One Nation Under God, Indivisible, with Liberty and Justice for All
One of the paramount issues which has recently even more intensely gripped our nation is that of immigration reform. Our Diocese of Palm Beach is especially affected by this matter since our population is one of many immigrants. The state of Florida is basically comprised of those who have come here from other locations, both from within our nation and from outside our nation as well. We are especially blessed with immigrants from other countries who have become part of our way of life and add so much to our diversity as well as to our richness of culture, economy, workforce and experiences of faith. Florida is very well known as a welcoming community, where one can easily feel at home precisely because of its varied background. Questions regarding the massive deportation of immigrants understandably raise great fear and anxiety. The Diocese of Palm Beach has been and will continue to be a place where the immigrant can feel welcomed, at home and offered every proper form of legal assistance and counsel in remaining here. At this present time of uncertainty, we will continue to follow the law of our great nation in this regard, but always in the context of our Catholic faith and the fundamental principles upon which the United States came into existence.
Pope Francis, on Feb. 10, addressed a very significant letter to all of the Bishops of the United States regarding “these delicate moments” in which we are living in regard to the need for immigration reform, especially as we face the fear of massive deportation. The pope emphasized that “one must recognize the right of a nation to defend itself and keep communities safe from those who have committed violent or serious crimes while in the country or prior to arrival.” However, he also emphasized that, “an authentic rule of law is verified precisely in the dignified treatment that all people deserve, especially the poorest and most marginalized. The true common good is promoted when society and government, with creativity and strict respect for the rights of all — as I have affirmed on numerous occasions — welcomes, protects, promotes and integrates the most fragile, unprotected and vulnerable. This does not impede the development of a policy that regulates orderly and legal migration.”
Migration is an integral part of the history of humanity. From the time of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden until today, migration has left its mark at every stage. It is most appropriate, especially at this critical time, to reflect upon the migratory nature of God’s relationship with us, especially as His own Divine Son migrated from heaven in taking our human nature to Himself and coming to live among us. Christ experienced the human suffering of migrants in many ways, including His birth in Bethlehem away from His home and His exile from Bethlehem after His birth. Christ experienced the ultimate exile in His crucifixion because of the political powers of His times, which sought the power of personal authority over the authority of God, which is love. Christ truly is an icon for all immigrants, particularly those facing the fear of exile and isolation. As Pope Francis stated in his recent letter to the Bishops, “The Son of God, in becoming man, also chose to live the drama of immigration.”
The basis of Pope Francis’ words, to welcome, to protect, to promote and to integrate the most fragile, unprotected and vulnerable, rests on the resolve to pray. At this time, we offer our prayers for our migrant brothers and sisters who may be experiencing fear and isolation. We offer our prayers for our nation in regard to true immigration reform. We offer prayers for our president and leaders within this nation to implement such reform. We offer prayers for unjust nations from which people are fleeing due to situations which are in need of reform. Prayer is always our greatest resource, and it is continually God’s grace that makes a difference. We pray in a particular way that the fears and anxieties of our brothers and sisters, as well as of ourselves, may be alleviated due to the healing power of Christ, who became one of us. Prayer each day will go a long way, both for the immigrant and for the nation. It is the proper substitution for anger and uncharitable rhetoric.
The critical immigration situation facing us today is far different from any other faced in history to this date. It is more voluminous, varied and complex than any other. We cannot compare our times to other times and believe the solutions of the past will work today. A broken system of immigration has faced our nation and government for many years due to the overwhelming concerns of politics, which has not addressed the problem. The revaluation of the law has never come about as the law has become more fractured over the years. We need a reform, but that reform must be based on the foundation of what our nation is all about as a land of immigrants from its very beginning. That reform must be based on what we pledge to our country, that we are “one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”
The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops has consistently called for radical reform of our immigration law for many years. We are very grateful for the pope’s words to us in his Feb. 10 letter. As the pope expressed, “This is a decisive moment in history to reaffirm not only our faith in a God who is always close, incarnate, migrant and refugee, but also the infinite and transcendent dignity of every person.” May our prayers and efforts at the present time support our immigrant brothers and sisters and bring about a much-needed reform which is just, fair, generous and flexible. We pledge ourselves to do this as “one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”
Most Reverend Gerald M. Barbarito
