Throughout history, people who are of a different background, race, nationality, sexual orientation, gender, religion, or any other characteristic or attribute that distinguishes them from the dominant group at the time have been vilified, feared, mocked, and
oppressed.
The Association of U.S. Catholic Priests supports the work and ministry of the Church in Southwestern Ohio following the dehumanizing comments in the recent presidential debate. There has been a great deal of false information about, and even demonization of, our migrant brothers and sisters irresponsibly spread across the country, including about the Haitian families in Springfield, Ohio. This can be manifest in unjust disparagement of those who work and stand in solidarity with these communities, including Catholic Charities and Catholic Social Services. The Association of US Catholic Priests abhors the vitriol and conspiracy narratives that dehumanize anyone, especially now in Ohio, those at the borders seeking to get in and those in the United States who are here legally under protective status.
A recent “Letter to the Faithful” from Archbishop Dennis Schnur insists that It is important that the Catholic faithful continue to recognize the life and dignity of every human person, avoid objectifying others, and join with those working diligently every day for a better future for the marginalized in our society.
The AUSCP acknowledges that our immigration system is broken. It needs to be reshaped to allow for the dignity and rights of each human person, in the context of just laws and procedures. Yet it is not the fault of those seeking asylum or shelter or a better life for themselves and their families that we have broken systems. It’s the fault of those who legislate and oversee the way we do things.
See Archbishop Schnur’s Letter to the Faithful regarding Migrants and Refugees.