Mastodawn

Pope Leo's recent criticisms of #Trump anti-#immigration policies are emboldening #Catholic efforts to help #immigrants caught up in the admin's hardline crackdown, snr US Church leaders say.

After Leo called on Tues for "deep reflection" in the #US about the admin's treatment of #immigrants, several top bishops as well as the country's main network of Catholic nuns & its national charity federation told Reuters they would step up their work.

[#PopeLeo is from #Chicago]
https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/pope-leos-critique-trump-emboldens-top-us-catholics-help-immigrants-2025-11-07/

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Nonilex 2d ago

"Pope Leo's comments strengthen the resolve of those of us in the United States who remain deeply committed to welcoming the stranger," said Kerry Alys Robinson, president & CEO of Catholic Charities USA, a national federation of 168 #Catholic #charity agencies.

#PopeLeo, the first #US pope, has been ramping up his disapproval of the #Trump admin's treatment of #immigrants.

#immigration #TheCrueltyIsThePoint #CivilRights #HumanRights #law #RightToProtest #FreeSpeech #FreedomOfReligion

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Nonilex 2d ago

"There's a deep reflection that needs to be made in terms of what's happening," the pontiff said on Tuesday, when asked about the condition of #immigrants detained at a federal facility in #Broadview, #Illinois, near #Chicago.

"I know how much it means to detainees & their families that #PopeLeo is paying close attention to the suffering of migrants & their families here," Chicago Cardinal Blase Cupich told Reuters.

#Trump #immigration #TheCrueltyIsThePoint #CivilRights #HumanRights #law

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Nonilex

Cupich, who leads an archdiocese including about 2 million #Catholics, said the #Church's teachings about helping #immigrants cannot be disregarded.

"This is not some abstract value that people who say they are #Christian can easily ignore," said the cardinal. "No, this is the kind of moral imperative that is tested in the here and now."

#Trump #immigration #Chicago #TheCrueltyIsThePoint #CivilRights #HumanRights #law #RightToProtest #FreeSpeech #FreedomOfReligion #FirstAmendment

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Nonilex 2d ago

…#PopeLeo, originally from the #Chicago area, …has been steadily increasing his criticisms of #Trump.

…Cardinal Michael Czerny, a close advisor to Leo, said the pope is "expressing the concerns that should be in the heart of every #Christian & of every citizen."

"The Golden Rule, in other words: Do unto others as you would wish them to do unto you," said Czerny.

#immigration #TheCrueltyIsThePoint #CivilRights #HumanRights #law #RightToProtest #FreeSpeech #FreedomOfReligion #FirstAmendment

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Nonilex 2d ago

…El Paso Bishop Mark Seitz, who…heads the #migration cmte of the #US #bishops' conference, said the conference is discussing whether to issue a statement about the #Trump admin's treatment of #immigrants during its annual meeting, to be held in Baltimore from Nov 10-13.

"Without question, this issue will be a major, if not the major, topic that we undertake during the bishops' meeting," he said.

#immigration #TheCrueltyIsThePoint #CivilRights #HumanRights #law #FreeSpeech #FreedomOfReligion

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Nonilex 2d ago

#PopeLeo was asked Tuesday about #immigrants at the #Broadview facility who have been refused the opportunity to receive holy Communion, an important #religious obligation. Many immigrants entering the #US come from #LatinAmerica, a predominantly #Catholic region.

He said the detainees' spiritual rights need to be respected & cited scripture indicating Jesus will judge #Christians after death on how they welcomed immigrants.

#Trump #immigration #CivilRights #HumanRights #law #FreedomOfReligion

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Nonilex 2d ago

A delegation of clergy, including a #Catholic bishop who is one of Cupich's deputies, tried to bring the inmates at #Broadview holy Communion on Nov 1, the Catholic feast of #AllSaintsDay but was denied access to the facility.

#DHS propagandist McLaughlin said the #ICE facility in Broadview was a field office that is used for processing & short-term detention & it was not "standard operating procedure" to have religious services there.

#Trump #immigration #CivilRights #law #FreedomOfReligion