Bishop Neary’s message (in English):
Dear Brothers and Sisters in our Latino communities of the Diocese: I think of you often and pray for you every day. It breaks my heart to know that you and your families are living under such a dark cloud of fear because of the presence of ICE agents in and around your towns and neighborhoods. I can only imagine the feelings of loneliness and isolation you are experiencing.
You are understandably afraid to leave your homes, afraid to drive your children to school, and many of you can no longer go to work because of the risk of arrest. Even to attend Sunday Mass puts you at risk because ICE agents have sometimes been seen outside your churches. I also know that it is a struggle for you to buy food for your families and you worry about how to pay your monthly bills of rent and utilities.
I want you to know, first of all, that we all love you, and we pray for you, and we are in solidarity with you. You are not alone. You are our brothers and sisters in the Lord. We are one family in Christ. St. Paul said in his first letter to the Corinthians: “If one members suffer, all the members suffer with it.”
I met last Friday via Zoom with your pastors and with members of the Diocesan Pastoral Team to learn about what is happening in your communities because of the presence of ICE and how we can be of assistance to you. We are beginning to organize volunteers in your parishes to try and obtain food, and other basic necessities for your families. We are exploring ways to assist you with rent and utilities, as well as fuel for your cars. Please contact the leadership of your parishes if you have any needs at all. We want to help you in any way we can.
We especially want to continue to celebrate the Mass in Spanish but to also provide a link to watch the Mass if you choose not to attend in-person. We will make sure that no outside group could identify anyone who would tune into the broadcast of the Sunday Spanish Mass. I want you to know that you are hereby dispensed from the obligation to attend Sunday Mass if it places you or members of your family at risk of arrest.
I will carry you all in my heart, especially when I am at prayer. I will leave you with these words from the U.S. bishops’ statement on immigration that we issued in November: “As disciples of the Lord, we remain men and women of hope, and hope does not disappoint! May the mantle of Our Lady of Guadalupe enfold us all in her maternal and loving care and draw us ever closer to the heart of Christ.”