The ten Catholic bishops in Michigan have issued the following statement to migrants:
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
We, the Roman Catholic Bishops in Michigan, write to offer our continued pastoral and prayerful support for migrant individuals and families who over the course of time have entered the country and today are making a living in this state. Our fraternal closeness to you and other immigrants, refugees, and those seeking humanitarian asylum is rooted in the Gospel of Jesus Christ, where we find “I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me… Whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me” (Matthew 25:35,40).
We hear and empathize with families across the state who express anxiety and fear over mass deportations and harmful rhetoric that broadly demeans our immigrant brothers and sisters. As shepherds of our flocks, we pledge amid such uncertainty to promote through the Michigan Catholic Conference and in our respective dioceses unyielding support and respect for the human dignity of all migrant people in our midst.
We urge our elected officials to support policies that keep immigrant and undocumented families safe and united, and to protect those who arrived as children. We call on the Michigan congressional delegation to work for a humane immigration system that welcomes refugees and immigrants by providing a fair pathway to citizenship; one that also keeps borders safe and secure from criminal activity, including human trafficking and the smuggling of illegal drugs.
Mindful of the dire conditions from which many travel, oftentimes with children through great difficulty and despair, we encourage you, our migrant brothers and sisters, to be strengthened by our Lord’s words “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you… Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid” (John 14:27). Never fail to keep your faith and hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, who promises a divine kingdom that we strive to inherit and together call our true home.
With abundant love and trust, we ask Our Lady of Guadalupe to hear the cries of the suffering and offer to her maternal compassion and protection all who seek her heavenly intercession.
In Christ,
Most Rev. Allen Vigneron, Archbishop of Detroit
Most Rev. Earl Boyea, Bishop of Lansing
Most Rev. Arturo Cepeda, Auxiliary Bishop of Detroit
Most Rev. John Doerfler, Bishop of Marquette
Most Rev. Robert Fisher, Auxiliary Bishop of Detroit
Most Rev. Robert Gruss, Bishop of Saginaw
Most Rev. Edward Lohse, Bishop of Kalamazoo
Most Rev. Jeffrey Monforton, Auxiliary Bishop of Detroit
Most Rev. David Walkowiak, Bishop of Grand Rapids
Most Rev. Jeffrey Walsh, Bishop of Gaylord
This Pastoral Note is being distributed in parishes this weekend and includes a companion Frequently Asked Questions document that shares Catholic social teaching on the subject of immigration and the treatment of migrant people. The document clarifies that the Catholic Church does not support “open borders,” provides teaching from the Catechism of the Catholic Church about illegal immigration and undocumented migrants, and shares advocacy positions from the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops regarding federal immigration reform.
