‘REMAIN FIRM IN OUR CATHOLIC FAITH’

A letter from Bishop Edward B. Scharfenberger regarding immigration

Bishop Edward B. Scharfenberger

My dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

May I take this opportunity to address concerns shared over the change of administration in Washington, D.C., particularly regarding immigration. As the Diocese develops guidelines for parishes to follow, I want to encourage all to remain firm in our Catholic faith, sharing the love of Christ by building hope, rather than perpetuating fear.

Though some words and actions reported thus far may have been intemperate, provocative, and even cruel in their import, our words and behavior as Christians must always bear witness to a loving, merciful and life-affirming God, who is Father of us all. That can be challenging, but Christ did not back down when faced with a challenge. He moved forward, lovingly, and He calls us to do the same.

We will continue to provide humanitarian services to anyone who is in trouble. The Catholic Health Association, U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops and Catholic Charities released a joint statement this week, pointing to the many ministries of our church, including our Diocese. Catholics are working daily to feed, house, heal, educate and meet people's needs, affirming that our church recognizes that all people are conceived with inherent dignity, reflecting the image of God, and that dignity is not dependent on a person's citizenship or immigration status.

The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, which speaks on behalf of myself and all U.S. Bishops, makes an important point on the politics involved. Archbishop Timothy Broglio, USCCB president, said, “the Catholic Church is not aligned with any political party, and neither is the bishops’ conference. No matter who occupies the White House or holds the majority on Capitol Hill, the Church’s teachings remain unchanged. It is our hope that the leadership of our Country will reconsider those actions which disregard not only the human dignity of a few, but of us all.”

And Bishop Mark Seitz, chairman of the USCCB’s Committee on Migration, said, “Church teaching recognizes a country 's right and responsibility to promote public order, safety, and security through well-regulated borders and just limits on immigration. However, as shepherds, we cannot abide injustice, and we stress that national self-interest does not justify policies with consequences that are contrary to the moral law.”

Please know that my prayers are with us all and our Diocese as we move forward together. I pray that each of us can remain a pilgrim of hope, remembering as Romans 5:5 says, “Hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out into our hearts.” May we find the strength, as a church, to let His love pour out of us in all that we say and do.

Sincerely Yours in Christ,

+Edward B. Scharfenberger

Bishop of Albany