The bishop of the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend says Catholics “have a moral duty to care about the plight of migrants and refugees.”
“As disciples of Jesus, we cannot be indifferent to the poor, to migrants and refugees, or to anyone living in misery,” Bishop Kevin Rhoades said during an Ash Wednesday lecture at Holy Cross College.
Bishop Rhoades said Catholic Relief Services tries to address the root causes of migration, so people aren’t pushed to leave their homeland, but cuts to USAID have eliminated nearly half of the organization’s budget. He said that’s jeopardized food security, health services and other help for millions of people. "Cutting that does not help the refugee and migration crisis," Bishop Rhoades added. "It’ll lead to more refugees."
He encouraged the faithful to increase their own donations to Catholic Relief Services during the season of Lent.
Meanwhile, Bishop Rhoades also criticized backlogs in asylum cases, as well as the Trump administration’s efforts to significantly curb refugee resettlements. “With 42.5 million refugees worldwide, it’s hard to believe that our nation is willing to accept only 7,500,” Bishop Rhoades said.
He highlighted Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend’s own efforts in resettling refugees over several decades. “We have how many Burmese refugees in Fort Wayne that we’ve resettled, over 5,000? Successfully resettled, contributing to society.”
Going forward, Rhoades said the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops wants a permanent legal solution for those who’ve had temporary protected status. It also wants an increase in family visas. "The current system can lead to family breakdown," Bishop Rhoades said. "It harms families, and it also, in some cases, leads to illegal immigration."
Bishop Rhoades stressed that the Catholic Church recognizes countries’ right to control their borders but believes more prosperous nations should welcome those seeking “security and the means of livelihood.”
Wednesday’s talk was part of Holy Cross College’s Mind and Heart Lecture Series.
