USCCB Chair Applauds Passage of Immigration Reform Bill Out of Committee; Urges Full Senate to Begin Debate As Soon As Possible

Thu, 23 May 2013 09:57:00 GMT

WASHINGTON—Archbishop José H. Gomez of Los Angeles, chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' (USCCB) Committee on Migration, today applauded approval by the Senate Judiciary Committee of S. 744, the Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act, legislation which would reform the nation's immigration system.

"This is an important step in the legislative process," he said May 22, the day after the committee vote. "I applaud Chairman Patrick Leahy and the committee members for their efforts and strong bipartisan cooperation," said Archbishop Gomez. The Senate panel considered over 150 amendments during the process.

Archbishop Gomez said that the bill should be taken up by the full Senate as soon as possible, and that amendments to improve upon the legislation should be adopted. In his remarks, he specifically mentioned the need for improvements to the path to citizenship and the family immigration provisions in the legislation.

"The path to citizenship should be widened, so that the maximum number of persons can access it and come out of the shadows," he said. "To leave a large population behind would defeat the purpose of the bill, which is to bring persons into the light so they can become full members of our communities." The USCCB has been working to shorten the amount of time an individual must wait to apply for permanent residency, to move forward the cut-off date for eligibility, and to ease income and work requirements.

Archbishop Gomez also expressed concern over cuts to the family-based immigration system, a hallmark of the nation's immigration laws for decades.

"We must not abandon our focus on families, which are the backbone of our society," he said. "Family unity, based on the union of a husband and a wife and their children, must remain the cornerstone of our nation's immigration system."

Archbishop Gomez welcomed several amendments added to the legislation helping immi...

Cardinal Dolan Pledges Prayer, Support For Archdiocese Of Oklahoma City

Tue, 21 May 2013 16:37:00 GMT

WASHINGTON—Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan of New York, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, pledged prayers and support for the people of the Archdiocese Oklahoma City, struck by tornadoes May 20.

He promised the support of the U.S. bishops and Catholics in the United States in a letter to Archbishop Paul Coakley of Oklahoma City.

The letter follows.

Dear Archbishop Coakley,

Our hearts ache with you as we learn of the terrible tornadoes that struck your archdiocese yesterday in the town of Moore outside Oklahoma City. As I expressed in our telephone call earlier today, the deaths of so many, especially beloved children in their school, call us to join you and the faithful of the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City in prayer for the consolation of all who feel this terrible loss.

The experience of loss of family members, homes, neighborhoods, and even the local hospital, shows a devastation that impels us to stand with you and all the good people of Moore both in prayer for comfort and in efforts for disaster relief to ease the suffering of those whose lives have been affected by this dreadful disaster.

May the words of Jesus, "Behold I am with you always," and who calmed the storms, bring hope and comfort at this sensitive moment in the history of your diocese which sadly has known great tragedy before from other natural disasters, but which has always united in courageous and loving efforts to restore hope to all.

May all those affected by such pain feel the strength God offers them and the compassionof all who stand with them, be it in their hometown or miles away.

Fraternally yours,

Timothy Cardinal Dolan

Archbishop of New York

President, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops

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Keywords: Oklahoma City, Archbishop Paul Coakley, Cardinal Timothy Dolan, U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, bishops, tornado

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Bishop Pates Urges Public Discussion, Greater Scrutiny of Drone Usage in Letter to National Security Adviser, Congressional Leadership

Tue, 21 May 2013 14:32:00 GMT

WASHINGTON—The United States should publicly discuss and scrutinize its policy of targeted killings by unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), or drones, in order formulate “a more comprehensive, moral and effective policy to resist terrorism,” said the chairman of the U.S. bishops’ Committee on International Justice and Peace in a letter to National Security Adviser Thomas Donilon.

“An effective counterterrorism policy should employ non-military assets to build peace through respect for human rights and addressing underlying injustices that terrorists unscrupulously exploit,” wrote Bishop Richard E. Pates of Des Moines, Iowa, in a May 17 letter that was also sent to the leadership of the House and Senate Committees on Armed Services, Foreign Affairs, Foreign Relations, Homeland Security and Government Affairs, Judiciary, Oversight and Government Reform and the Select and Permanent Select Committees on Intelligence.

Bishop Pates acknowledged the right of a country to use force in self-defense and noted that counterterrorism, even against an organization as dangerous as Al Qaeda, is primarily a law enforcement activity when it takes place outside of a war zone. He noted that targeted killings by drones raise “serious moral questions,” including concerns related to discrimination, imminence of threat, proportionality and probability of success.

“Targeted killing should, by definition, be highly discriminatory,” wrote Bishop Pates. “The Administration’s policy appears to extend the use of deadly force to alleged ‘signature’ attacks and reportedly classifies all males of a certain age as combatants. Are these policies morally defensible? They seem to violate the law of war, international human rights law, and moral norms.”

Bishop Pates emphasized the importance of protecting American lives and the danger posed by an organization like Al Qaeda, but said the relative low cost and ease of using drones might tempt U.S. leadership to use them to excess, causing ou...

Cardinal O’Malley: New Vermont Assisted Suicide Law Reveals Slippery Slope

Tue, 21 May 2013 10:07:00 GMT

USCCB News Releases

USCCB Chair Applauds Passage of Immigration Reform Bill Out of Committee; Urges Full Senate to Begin Debate As Soon As Possible

Cardinal Dolan Pledges Prayer, Support For Archdiocese Of Oklahoma City

Bishop Pates Urges Public Discussion, Greater Scrutiny of Drone Usage in Letter to National Security Adviser, Congressional Leadership

Cardinal O’Malley: New Vermont Assisted Suicide Law Reveals Slippery Slope