THE POPE’S LETTER, THE BISHOPS’ LAWSUIT, AND US
Lent begins in less than two weeks! We have a wonderful array of opportunities for you to participate in for your growth in the Lord Jesus under the headings of Spirituality, Sustainability, and Service. Watch for a special eNews that will come out just before Ash Wednesday (March 5).
In the meantime, let us pray for Pope Francis in his recovery from pneumonia and other respiratory infections. He delivered a powerful message to the US Bishops recently (which I elucidate below) in light of what is unfolding in our country regarding immigration and refugees. On the same day, the Pope’s appointment of a new archbishop for Detroit was announced: Edward Weisenburger, currently bishop in Tucson, Arizona, where he has been an advocate on the front lines of ministry to migrants. He gives us great hope for a new era in the Archdiocese of Detroit. See his interview and more news HERE.
Many thanks to our Inclusion Committee for their presentation at our after-mass social last Sunday for Black History Month. Some handouts and cards are still available about the six African-American candidates for sainthood. You can find out more about them HERE. One of our parishioners found the address of Sr. Thea Bowman to the US Catholic Bishops on racism to be especially moving; watch it HERE.
Since recent dramatic developments surrounding immigration and refugees are so significant for our country and for the Church, we should all be aware of two important moments in the Catholic Church’s response since the last edition of this eNews two weeks ago: the Pope’s letter and the Bishops’ lawsuit.
First, on February 10, Pope Francis wrote an unprecedented letter to the US Catholic Bishops to re-iterate what our faith demands of us for the care and protection of migrants and refugees. You can read his brief message HERE.
While the letter is addressed to the bishops, the Pope also writes to us all: “I exhort all the faithful of the Catholic Church, and all men and women of good will, not to give in to narratives that discriminate against and cause unnecessary suffering to our migrant and refugee brothers and sisters. With charity and clarity we are all called to live in solidarity and fraternity, to build bridges that bring us ever closer together, to avoid walls of ignominy and to learn to give our lives as Jesus Christ gave his for the salvation of all.”
Second, last Tuesday (Feb. 18), the US Catholic Bishops filed a lawsuit challenging the federal government’s unlawful suspension of funding for the refugee assistance programs the Church has run for decades. Throughout this long-time partnership with the U.S. government, the USCCB has helped nearly a million individuals find safety and build their lives in the United States. (“Refugees” here means persons who have legal status in the United States, after having gone through an extensive vetting and screening process with the US government before being approved for arrival in the US.) Read the full press release HERE. The government itself recently reported that refugees in the resettlement process make a net positive economic contribution to the U.S. ($123.8 Billion net over four recent years.)
In my last article (HERE) I provided links to recent statements by the Jesuits as well as the US and Michigan Catholic bishops. I also noted a March 15 workshop at Gesu Parish, sponsored by Strangers No longer, the local Catholic organization dedicated to immigration and refugee ministry. The workshop will provide a simulation experience in which you can imagine yourself in the shoes of a refugee.
Maybe it will feel like Spring by the time I write my next column! Remember: in this Jubilee Year, we are supposed to be “Pilgrimaging into Hope,” finding our way to maintain hope no matter “the weather” – in the atmosphere, in our personal lives, or in our nation.