I'm a Catholic.
Also I am against illegal immigration. I think that we should clamp down tougher on illegal aliens and we should do more to guard our borders. Churches, whether or not they be Catholic, Protestant, Jewish or other have a different duty, in society, than presidencies, police departments and voters. After an interview with Cardinal Mahony of the Catholic Church, the LA Times reported'In an interview on the brink of Ash Wed., Mahony asserted he intended to use the 1st day of the Lenten season to call on all 288 parishes in the LA Archdiocese, the state's biggest, to fast, pray and press for tolerant immigration reform. U.S. Roman Catholic bishops support offers for a guest-worker program, legalization of undocumented immigrants and more visas for migrants' families.'. The Times further let slip that'In his most forceful comments to date, Mahony stated that he would teach his monks to defy legislation if authorized by Congress that would need churches and other social affiliations to ask immigrants for legal paperwork before providing help and penalise them if they decline to do so. That provision was included in the immigration bill latterly passed by the House of Members, a corresponding offer is in the version that the Senate Judiciary Panel plans to start discussing this week.'. Cardinal Mahony stated'The entire idea of punishing folks who serve immigrants is un-American. If you take this to its logical, ridiculous extraordinary, each single person who comes up to get Holy Communion, you've got to ask them to show papers. It becomes ludicrous and the church isn't on the point of getting into that.
The church is here to serve folk.
We aren't about to become immigration agents. It just throws more gasoline on the dialogue and inflames people.' In a letter to the Times a reader stated'It is time for the Internal Income service to look into the Catholic Church's tax free standing. I do not believe that Cardinal Mahony is joining in politics. He wasn't telling his parishioners what position to take on illegal immigration, he was simply asking ( not odering ) his parishes to'fast, pray and press for humane immigration reform' and indoctrinating his monks to keep on to provide help to folk without regard for their immigration standing.
To reject someone the sacraments of confession, communion, baptism, last rites, wedding, etc, or to deny financial help or comfort during periods of need, because that person might or might not be here legally or because that person would possibly not be ready to prove that he is here legally, would be unchristian and against the meaning of the Church. In my judgment, any clergyman that would reject help primarily based on immigration standing, wouldn't be fit to be called a clergyman. Cardinal Mahony also said that he disagreed with certain new laws and rules being suggested. I don't agree with some of his statements, however this nation's constitution guarantees liberty of speech, and I suspect that he deserves to be in a position to vocalize his thoughts and feelings, like the rest of us.
His being a Cardinal shouldn't rob him of his right to freedom of speech.
He isn't, of course, talking of betrayal or hate and he isn't saying that God instructed him to make his statements. He isn't saying that God will punish those that don't follow his ( Cardinal Mahony ) wishes. Cardinal Mahony advocates immigrant rights and I and many others disagree with plenty of the rights he recommends he's a citizen of this country and irrespective of what his position or influence, should have the legal right to speak up on issues that he has a belief in. All are able to speak out. Why should church leaders be prevented from talking out? Yes, the govt. should do all it can to stop illegal immigration. No, churches shouldn't be stopped from caring for their flock and they shouldn't be stopped from caring for somebody just as he or she might or might not be a voter or a legal immigrant. The govt. 's needs and the church's needs aren't the same.
No comments:
Post a Comment