Cardinal urges all to fight anti-immigration bill

By R. W. Dellinger

During his homily at the 25th annual Migration Day Mass on Jan. 14, Cardinal Roger Mahony warned of new "vicious" assaults on immigrants, which have been solidified in the new Border Protection, Anti-Terrorism and Illegal Immigration Control Act that passed the House of Representatives Dec. 16 by a vote of 239-182.

"We are sadly aware that there have been many times when migrants and immigrants have come under attack, all the way back to the 1700s and continuing as different waves of immigrants arrived here," the cardinal told more than 1,000 representatives of ethnic groups, many dressed in festive native dress, at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels.

"But also this very day there are new assaults upon immigrant peoples," he noted, pointing out the house bill as one concrete example.

Cardinal Mahony described H.R. 4437 as a "blameful, vicious" bill imposing all kinds of restrictions and penalties on immigrant peoples. But he said the anti-immigrant measure also placed severe sanctions on any person or agency that offers migrants and immigrants any kind of service whatsoever.

This would include "all of us" involved in church ministry, such as people working in Catholic social services, outreach to immigrants --- even those helping them with their paperwork to become naturalized citizens, he declared.

"It's so absurd that it almost means when we give out Holy Communion here in the Cathedral that we have to ask everybody to show us their immigration papers before you can give them the body and blood of Christ," he said. "Because if there's any service given to someone without all their legal papers, that's a felony --- a felony! --- not just a misdemeanor.

"So here on Sunday, I could be guilty of many hundreds of felonies all in one morning," he mused, drawing chuckles from the congregation, before adding, "But it's also very frightening."

Cardinal Mahony called on all Catholics --- not just bishops, priests and religious --- to get involved in this "national immigration justice effort" by trying to influence their federal, state and local legislators.

"This is going to be a major struggle," he said. "I think the year 2006 in the history of our country is going to be a great year of struggle for the rights and dignity of immigrant people. And we in the Catholic Church will step front and center to battle this legislation."

At the end of the liturgy, Auxiliary Bishop Oscar Solis, Vicar for Ethnic Ministries, echoed the cardinal's concerns about the immigration measure. He reported that bishops across the nation were launching "The Justice for Immigrants" campaign for real immigration reform.

"This is an effort initiated by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops in order to be in solidarity with the migrants, immigrants and refugees that they will be given a welcoming spirit in this country."

Last week, the cardinal announced a new steering committee of local clergy and lay leaders involved in immigration reform and the protection of immigrant rights to carry out the goals of the national Justice for Immigrants Campaign of the Catholic Campaign for Immigration Reform.

St. Joseph Sister Darlene Kawulok, a member of the committee, said in a statement: "Our task is to design different events over a three-year period for the archdiocese to educate Catholics about the benefits of immigration and the negative effects of divisive and unjust efforts."

"The Catholic Church in the United States was founded by immigrant peoples," said the nun, who chairs the religious studies department at Mount St. Mary's College in Los Angeles. "We cannot deny the importance of our voice in this present discussion because of our fundamental roots of who we are as church and the people of God."

Mac Martelino, a retired resident of Baldwin Park originally from the Philippines, told The Tidings he was optimistic about the success of the upcoming campaign. "I believe that we are all one people," he said. "It's not a matter of what ethnic group or nationality we are. But with the Lord, we are one people.

"And I think the service that the church is giving our immigrant people, like Cardinal Mahony said, should not be limited. So all of us should be involved in this campaign."

Rosalio Muñoz, 59, of Highland Park coordinates Latinos for Peace. After the Migration Day Mass, he said the legislation passed by the House caught everybody off guard. What the controversial self-styled Minutemen militia who guarded the U.S. southern border were saying last year, he pointed out, Congress is saying now.

"Immigrants are scared to raise their voices," Muñoz reported. "But if we have leaders like the cardinal and the unions and city leaders, I think we can beat this. And this is a great start. But it's going to be a tremendous fight."