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Thursday, December 01, 2011 |
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IMMIGRATION
By St Mary Administrator @ 3:15 PM :: 59 Views ::  :: Events
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In April 2008, Pope Benedict XVI told the U.S. bishops: “…I want to encourage you and your communities to continue to welcome the immigrants who join your ranks today - to share their joys and hopes, to support them in their sorrow and trials, and to help them flourish in their new home.” The first principle of Catholic social teaching on immigration is that “persons have the right to find opportunities in their homeland”; the second principle is that “persons have the right to migrate to sustain their lives and the lives of their families”. This means that the political, economic and social conditions of a country should enable the country’s citizens to find work and sustain family life. When the conditions are such that persons must leave in order to survive, special considerations should be afforded to them from the countries they seek to enter. Longstanding Christian teaching tells us that the goods of the earth belong to all people, and every person has an equal right to receive what is necessary for life; those who are native to a land have no greater right to the fruits of that land than the immigrant. The words of Isaiah in today’s reading remind us of Israel’s time of redemption in a new land and an end to captivity. These are beautiful images of starting new in a fresh and welcoming place. In Mark's gospel account of John the Baptist, people from many areas come together in the hope of salvation, sharing a common baptism in the Jordan River with water that was given for all to share in its common good.
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