It must be said plainly and without evasion: when Church institutions become financially entangled with government programs, when large contracts replace personal charity, when ministries depend on state funding to the point of silence, the prophetic voice of the Church is weakened.
In these days, once again our nation turns its eyes toward the border. Emotions run high. Accusations fly freely. Cries for compassion echo from many quarters – including from within the Church herself. These conversations are necessary. But they must be rooted in truth. For compassion without truth is not charity; it is sentiment divorced from justice.
The Church must always be a mother – never a manager. She must always love – never exploit. She must always speak – never remain silent when souls are endangered.
The Church is called by Christ to welcome the stranger, to feed the hungry, to clothe the naked, and to care for the vulnerable. These are not optional works of mercy; they flow from the Gospel itself. At the same time, the Church is also bound to uphold justice, order, and the common good. These are not opposing principles. They are inseparable.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches clearly that political authorities have the right and the duty to regulate migration in service of the common good. Nations may establish borders. Laws may be enforced. Order may be preserved. This teaching does not contradict compassion – it safeguards it. When law collapses, the innocent suffer first.
We must be honest about what has occurred in recent years. When borders cease to function, when enforcement is undermined, and when accountability is abandoned, evil rushes in to fill the vacuum. Drug cartels flourish. Human traffickers thrive. Children are exploited. Women are sold. Men are enslaved. What presents itself as “compassion” on paper often becomes cruelty in practice.
Continue reading at Pillars of Faith