Latest news with #USCCB
Los Angeles Times
13-07-2025
- Politics
- Los Angeles Times
Letters to the Editor: Christians should be speaking up against ‘cruel' immigration raids
To the editor: I am appealing to Christians in Los Angeles and those who were raised Christian and still have good values to speak up against these cruel raids ('A crisis of faith: ICE raids force some churches to take 'extraordinary' action,' July 11). The Bible tells us to take care of strangers. Undocumented immigrants must be treated as individuals with histories and given due process. They should have legal status after years in this country. The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops has stated that many are only here illegally because of our broken immigration system and Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio, president of the USCCB, said mass deportations 'represent a profound social crisis before which no person of good will can remain silent.' Each individual in this country has the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. We are watching good people's lives being destroyed by racists who only care about themselves and not about their neighbors or our country. A true Christian is not filled with hate. Jesus' commandment is to love our neighbors as ourselves, and those of us who strive to be true Christians must speak up now and act to protect and shelter the least of these: our immigrant neighbors, co-workers and friends. Laura Murray, Los Angeles .. To the editor: I'm sorry my fellow Catholics are afraid to go to Mass in person, but I understand their fear. For those who have a computer, there may be one thing that might help. At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, St. Monica's Catholic Community invested in a lot of television equipment and broadcast the Sunday Mass online. It proved so popular that it continues. People from across the country tune in because they like the community. Kay Devonshire, Santa Monica
Newsweek
04-07-2025
- Politics
- Newsweek
Catholic Bishops Trash Trump's Big Beautiful Bill Passing
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) has spoken out against President Donald Trump's massive tax and spending package, saying it contains "unconscionable cuts to... programs that protect God's creation." Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio issued the statement after the budget bill passed Congress and headed to the President's desk. The bill is set to lead to deep cuts in Medicaid and food stamps, and give $170 billion to Trump's immigration policies. Catholics are not the only faith group to speak out against this bill, with leaders from other Christian denominations as well as Jewish leaders voicing their opposition. The White House has been contacted for comment via email. Archbishop Timothy Broglio conducts an Easter Sunday Mass at Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, Sunday, April 12, 2020. Archbishop Timothy Broglio conducts an Easter Sunday Mass at Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, Sunday, April 12, 2020. Jose Luis Magana/AP Photo Why It Matters The budget bill will cause $1 trillion in cuts to Medicaid, shutter rural hospitals, and give $45 billion towards the building of detention centers for immigrants. The bill passed through Congress despite opposition from many Americans, with a number of surveys suggesting more than half of those polled were against it. Pope Leo XIV, the first American pope, has also called for compassionate treatment of immigrants and an end to global conflicts, as the Trump administration has pushed ahead with its hardline immigration policy. What To Know While the USCCB had backed elements of the bill "that promote the dignity of human life and support parental choice in education," it had urged lawmakers in a letter ahead of the vote "to make drastic changes to the provisions that will harm the poor and vulnerable." Those changes were not made in either the Senate or House versions of the bill, prompting Archbishop Broglio to conclude: "The bill, as passed, will cause the greatest harm to those who are especially vulnerable in our society." Vice President JD Vance, who speaks openly about his Catholic faith, cast the tie-breaking vote for the bill in the Senate. He posted to X (formerly Twitter) about the bill: "Now we've delivered big tax cuts and the resources necessary to secure the border. Promises made, promises kept!" In a letter sent to the Senate ahead of the vote, a coalition of Christian leaders warned that money put aside for mass deportations would "separate US families, harm US-citizen and immigrant children, and sow chaos in local communities." Jewish leaders have also spoken out against the bill, with Rabbi Jill Jacobs, CEO of T'ruah, a human rights advocacy group, saying: "Today, we see the sins of Sodom being repeated in this bill, which is written from a place of arrogance, cruelty, and selfishness. We fear that, like Sodom, these sins will lead to our destruction." Demonstrators protest prior to a news conference regarding the pending passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act at the Capitol, Tuesday, June 3, 2025, in Washington. Demonstrators protest prior to a news conference regarding the pending passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act at the Capitol, Tuesday, June 3, 2025, in Washington. Rod Lamkey, Jr./AP Photo What People Are Saying Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio said: "The final version of the bill includes unconscionable cuts to healthcare and food assistance, tax cuts that increase inequality, immigration provisions that harm families and children, and cuts to programs that protect God's creation." Rabbi Jill Jacobs, in an open letter, wrote: "This disaster of a bill threatens all Americans. This is no Big Beautiful Bill but rather a Big Bad Betrayal, with devastating costs to human life, freedom, and officials have betrayed their constituents. We condemn the Members of Congress who voted for this disastrous budget." President Donald Trump on Truth Social: "The Republicans in the House of Representatives have just passed the "ONE BIG BEAUTIFUL BILL ACT." Our Party is UNITED like never before and, our Country is "HOT."...Together, we can do things that were not even imagined possible less than one year ago. We will keep working, and winning — CONGRATULATIONS AMERICA!" What Happens Next Trump is set to sign the bill at 4 p.m. ET on Friday.
Herald Malaysia
17-06-2025
- Politics
- Herald Malaysia
US bishops warn immigration raids spread fear, harm dignity
The prelates voiced profound concern in a reflection ahead of its weeklong retreat in California Jun 17, 2025 Archbishop Timothy Broglio, Archbishop of the Military Services, smiles during an interview at the chapel on Osan Air Base, Republic of Korea, Aug. 26, 2015. (Photo: UCAN Files) By Gina Christian, OSV News "No one can turn a deaf ear to the palpable cries of anxiety and fear heard in communities throughout the country in the wake of a surge in immigration enforcement actions," said the leader of the nation's Catholic bishops in a June 16 statement that assured all impacted of their shepherds' support. Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio of the US military archdiocese, the president of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops, issued a reflection ahead of the USCCB's weeklong retreat in California, a triennial gathering that this year replaces the bishops' usual spring plenary session. The archbishop said the occasion of the bishops' gathering seemed "appropriate to give voice to a profound concern in the hearts of the Shepherds of the Church in our Country" over the Trump administration's immigration policies. While he commended law enforcement actions "aimed at preserving order and ensuring community security" as "necessary for the common good," Archbishop Broglio said, "The current efforts go well beyond those with criminal histories." Following through on a campaign pledge, President Donald Trump has cracked down on immigration to the US. Among the administration's efforts are terminating protected status for migrants from several conflict-wrought nations, fully or partly banning travel to the US from several nations, ordering Immigrations and Customs Enforcement to meet daily arrest quotas of 3,000, halting visa interviews for foreign students, attempting to end birthright citizenship and deporting persons without permanent legal status in the US to third countries in defiance of court orders. While the administration claims to target criminal actors in its sweeps, several high-profile arrests and deportations have impacted individuals with no demonstrated criminal record. Some 44 percent of the more than 51,000 in ICE detention facilities as of June 1 are estimated to have no criminal record, other than entering the US without permission, according to the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse at Syracuse University. The USCCB and Catholic Charities USA are among some 200 non-governmental organizations named in a congressional probe for allegedly aiding immigrants its leaders call "inadmissible aliens" during former President Joe Biden's administration. "In the context of a gravely deficient immigration system, the mass arrest and removal of our neighbors, friends and family members on the basis of immigration status alone, particularly in ways that are arbitrary or without due process, represent a profound social crisis before which no person of good will can remain silent," said Archbishop Broglio. "The situation is far from the communion of life and love to which this nation of immigrants should strive." He pointed to Pope Leo XIV's recent video address to the young people of Chicago and the world -- in which, said Archbishop Broglio, the pope "reminded us that at the heart of the Christian faith is an invitation to share in the communion of life and love of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, the first community and based completely on love." "The Holy Father also challenged us to be a sign of hope by making the world a better place," said Archbishop Broglio. The archbishop noted the backlash sparked by Trump administration policies on immigration. "The many actions of protest throughout the country reflect the moral sentiments of many Americans that enforcement alone cannot be the solution to addressing our nation's immigration challenges," he said. "While protest and dissent can be a legitimate expression of democratic participation, violence is never acceptable," Archbishop Broglio stressed. At the same time, he observed that injustice can be a trigger for conflict, quoting Pope Francis' encyclical "Evangelii Gaudium": "Without equal opportunities the different forms of aggression and conflict will find a fertile terrain for growth and eventually explode." Archbishop Broglio said that "the chronic lack of opportunities for legal status for our immigrant brothers and sisters, together with the growing denial of due process to them, is injurious to human dignity and is a considerable factor in the breakdown of the rule of law." He added, "Likewise, unfounded accusations against Catholic service providers, who every day endeavor to provide critical support and care to the most vulnerable, contribute to societal tensions and a growing climate of fear." Speaking on behalf of the nation's bishops, Archbishop Broglio said, "I want to assure all of those affected by actions which tear at the fabric of our communities of the solidarity of your pastors. "As your shepherds, your fear echoes in our hearts and we make your pain our own. Count on the commitment of all of us to stand with you in this challenging hour," he said. He also acknowledged "those in our Catholic service and community organizations working to promote the common good by binding up the wounds of the afflicted." Archbishop Broglio assured "those motivated by the urgency of the current moment to work for just and humane solutions to these immigration challenges" of "the cooperation and goodwill of the Catholic Bishops of our country."--
Miami Herald
24-05-2025
- Politics
- Miami Herald
American Bishops' War With Trump Admin Is Heating Up
The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) seems to be battling with President Donald Trump's administration over some of its policies. Last week, the USCCB, the official assembly of the Catholic Church in the United States, slammed U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) for rescinding a policy that gave guidance on the care, custody and documentation of pregnant women they encounter. "It is deeply troubling and inexcusable that measures intended to ensure the basic safety of pregnant mothers and their young children while in government custody could be rescinded with such indifference toward the vulnerability of those involved," said Bishop Mark J. Seitz, of El Paso, Texas, chairman of the USCCB Committee on Migration. CPB Acting Commissioner Pete Flores issued the memo, which was circulated internally but not publicly announced, on May 5, revealing that four policies were determined "either obsolete or misaligned with current Agency guidance and immigration enforcement priorities." One of them was the 2022 memo "Processing of Pregnant, and Postpartum Noncitizens and Infants," which lays out guidelines for CPB, which include offering a medical assessment to all pregnant women and making sure breast-feeding mothers have access to privacy and rest facilities. "This decision is all the more concerning as the Administration simultaneously ramps up family detention in place of safer, more cost-effective alternatives to detention," Seitz said. "Let us be clear: protecting pregnant mothers and their children can never be considered 'obsolete.' This principle irrefutably extends to noncitizens in immigration detention, each of whom possesses an inviolable, God-given dignity that must be respected. "We urge the Administration to reissue guidance that adequately reflects and affirms the increased standard of care due to this vulnerable population while in government custody." Newsweek has contacted CBP via email for comment. The memo does stress that CBP agents should continue to uphold the care guidelines laid out in all remaining policies. "The safety of all who we encounter during operations remains a top priority," it says. "All CBP personnel are expected to treat those in Agency custody in a professional and respectful manner." It comes amid an ongoing civil case in which the USCCB is suing the Trump administration over its suspension of refugee programs. In a lawsuit filed in February, the USCCB said it has worked with the government for "nearly half a century" to help "refugees who are fleeing persecution, instability, and oppression and have come to the United States as a place of refuge and hope." The USCCB said that the spending freeze means the organization "faces irreparable damage to its longstanding refugee resettlement programs and its reputation and relationship with its subrecipients and the refugee populations it serves." Trump argued in January that his mission to "realign the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program" is because "the United States lacks the ability to absorb large numbers of migrants, and in particular, refugees, into its communities in a manner that does not compromise the availability of resources for Americans." Trump's relationship with the Catholic Church has made headlines recently, following the election of the first American pope, Leo XIV, this month. While Leo is in the "middle of the road" in politics," he is "not happy with what's going on with immigration," his brother John Prevost tole The New York Times. Trump told Fox News' Sean Hannity that he is open to talking to Leo about immigration and has also said he wants Leo's other brother, Louis Prevost, "a major MAGA fan" to visit the White House. Vice President JD Vance, a Catholic convert, traveled to Rome for a private audience with Leo, after attending his inaugural Mass in St. Peter's Square last weekend. There was already tension between the church, to which 53 million U.S. adults belong, according to U.S. Census Bureau data from 2024, and the Trump administration, after Leo's predecessor, Pope Franics, rebuked Vance for invoking a "Christian concept" of extending love to your family and then fellow citizens before the rest of the world. But Francis wrote in a letter to Vance: "Christian love is not a concentric expansion of interests that little by little extend to other persons and groups. The true ordo amoris that must be promoted is that which we discover by meditating constantly on the parable of the 'good Samaritan' (cf. Lk 10:25-37), that is, by meditating on the love that builds a fraternity open to all, without exception." America's relationship with the Catholic Church has long been important. Newsweek broke down the behind-the-scenes role it has played in American diplomacy and culture here. "Much of the future approach of the USCCB to the White House will depend also on the signs they will receive from Pope Leo XIV in the Vatican in the next few weeks and months," theology and religious studies professor Massimo Faggioli told Newsweek. "It's something the White House will pay more attention to. All this in the context of a Catholic VP, JD Vance, who is really trying hard to justify anything that Trump and members of his Cabinet do," the Villanova University academic said. "Vance's pitch is designed for a Catholic audience and the bishops know it." Related Articles Supreme Court Deals Blow to Catholic School Funded by TaxpayersDonald Trump Wants Pope Leo's Brother To Visit Him at White HousePope Leo XIV Inaugural Mass: List of Who Is Expected to AttendTrump Says He's Open to Talking to Pope Leo About Immigration 2025 NEWSWEEK DIGITAL LLC.
Newsweek
24-05-2025
- Politics
- Newsweek
American Bishops' War With Trump Admin Is Heating Up
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) seems to be battling with President Donald Trump's administration over some of its policies. Last week, the USCCB, the official assembly of the Catholic Church in the United States, slammed U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) for rescinding a policy that gave guidance on the care, custody and documentation of pregnant women they encounter. "It is deeply troubling and inexcusable that measures intended to ensure the basic safety of pregnant mothers and their young children while in government custody could be rescinded with such indifference toward the vulnerability of those involved," said Bishop Mark J. Seitz, of El Paso, Texas, chairman of the USCCB Committee on Migration. CPB Acting Commissioner Pete Flores issued the memo, which was circulated internally but not publicly announced, on May 5, revealing that four policies were determined "either obsolete or misaligned with current Agency guidance and immigration enforcement priorities." Bishop Kevin J. Farrell places the Book of Gospels on the head of Monsignor Mark J. Seitz (right) as Father J. Douglas Deshotel kneels with a book on his head during the Episcopal Ordination on... Bishop Kevin J. Farrell places the Book of Gospels on the head of Monsignor Mark J. Seitz (right) as Father J. Douglas Deshotel kneels with a book on his head during the Episcopal Ordination on April 27, 2010, at the Cathedral Shrine of the Virgin of Guadalupe in downtown Dallas. More AP One of them was the 2022 memo "Processing of Pregnant, and Postpartum Noncitizens and Infants," which lays out guidelines for CPB, which include offering a medical assessment to all pregnant women and making sure breast-feeding mothers have access to privacy and rest facilities. "This decision is all the more concerning as the Administration simultaneously ramps up family detention in place of safer, more cost-effective alternatives to detention," Seitz said. "Let us be clear: protecting pregnant mothers and their children can never be considered 'obsolete.' This principle irrefutably extends to noncitizens in immigration detention, each of whom possesses an inviolable, God-given dignity that must be respected. "We urge the Administration to reissue guidance that adequately reflects and affirms the increased standard of care due to this vulnerable population while in government custody." Newsweek has contacted CBP via email for comment. Photo-illustration by Newsweek/AP/Getty The memo does stress that CBP agents should continue to uphold the care guidelines laid out in all remaining policies. "The safety of all who we encounter during operations remains a top priority," it says. "All CBP personnel are expected to treat those in Agency custody in a professional and respectful manner." It comes amid an ongoing civil case in which the USCCB is suing the Trump administration over its suspension of refugee programs. In a lawsuit filed in February, the USCCB said it has worked with the government for "nearly half a century" to help "refugees who are fleeing persecution, instability, and oppression and have come to the United States as a place of refuge and hope." The USCCB said that the spending freeze means the organization "faces irreparable damage to its longstanding refugee resettlement programs and its reputation and relationship with its subrecipients and the refugee populations it serves." Trump argued in January that his mission to "realign the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program" is because "the United States lacks the ability to absorb large numbers of migrants, and in particular, refugees, into its communities in a manner that does not compromise the availability of resources for Americans." The Bigger Picture: Trump And The Catholic Church Trump's relationship with the Catholic Church has made headlines recently, following the election of the first American pope, Leo XIV, this month. While Leo is in the "middle of the road" in politics," he is "not happy with what's going on with immigration," his brother John Prevost tole The New York Times. Trump told Fox News' Sean Hannity that he is open to talking to Leo about immigration and has also said he wants Leo's other brother, Louis Prevost, "a major MAGA fan" to visit the White House. Vice President JD Vance, a Catholic convert, traveled to Rome for a private audience with Leo, after attending his inaugural Mass in St. Peter's Square last weekend. There was already tension between the church, to which 53 million U.S. adults belong, according to U.S. Census Bureau data from 2024, and the Trump administration, after Leo's predecessor, Pope Franics, rebuked Vance for invoking a "Christian concept" of extending love to your family and then fellow citizens before the rest of the world. But Francis wrote in a letter to Vance: "Christian love is not a concentric expansion of interests that little by little extend to other persons and groups. The true ordo amoris that must be promoted is that which we discover by meditating constantly on the parable of the 'good Samaritan' (cf. Lk 10:25-37), that is, by meditating on the love that builds a fraternity open to all, without exception." America's relationship with the Catholic Church has long been important. Newsweek broke down the behind-the-scenes role it has played in American diplomacy and culture here. "Much of the future approach of the USCCB to the White House will depend also on the signs they will receive from Pope Leo XIV in the Vatican in the next few weeks and months," theology and religious studies professor Massimo Faggioli told Newsweek. "It's something the White House will pay more attention to. All this in the context of a Catholic VP, JD Vance, who is really trying hard to justify anything that Trump and members of his Cabinet do," the Villanova University academic said. "Vance's pitch is designed for a Catholic audience and the bishops know it."
