Bishop Peter Jugis and Bishop Rafael Zarama, the new Bishop of Raleigh, are issuing a joint letter on immigration to the Catholics of North Carolina.
Their letter restates positions on immigration that have long been supported by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, but it comes at a time when federal courts are reviewing issues regarding the Dreamers, immigrants who were brought to this country as children; the federal ban on immigration from several majority-Muslim countries; and a steep decline in the number of immigrants being admitted to the United States.
Quoting Pope Francis, the letter emphasizes that fixing America’s dysfunctional immigration system is a moral imperative as well as a political policy issue.
This is the first joint letter by Bishops Jugis and Zarama. Bishop Jugis and Bishop Michael Burbidge, the former Bishop of Raleigh, had a long history of collaboration on public policy issues before Bishop Burbidge was transferred to the Diocese of Arlington, Va.
— David Hains, Diocese of Charlotte communication director
The full text of the bishops’ joint message is as follows:
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
While it is clear that the immigration process is in dire need of reform, the issue of immigration policy and enforcement is both complicated and emotional. While we agree that there is room for disagreement and discussion with respect to immigration policy, we wish to remind our more than 1 million Catholic faithful in North Carolina of the stated positions of the U.S. Catholic Conference of Bishops (USCCB) formed by Catholic social teaching and encourage personal reflection and formation on these issues.
The issue of immigration is not merely about policy, it is a moral concern impacting the human dignity and human rights of every person. While we must certainly respect our borders and our laws, we are particularly supportive of immigration policy reforms. Every day we see firsthand the consequences of a system that creates fear and anxiety amongst individuals who have become a vital part of our parishes and make substantial contributions to the economic and social fabric of our communities.
As Catholics, we advocate for the recognition that immigrants, as members of God’s human family, are deserving of and must be granted the appropriate dignity as our brothers and sisters in the Lord. Jesus himself was a refugee and taught us to welcome the stranger and to realize that in welcoming the stranger, we are welcoming Christ Himself.
Our Catholic Charities offices stand ready to help with food and other household necessities for all families that find themselves in distress at this time. Through those offices we will continue to provide Legal Immigration Services via staff who have been accredited to complete legal documentation by the Board of Immigration Appeals in the Department of Justice. These DOJ Accredited Representatives assist families and individuals in achieving an immigration status that enables them to work, reunite with family members, or take steps toward becoming citizens who could contribute to the well-being of their family and society. We will not counsel anyone to thwart or resist proper law enforcement but will continue to provide education about individuals’ legal rights.
On a broader level, we, the Bishops of North Carolina, and the Bishops of the United States will continue working to:
• Find a Bipartisan Solution to Protect Dreamers. The approximately 1.8 million Dreamers living in our country were brought to the United States as young people. They worship with us in our churches and synagogues, serve in our military, contribute to our economy, and add their many talents to American society.
• Provide a Path to Citizenship. Dreamers know America as their only home and should not be denied the opportunity to obtain U.S. citizenship and participate fully in civic life.
• Recognize the Sanctity of Families. Family immigration is the foundation of our country and of our Church. Pope Francis states, “The family is the foundation of co-existence and a remedy against social fragmentation.” We steadfastly know that families are what hold America together. We ask you to reject legislation that threatens family-based immigration.
• Recognize the Right of Nations to Control Their Borders. While Catholic social teaching on migration recognizes and respects the sovereignty of each nation to regulate its borders, this right must be balanced with the right of vulnerable migrants, such as asylum seekers and victims of human trafficking, to access protection. Border security should be proportional and justly implemented.
• Maintain Protections for Unaccompanied Children. A solution for Dreamers cannot be at the expense of other immigrant children. Such a tradeoff would be heartless and untenable. We ask that you maintain existing protections for unaccompanied children that help prevent trafficking and abuse and ensure their access to adequate care.
As members of the human family, each individual deserves and must be granted, the dignity that not only supports and fosters the common good of our society but also reflects the reality that we are all fundamentally brothers and sisters in the Lord.
Mary, Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception, Patroness of the United States of America, watch over and pray for us now and always.
Most Reverend Peter J. Jugis, Bishop of Charlotte
Most Reverend Luis Rafael Zarama, Bishop of Raleigh
CHARLOTTE — The largest Catholic church in the United States is set to unveil a new pastoral plan to its 36,250-plus registered parishioners.
Established in 1986 with 600 parishioners, the parish is now spread across two locations, one in southeast Charlotte and one further south in Waxhaw. Its four priests offer 27 Masses every week: 23 Masses between the 1,400-seat main church and daily chapel, one Sunday Mass in the adjacent gymnasium, and three Masses at St. Matthew South in Waxhaw. Its faith formation program has an enrollment of 3,200 students, and the number of parish programs, ministries and small groups now exceeds 100.
As the parish’s current pastoral plan is expiring, the parish council has developed a new pastoral plan to lead the parish through 2021.
The 2019-’21 St. Matthew Pastoral Plan is set to take effect in eight months. Details will be shared with parishioners in the coming weeks.
In preparation for the new pastoral plan, the parish council reviewed the findings of the most recent Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate (CARA) and Gallup parishioner surveys.
“The planning process has been very thorough,” said Bob Bowles, parish council chairperson. “We directly solicited feedback from our parishioners and members of our parish council, and conducted interviews with our parish staff members and our ministry members as well.”
Father Pat Hoare, who came to St. Matthew Church as pastor last summer, has played an active role in shaping the new pastoral plan. His experience as a longtime parishioner and former youth minister at the parish gives him special insight into the needs of his faith community.
“The process of preparing a pastoral plan has been an invaluable way for me to really get to know St. Matthew as I begin my service here,” Father Hoare said. “Understanding both the parish’s gifts and challenges helps me as pastor to focus on the critical items for our ongoing mission to evangelize and to make disciples.”
“Based on our findings, when we went through the information, our pastoral plan goals became very clear,” Bowles said. “We are going to focus on the spiritual growth of our parishioners as our first goal. The second goal is to work to increase the engagement of our youth, young adults and young families.”
In order to accomplish these two goals, Bowles said, the pastoral plan will include two pillars: facilities and communications. The objectives and action plans of these two pillars will support these two goals, he said.
“We have many objectives set to feed our parishioners spiritually. The staff will be enacting our plan. They have been actively involved. It has been a very collaborative process,” he noted.
He explained that outside the walls, within the parish’s geographic boundaries in southeast Charlotte, they plan “to feed the multitudes and reach out to our parishioners in other ways as well.”
Increasing youth and young adult engagement is something the pastoral council and staff are excited about, Bowles also noted.
“One of our strategies will be to provide events and activities that mentor, teach and develop our youth, young adults and young families. Another strategy is to help them live a life of grace that overflows into the lives of others, through witnessing of service,” he said. “We are going to encounter them through providing social and fellowship opportunities, to provide a welcoming environment to create a real sense of inclusion.”
“It is a very engaged parish,” Bowles said. “There are over 100 ministries. People are involved in the faith. In-creasing the faith and engagement of youth and young adults is one of Father Pat’s priorities. We need to continu-ally feed (our parishioners) as Jesus did when He walked the earth. We can always do better.”
— SueAnn Howell, Senior reporter