America’s Catholic hierarchy preaches open borders but whispers about abortion.
In the late fifth century, St. Patrick, the Apostle of Ireland, wrote a letter to the army of the British warlord Coroticus, condemning the practice of slavery. He did so not because condemning the then-profitable slave trade put a penny in his pocket (it did not) but because it was the right thing to do, in accord with Christian moral teaching. Over a century later, St. Benedict of Nursia held himself and his fellow monks to such a high moral standard that some of his own monks tried to assassinate him. While many pioneers went to the New World in search of gold, St. Isaac Jogues went to save souls, and gave his life in the process. St. Peter Claver ministered to slaves in the 16th century, baptizing souls that the wealthy traders considered property.
Why is it so difficult for America’s Catholic bishops today to take up the mantle of their saintly predecessors? President Donald Trump’s immigration agenda — namely, the program of mass deportations — is all that any of the bishops seem to speak or write about lately. In a recent op-ed, Archbishop José Gómez of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles turned to the violence in Minneapolis last month, writing, “As a pastor, my heart aches for our people and for our country.” While he encouraged Catholics to pray for Renee Good and Alex Pretti, the left-wing agitators who lost their lives when forcibly interfering with federal law enforcement operations, and for the safety of law enforcement officers themselves, he added, “We pray especially for our immigrant brothers and sisters, who are powerless and caught in the middle of this struggle, living in fear for their futures.” (Emphasis added.)
“There is no question that the federal government has the duty to enforce immigration laws. But there must be a better way than this,” Gómez insisted. Fair enough: after two fatalities and months of rioting and threatening patriotic law enforcement personnel, the sentiment is understandable. But here’s the “better way” Gómez suggests: “One place to start is for our leaders in Washington to limit deportations to violent criminals or those guilty of other serious offenses.” In other words, simply permit the millions of foreigners who violated the first American law they encountered to keep the prize that they cheated to win.
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