While the separation of families is the issue on the front cover of the newspapers, there is another drama taking place in theses towns near the border. For many years, people on both sides of the border formed a large interconnected community. Close to 85 percent of the McAllen population is Hispanic and there are many families that have lived here for decades without proper documents.
After weeks of active protests against the Trump administration’s family separation policy, The Tablet has learned that a delegation of U.S. Catholic bishops will visit the U.S.-Mexico border this weekend.
While no one expected the U.S. Catholic bishops to use the beachfront hotel meeting site for their bi-annual meeting as a time for sunbathing and relaxation, few had predicted that this week’s gathering would gain such national attention.
While no one expected the U.S. Catholic bishops to use the beachfront hotel meeting site for their bi-annual meeting as a time for sunbathing and relaxation, few had predicted that this week’s gathering would gain such national attention.
Cardinal Daniel DiNardo, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, announced the conference will explore the idea of sending a bishops’ delegation to the U.S.-Mexico border to inspect detention facilities and offer a sign of solidarity with migrants and refugees.
The U.S. bishops June 13 decried U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions’ decision that asylum seekers fleeing domestic or gang violence cannot find protection in the United States.
While the June meeting of the U.S. bishops is often considered to be the more lackluster of their two annual gatherings, at least in terms of news content, as they meet in Fort Lauderdale, Florida this week, major topics are on the agenda including healthcare, immigration, and religious liberty – all of which correspond to pressing issues on the national scene.
In response to the Trump administration’s policy that separates children from their parents arriving at the U.S.-Mexico border, Bishop Robert McElroy has announced that the diocese of San Diego will launch a program aimed at keeping asylum-seeking families together.
Georgetown University’s Initiative for Catholic Social Thought and Public Life closed the first day of its summit on “Overcoming Polarization” with a panel talk to assess issues facing the Church today.
Earlier this year, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) launched a new mobile-responsive website, ForYourMarriage.org, for couples at every stage of their journey together.
