The New Mexico Bishops and Immigration

The spiritual leaders of the Catholic Church in New Mexico are the Roman Catholic Bishops of the three dioceses: Archbishop Sheehan of Santa Fe, Bishop Ramirez of Las Cruces, and Bishop Wall of Gallup. Because of our large Catholic population, they guide over half of our state’s residents. One of their responsibilities is “to inform and educate our church’s members and the public about issues of moral concern and social justice as seen through the eyes of the Catholic faith.”

Almost ten years ago, the Vatican published a Doctrinal Note on some questions regarding the participation of Catholics in political life. In this Note, we are told that “Among the saints, the Church venerates many men and women who served God through their generous commitment to politics and government. Among these, Saint Thomas More, who was proclaimed Patron of Statesmen and Politicians, gave witness by his martyrdom … he taught by his life and his death that ‘man cannot be separated from God, nor politics from morality.’”

The simple explanation of why Catholics should be concerned about what happens in government is that we are called to live our faith always and everywhere - not just in church. We rely on our spiritual leaders to guide us in issues of faith and morals, even when the guidance they give us is counter-cultural.

To that end, the New Mexico Bishops have spoken out about a variety of political issues which affect Catholics and others. Most recently, in anticipation of the upcoming legislative session, they have addressed the contentious issue of driver licenses for immigrants. This is seen by the Church as a larger issue of “the treatment of migrants in our society, including those laws and public policies that directly impact the justice and dignity experienced by all residents of the State of New Mexico.”

While appreciating the positive impact of immigrants, the New Mexico bishops also “recognize the right of our country to regulate its own borders and to control international immigration. Those controls, however, should be influenced by a sense of justice and mercy in light of the God-given right of people to migrate when faced with grave social or economic dangers.” Our own Scriptures, from Abraham to the Holy Family, are filled with stories of the need to migrate.

As you read the full text of the letter – which can be found in today’s bulletin – you will read that the bishops “understand that many people are frustrated at the current state of affairs surrounding immigration in our state and nation.” However, because we are not just citizens of this country but also citizens of Christ’s Church, our frustration needs to be tempered with love and mercy.