As we celebrate Father’s Day, we are confronted with daily newspaper articles and photos of children being torn from their families at our southern border. Children are being warehoused in locations unknown to their parents. Such separations are tragic for both the child and the parent.
Executive orders are not the law of our land. The gospel says that love is the highest and greatest commandment. How can we come between the love of parents and their children?
The Sisters of Charity ask all citizens to join together to honor families in a way that speaks of unity and that keeps families together throughout our country, and especially at our borders. We ask all to join in prayer and action to say “No More!”
We stand with the Sisters of Charity Federation in issuing the following statement:
We, the Sisters of Charity Federation of North America, support the U.S. Catholic Bishops’ statement that separating children from their mothers and fathers at the United States/Mexico border is immoral. Protecting the integrity of families is foundational for a healthy and just society.
We also cry out against the recent decision of the U.S. Attorney General that potentially strips asylum protections for women who are victims of domestic violence. We urge the U.S. Attorney General, courts and policy makers to enhance, not erode, the potential of our asylum system to protect the right to life.
The Sisters of Charity Federation of North America is a voluntary membership association of thirteen congregations of women religious that number over 2,600 sisters. Impelled by Christ’s love and joined together in the mission of Charity, we respond to the cries of people living in poverty and on the margins.
The Sisters of Charity Leadership Team
It’s no surprise that you’ve taken this stand. Thank you! It’s so affirming to see that those who can have a voice, use it for good.
Thank you for speaking out and expressing the thoughts in my heart.
The pain these families are feeling must be devastating. As a father, I recall loosing my daughter for 20 minutes in a mall. I was frantic. I cannot imagine the pain of watching a child torn from me and not knowing if they are safe. I met a young man a few months back. He escaped his two abusive parents. He took his 7 siblings including a two month old sister. They made it to NY and yes they are undocumented but the older kids are caring for younger children As the leave school they work on farms or house painters in the Hudson Valley. Today my country would tear them apart , return them for a childhood of more abuse. Is this America? We can not tolerate it another day.Tell your pastor to start public prayer today. Change the attitudes of folks in the pews. Please help us return to a nation of compassion. Bill Hurley
When are the pastors in the USA going to stand up for mercy and love for the Mexican people and demand mercy and passion be given to them and their children.. As Christians, we are to show mercy and compassion and not to become as the Pharisees, men of the law with no mercy or compassion. Are we not about Christ versus the law?
They did respond. Please see the statement by the USCCB, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops;
Catholic Social Teaching on Immigration
The Catholic Church in the United States is an immigrant Church with a long history of embracing diverse newcomers and providing assistance and pastoral care to immigrants, migrants, refugees, and people on the move. Our Church has responded to Christ’s call for us to “welcome the stranger among us,” for in this encounter with the immigrant, the migrant, and the refugee in our midst, we encounter Christ.
A rich body of Church teaching, including Papal encyclicals, Bishops’ statements and pastoral letters, has consistently reinforced our moral obligation to treat the stranger as we would treat Christ himself. In the 2001 pastoral statement, Welcoming the Stranger Among Us: Unity in Diversity, the Bishops of the United States called upon the Catholic faithful to a conversion of minds and hearts, imploring us to communion and solidarity with diverse newcomers, and entreating us to find new and meaningful ways to welcome our immigrant sisters and brothers into our parishes, schools and communities. In 2003, the Bishops of the United States, together with the Bishops of Mexico, in the pastoral statement, “Strangers No Longer: Together on the Journey of Hope” / “Juntos en el Camino de la Esperanza Ya no Somos Extranjeros” acknowledged that the current immigration system is badly in need of reform and offered a comprehensive set of recommendations for changing U.S. laws and policies to bring about a more humane and just immigration system in the United States.
The children are placed at terrible risk just coming to another country. We are the most merciful one. We do have laws though as all countries must. Our President is willing to change this law if they can vote and receive the majority vote on this ;aw to change it. Some are not cooperating.
When the parents are fighting, it does make such disruption and places children in danger. The mom needs to be in a safe haven, in order to take her child/children with her, as they do have places like this to house them, when they have a violent life. If we can just direct them to the places that do keep them and some help them to find a way to maybe even become a citizen. It is a process but volunteers can direct them and they need to follow it through and make sure they do it.
It is hard to support so many people here when they cannot work as they are not here legally. It causes a financial crisis. So we need to help those here already to become citizens and be able to keep their families together and if violence is going on they need to go with the mom ( if she is not the violent one so it could be either way) and go to a place that would be safe and peaceful do them. Directing them.
But as we do on our homes we need locks to keep people from passing into our country illegally ,as we cannot afford it and it is dangerous for us and our own families as we never know who is coming in , and we would not do that at home.
Oour Congressmen/women can help to try to see if they can get those who will not vote so we can get a majority rule and change of the law. The President is willing if we can get congress to give a majority vote on changing this law. It has been on the books for a very, very long time.. Nothing new, of course, But not really right.
I pray volunteers can be trained to direct those here to begin becoming citizens and it would prove if they are hnest and not just her for a dride. We can watch to make sure they continue in the process and maybe receive a pass in order towork or somethign anyway so they would not be any vurden and woudl feel better about themselves in the process?
I am glad you as sisters of God are doing this for the families and to keep them from needing to be separated and live in fear. We remember how the bible told what the feelings were as Jesus was not found for a few days and Mary and Joseph were very afraid.. We all feel this way. May God continue to bless us and our country and help our President be protected and fill his mind with what our Lord wants done, with all the problems going on all over it is hard, and he is trying to take care of it all ! Not hardly sleeping. He loves God and wants to do His will. But he and we, must follow laws too . he needs people who will cooperate properly when they see a law that perhaps is not, just.
Ms. Weaver, please check your facts. This separation of children from their parents is, as the Sisters correctly stated, a result of an executive order from the president. It is not the law of our land. No law needs to be changed. One man started this and only he can end it—with the same pen that he initiated this cruel policy. This is not the act of a man who loves God.
I am glad to see Cardinal Dolan and the Catholic Bishops stand up to the cruel policy of this administration. There is nothing Christian or even American about this practice. We are better than this.
http://theweek.com/speedreads/779003/catholic-bishops-are-considering-punishing-catholics-who-enforce-trumps-immoral-border-policies
https://www.cnn.com/2018/06/16/politics/cardinal-dolan-family-separation-cnntv/index.html