NEW YORK – After a recent meeting of the Texas – Mexico border bishops, the participating religious leaders emphasized the significance of the Church – federal government partnership regarding migration. They also reaffirmed their dedication to helping migrants and refugees.
The first of the twice – a – year meetings took place from February 26 – 28 at Assumption Seminary in San Antonio. This year, with the Trump administration planning mass deportations and canceling migrant and refugee resettlement funding, the meeting centered on the situation of migrants and refugees.
In their statement at the end of the meeting, the bishops said that the Church “has always been a reliable partner of our governments” when it comes to assisting vulnerable people who come to the United States. They also pointed out the shared responsibility between the two sides and the need for immigration reform.
The bishops stated, “We are all responsible for promoting the common good. We must find the right balance among different human rights. This includes the right of workers and their families to have their status made legal, the right not to be exploited, the right to migrate, the right not to have to migrate, and the right of everyone to have their government ensure security in their own country.” They added, “For decades, we’ve been concerned that the U.S. immigration system is broken and doesn’t match the current reality. We hope and strongly urge our political leaders to do their duty and reform it.”
On the American side, Archbishop Gustavo García – Siller of San Antonio, Bishop Mark Seitz of El Paso, Bishop Daniel Flores of Brownsville, Bishop Michael Sis of San Angelo, Bishop James Tamayo of Laredo, Bishop Bredan Cahill of Victoria, Bishop Emeritus Michael Pfeifer of San Angelo, Auxiliary Bishops Gary Janak and Michael Boulette of San Antonio, and Auxiliary Bishop Mario Avilés of Brownsville attended the meeting.
From the Mexican side, Bishop J. Guadalupe Torres Campos of Ciudad Juárez, Bishop Alfonso Miranda Guardiola of Piedras Negras, Bishop Hilario Gonzalez Garcia of Saltillo, Bishop Eugenio Andrés Lira Rugarcía of Matamoros – Reynosa, and Bishop Emeritus Alonso Garza Treviño of Piedras Negras were present.
In their statement, the bishops also mentioned their commitment to serving migrants and refugees. They said, “To our migrant and refugee brothers and sisters, we want to make it clear that the Church and its organizations are still committed to the mission of spreading the Gospel. We will show the love of the Lord Jesus by treating all people with dignity and compassion.”
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