Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Texcoco (Agenzia Fides) – A statement presented by Bishop Víctor René Rodríguez Gómez, Bishop of Texcoco and secretary general of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Mexico, a copy of the statement was sent to Fides, expresses deep disappointment with regard to the SB 1070 immigration law adopted by the state of Arizona in the south of the United States.
The statement expresses solidarity with Mexican citizens who have resided for years in Arizona, gratitude for the noble generosity of the people of the United States who have welcomed immigrants from Mexico and from all over the world for years, and precisely because of this, the Mexican Bishops write “we are disappointed to see, and we firmly condemn, the selfish and irresponsible attitude of certain powerful groups which aim to separate countless families, leaving them to drown in deepest misery and poverty after having made enormous sacrifices and risked their lives in the search for a better life and a future of wellbeing and justice for their children”.
The statement continues: “We join our voices with those of all men and women of goodwill calling on Mexican authorities, and Mexican families and parishes to warmly welcome with specific pastoral care, our brothers and sisters forced to retrace their steps.”
"We intend to continue our activity to render our people of Mexico, "A Home and a School of Communion", enabling them to be present in faith and prayer. We give them our blessing as Bishops and we commend them to the Heart of God, to His Son Jesus Christ and to Santa Maria de Guadalupe.” Besides the Bishops of Mexico, Catholic Bishops in many other countries of America have harshly criticised the new law in Arizona, including the Bishops of El Salvador (see Fides 26/07/2010), Guatemala (see Fides 18/05/2010), Peru (see Fides 7/05/2010) and also the Bishops of the United States (see Fides 27/04/2010) (CE) (Agenzia Fides, 30/07/2010)
