Dear Editor: Mr. Gange is correct when he writes (Liberals v. Conservatives, Feb. 17) that “(the Church) does not deny the right of the United States of America to have immigration laws.” However, while he may not be in agreement with the opinions of political liberals, specifically regarding the enforcement of those laws, he should be aware of Pope Francis’ views on this subject, too.

I thought that one of the saddest pictures to come out of the pope’s visit to Mexico was that of the Holy Father standing on the Mexican side of the border and waving to, or blessing, those on the U.S. side, with the border between him and them. Just imagine if, instead of what is there now, we had the wall for which many conservatives clamor. Our Holy Father has spoken frequently about immigration and even sanctuary – a word detested by conservatives in this country.

It is interesting, too, that some of the same conservatives who vociferously proclaim their efforts to protect ”pre-born” babies have coined a term for another class of babies whom they don’t want to protect: “anchor babies.” Those “born” babies have no rights as American citizens, according to them. I doubt that the Catholic Church agrees with that position.

Also, some among the conservatives feel that all “illegal” immigrants should be collected and sent back to their home countries. I can definitely say that that idea is for sure not the opinion of the Church. For my authority, I cite none other than St. John Paul II. In the Introduction to his great encyclical, “Evangelium Vitae,” he wrote, “…whatever insults human dignity such as subhuman living conditions, arbitrary imprisonment, deportation, slavery, prostitution, the selling of women and children… All these things and others like them are infamies indeed.” Moreover, he added, such actions “are a supreme dishonor to the Creator.”

Finally, to the opinions of those two popes, I can add the many statements of our own wonderful Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio. Are all these men flaming liberals whose voices should be ignored? I think not.

GARRETT DEMPSEY

Whitestone