13: Immigration

Immigration is a very real and a very difficult problem currently facing our society. Religious communities have large concentrations of undocumented people, many of whom are Spanish‐speaking Catholics escaping poor economic conditions, and the Church is called to play a special role in order to help them. Their presence is a large pastoral challenge for the Catholic community. Cardinal Bernardin is conscious that no simple route to immigration reform seems available. Nevertheless, he believes it is a challenge which needs to be met nationally and internationally. Countries need to apply justice and generosity in their immigration policies. Furthermore, he points out that immigrants are often marginalized by society and therefore, find themselves among the unemployed, the hungry, and the homeless. As a community – Cardinal Bernardin insists we have a duty to respond to their needs, regardless of race, nationality, or legal status.