Maryland Bishops' Wrong-Headed Letter On Immigration Situation

Last week's Catholic Standard contained a letter released by Maryland bishops on the crisis brought on.

by the increased masses crossing our southern borders.  A few days later the Gazette published an article penned by Blair Lee IV entitled "By Heart or By Head"

Lee raises concerns that citizens of Maryland and of the US at large are raising.  Other concerns involve the real nature of the immigrant population that is now bombarding the borders.  Not all are children; many are gang members posing as children - or in many cases not bothering to disguise themselves.  Oh, technically they may be minors, but many of the 16-year olds are gang members and are actively recruiting for the gangs from fellow immigrants.  Read this account of jihadists and people infected by ebola coming through our all-too-porous southern border.

A good Catholic will consider the plight of these people (assuming they truly are desperate, which many of them really aren't).  However, he/she will prioritize his/her concerns.  The needs of his/her family will come first.  That obligation binds on them by virtue of the Fourth Commandment.  An extension of that will be to place as priority the needs of his/her fellow citizens.  Note: I said "needs", not "preferences".  Regrettably, when we do so, we are judged to be xenophobes, racists and all sorts of unsavory epithets.

It is even more unacceptable when that attitude emanates from our bishops.  Nowhere in that propaganda piece published by the Standard is there any validation of our concerns.  The bishops carry on as though the priorities of good Catholic people were of no account.

Whatever else one might think of the bishops' letter, it is NOT magisterial teaching.  At most, they are delivering their prudential judgment with which we are liberty to disagree.  As you might suspect, I certainly do disagree with it.  Here are some facts to consider as you ponder this question.  I've mentioned before that the bishops may well be complicit in the crime of human trafficking, and they've received some nice-sized federal grants for it.

Lee opines that liberals may be allowing their heart to overrule their heads.  In the bishops' case, I hope that's true, and not that the wallet overrules everything else.

Do Maryland DREAM Act Suporters Intend To Profane The Mass?

On July 21st, I posted about an announced campaign by the Maryland bishops for a "sabbath push" with the stated purpose of "devoting a weekend in September to teaching their congregations about the faith-based reasons to work for its passage", "it" of course being the DREAM Act.  On that same post, I mentioned a few reasons why a faithful Catholic could, in good conscience, oppose the DREAM Act.

This "sabbath push" is supposed to be in September - this month.  Obviously they would not have planned it for this weekend, since so many are away for the holiday.  However, this "push" could happen any weekend from now.  So how do they plan to accomplish this "sabbath push"?

According to the General Instructions of the Roman Missal (GIRM), the homily is "a living commentary on the word", that is, on the Scripture passages of the day.  The homily is also legitimately used to expound upon Church teaching, that is, faith and morals.  These are articles in which all Catholics must believe.  However, there can be legitimate differences of opinion on how to implement due respect for all of God's people.  The DREAM act contatins many areas of legitimate differences as this act impacts many people and not just immigrants here illegally.   Therefore, I believe it would be downright unethical for the DREAM Act supporters in Maryland's three chanceries to use the Sunday homily as a "bully pulpit" to insinuate that their particular opinion on the DREAM Act constitutes "the Church's position".  

Let me state this further.  I believe such use of the Sunday pulpit would constitute liturgical abuse and profanation of Holy Mass to espouse an agenda that is purely political.  Yes, yes, I know that statement is hurled at us all the time when the issues are abortion and gay marriage, but abortion and gay marriage are intrinisic evils.  About these there can be no morally licit "differences of opinion".

I have not heard of specific plans for this "sabbath push".  However, if we Catholics are forced to be "captive audiences" to propaganda-speeches, there will be protests.  To those in the chanceries who read this blog (and you do!):  I beg you not to profane the Mass in this manner.

CPC Attack Bill On January 25th Agenda

The Health and Human Services Committee of the Montgomery County Council is scheduled to revisit their attempt to strangle the four pro-life pregnancy centers in the county.  The Council held a public hearing on the matter on Dec 1st.  I attended it and recorded it.  Between then and now I've been posting snippets of my recordings on this blog, as well as some analysis.  These can be found by putting "Montgomery County Council" in the search box.

The Catholic Standard online edition has two posts that are worthy of study.  One gives the text of the Maryland bishops' statement called "Set Out in Haste".  Ladies and gentlemen, I knew Maryland's abortion rate was higher than the national rate, but I didn't realize it was 38% higher.  We Marylanders should be ashamed.

The second highlights Birthright of Wheaton, directed by Carol Buchanan.  At the bottom, she notes that George Leventhal, chair of that HHS committee, cynically refused to visit a pregnancy center, stating that he would not get a candid view.  What Mr Leventhal failed to divulge is that he is a public supporter of NARAL.  That was brought out by one of my postings on this topic.

Please contact the Montgomery County Council and demand that they kill this bill.  Thank you.