By Joseph Catena
I am a lifelong practicing Roman Catholic. I was educated in Catholic schools, kindergarten through college. I even wrote for a Catholic newspaper. I am well versed in Catholic dogma as well as the traditions and foundations of the church. The reality is there is a definitive dichotomy from within. There is the prophetic church and the political church.
I subscribe to the former, but at times, detest the latter.
On the prophetic side, I believe Jesus Christ is my Lord and savior. I believe in the power of the Blessed Virgin Mary and all the angels and saints. Through transubstantiation, I know I am receiving the body of Christ and not just a symbolic wafer. I have experienced some deeply spiritual and personal situations where my faith has been strengthened, and any doubts or reservations I may have had were totally squashed. All the doctrine makes perfect sense, as does the order of the Mass, why we celebrate it, and why we are expected to live out our faith.
But I refuse to accept or acknowledge what the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops has to say about immigration. This is where the political church gets a bit ugly. In early February, the USCCB sued the Trump administration for what they claim was unlawful suspension of funding for refugee programs. Archbishop Timothy Broglio, USCCB president, was critical of certain provisions in Trump’s executive orders. They included treatment of immigrants and refugees, foreign aid, and expanding the death penalty, among others. Pope Francis has also called on the U.S. to support laws to allow immigrants to stay here. He recently called Trump’s plans to deport millions of illegal aliens a “disgrace” and added that it was wrong to assume that all were criminals.
But they are. Just ask border czar Tom Homan, who cites that anyone entering the country is guilty of breaking 8 U.S. Code § 1325, or improper entry of an alien.
Simply put, it is inconceivable that the bishops or the pontiff should have any say in how the United States should protect itself. Did any of them bother to see how many hardcore criminals were deported, courtesy of the ICE raids? Did any of them consider how many taxpayer dollars are being spent to feed, house, educate, medicate and incarcerate them? Better yet, did any of the esteemed clergy members ponder the danger that fellow Catholics faced, especially those trapped in sanctuary cities like Boston, New York and Los Angeles? Gangs and drugs are part of the equation, whether they want to admit it or not, and numerous innocent people have been killed. Perhaps Francis and the USCCB may want to consider thanking Trump, Homan and Co., for protecting and saving so many innocent lives.
Come to think of it, did any of those bishops or Francis, for that matter, ever hold a special press conference condemning any of the killings (SEE: Morin, Rachel; Nungaray, Jocelyn; Riley, Laken)? Did any of them ever call for a special community gathering to say prayers for the souls of the murdered and the loved ones surviving them? If they did, it certainly didn’t get much publicity, and I don’t remember it happening.
The Catholic education I experienced had a way of making you feel guilty about committing even the most venial sin, much less a mortal one. My teachers instilled in me a sense of right and wrong, being responsible, and owning my mistakes. We were always taught that no sin is greater than God’s love, if the sinner truly seeks redemption. A killer may well find his way into heaven. Only God Almighty can answer that. But there are laws and consequences here on earth, and the killer must serve his sentence.
Francis and those in the USCCB should adhere to spreading the word of the prophetic church. Catholicism is a beautiful faith, a gift. Conversely, politics is a dirty game, but also a necessary evil and a reality. When the prophetic and the political become entangled, there is a real danger. Pope Francis and the bishops must steer clear of that path and understand that there is a reason why church and state are meant to be separate.
We can defer to Francis on matters of theology. But when it comes to the business of how to run a country and keep its citizenry safe, I’ll take The Donald in a landslide.
And it wouldn’t be his first such victory either.
Send comments or feedback to jcat12232@yahoo.com