Rhode Island Diocese Hosts Forum on Immigration - Bishop Lewandowski says “Welcoming the stranger is a moral imperative"

 The Rhode Island Catholic released that the Diocese of Providence, in partnership with the Hope Border Institute (HOPE), based in El Paso, Texas and the Center for Migration Studies (CMS), based in New York City, brought together faith leaders, diocesan staff, migrant advocates and community leaders from across New England, and from as far as New York and New Jersey, for the first-ever “Witness to Hope: Responding to Mass Deportations” regional gathering on Thursday, Dec. 11 at the Cathedral of SS. Peter and Paul.

The day-long forum included panels and strategy sessions addressing Catholic teaching on immigration, the current policy landscape, and strategies for responding to mass deportations, including guidance on sensitive locations, communications and accompaniment of affected families. The convening was co-sponsored by Catholic Charities USA, Catholic Legal Immigration Network, Inc. (CLINIC), Catholic Health Association, and the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.

Bishop Bruce A. Lewandowski, C.Ss.R., highlighted the Church’s call to stand in solidarity with migrant communities and the moral urgency that compelled the diocese to host this gathering.

The bishop spoke about the mixed reaction he received to his recent Rhode Island Catholic column about Walter, an immigrant and personal friend of his from Guatemala, who was a very faithful member—one who even founded a Knights of Columbus chapter — in one of his parishes when he served in Baltimore. Walter was plucked off the street one day by immigration officials and returned to his native country, leaving his wife and children behind in the U.S. “to fend for themselves.”

“I got a handful of letters of support, but an avalanche of letters from people saying, ‘Who do you think you are? These people are criminals, rapists, terrorists and murderers. Why do you want them here?’ So, in our own house, in our Catholic Church, we have a lot of work to do,” Bishop Lewandowski said, of those views held by many faithful of how all immigrants coming into the country are perceived.

“In church and in public discourse there needs to be a shift in focus from politics to the Divine Command. Immigration isn’t politics — it’s part of our DNA as people of faith. God commands us to welcome the immigrant, to love the foreigner. Too easily, we give in to our worst fears, basest instincts, and evil inclinations. Some of our most anti-immigrant voices are in our own church,” he told the gathering.

He noted that none of the people he’s ever known who have been detained and deported were criminals. “All they did was cross the border, like Abraham, like Moses, like Sarah, like Jacob, like Jesus, Mary and Joseph.”

God’s word offers the alternative to enforcement, detention, and deportation, he said.

“Welcoming the stranger is a moral imperative — our salvation depends on it,” he said. “We must counter fear with our faith, with a concerted collective effort to get the Word out there... Not enough Catholics are standing up to make a difference. Families are being destabilized: moms and dads, husbands and wives are being plucked out of our communities.”

The gathering took place as part of a national initiative developed by HOPE and CMS to assist the Catholic Church in organizing a robust response on behalf of migrants and refugees living in fear of immediate deportation.

While they indicate that immigrants of various statuses have been impacted this year by the current administration’s policies and enforcement efforts, the most vulnerable population is the nearly half-a-million (473,000) undocumented New Englanders, with 41,500 undocumented immigrants in Rhode Island specifically (according to CMS estimates). Undocumented immigrant workers hold key roles in New England’s industries, including construction (16% of the region’s undocumented workforce), healthcare & social assistance (10.1%) and manufacturing (9.5%) industries.

“At a moment when inhumane mass deportation policies are tearing at the very fabric of our society, our collective response must be grounded in facts and a clear understanding of how harsh policies are hurting immigrant families,” said CMS Communications Manager Rosalie Wells. “By grounding the conversation in data, policy analysis and case studies of community-led response initiatives, CMS, Hope Border Institute and our partners are equipping the local Catholic community to effectively tackle misinformation and step up to defend our migrant brothers and sisters. We are called not only to compassion but to informed and coordinated action in defense of human dignity.”

Edited from https://www.thericatholic.com/stories/diocese-hosts-regional-forum-on-immigration,15203?

Image Hope Border Institute