who do not want legitimacy for undocumented people for selfish (and usually erroneous) reasons..just as there is in society in general..Society in general I expect it, among religious people I despise it...I am a Christian, and I despise it..

I am glad our party supports it, I'm not sure a majority of Democrats support it..based solely on the relative silence on the issue here...which admittedly is not scientific, just a feeling..

[cbayer]

11. I am glad you took the time to explain your position here.

I agree that many americans, and those in particular with no skin in this game, don't care or find it very easy to just take a "deport them all" position.

The conversation is starting to heat up, and that's a good thing. I look forward to a solution, while recognizing that there is not one that will please everyone.

[tama]

10. It's tough issue to face for Americans

and generally Westerners etc. whose consumerist way of life depends from neocolonialist structures. Overcoming nationalistic (etc. tribalistic) limitations of in-group identities and feelings can and do happen many ways, religious universalism is one of those.

Urban liberal middle-class has a well meaning self-identity, but often at the cost of denial of the global neoliberal and neocolonialist structures it depends from.

[cleanhippie]

8. Considering how well they've done at child-raping priest reform, I don't expect much.

Well, since Hispanic immigrants tend to be Catholic, I guess they will push for this, as it will swell their numbers... and coffers, which seems to be the most important thing.

[dimbear]

9. The Catholic priesthood is presently about 20% foreign born, and about a third of new priests are.

That has to have some influence.