Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
New York City (Agenzia Fides) - "Now is the time to face the issue," said the Cardinal of New York, His Excellency Timothy Dolan, president of the Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), intervening in the debate on the reform of the immigration system. "There are people who are displaced and an unknown number of families are divided. There are human beings who continue to die in the American desert. This suffering must end!"
The Catholic Church has a lot to offer to the national debate on immigration, given the history of the Church as a community of Catholic immigrants, "because we have welcomed several waves of immigrants in our parishes, because we have social service programs, hospitals and schools," said Cardinal Dolan. "As Pastor of the Archdiocese of the city with perhaps the largest number of immigrants in the world, I know very well the great efforts made by the Catholic community in favor of immigrants."
The note sent to Fides, reported that the press Conference of Cardinal Dolan coincides with the beginning, May 8, of the work of the Senate Committee that has to discuss the draft reform of the law on migration. Mgr. José H. Gomez Archbishop of Los Angeles, President of the USCCB Committee on Migration, and Mgr. John C. Wester Bishop of Salt Lake City, President of the USCCB Committee for Communications were also present at the press Conference. (CE) (Agenzia Fides 10/05/2013)
