Brothers and sisters in Christ,
In union with my brother bishops, and in response to the invitation of USCCB President Archbishop Paul Coakley to implore God’s assistance in healing divisions in our nation, I encourage all the faithful to consider making a personal Holy Hour for peace in the days to come. I will lead the faithful in a Holy Hour for Peace at the Cathedral of St. Thomas More. I invite all pastors in the Diocese of Arlington to consider a Holy Hour for peace in their parishes in the near future and encourage all priests and those living the consecrated life to devote special time in prayer before Our Lord present in the Blessed Sacrament for peace, justice, and reconciliation in our nation.
As Americans, we sadly know too well that we continue to experience profound social and political divisions with increasingly manifest animosity and tensions. We know that these divisions are not new, and in fact have been developing for a generation or more. As we prepare to commemorate America’s Semiquincentennial, however, it is all the more important that we do everything possible to heal and overcome any divisions which pose an obstacle to our national unity. As Christians, we know that what is true for our personal lives is also true for the life of our nation: our “help comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth.” (Ps 121)
One year ago, I issued “A Pastoral Statement on American Immigration Law and the Catholic Imperative of Upholding Human Dignity and the Common Good.” The purpose of this pastoral statement remains timely: to offer pastoral encouragement to civil authorities, as well as all Catholics and people of goodwill, to consider the common good of our country with the light of faith. While the Church recognizes that the state’s core duties include the safeguarding of the common good and the protection of the family and human dignity, it also teaches that “more prosperous nations are obligated to the extent that they are able, to welcome the foreigner in search of the security and the means of livelihood which he cannot find in his country of origin.” Therefore, I encourage a reasonable public discourse on rightful immigration law and policy that should favor integration and naturalization wherever possible for those who “respect with gratitude the material and spiritual heritage of the country,” while also recognizing the state’s authority to prudentially grant citizenship, lawful residence, or assist compassionately with repatriation. (CCC 2234-2243)
The Church teaches that human dignity and the common good cannot be brought into conflict. These are co-equal principles of the natural moral law, which must be applied by civil authorities with prudential judgment. In this regard, civil authorities and officers of the law bear a special responsibility to act in accordance with justice, upholding order and peace in society and avoiding all unnecessary acts of force and violence. All persons are likewise called to act and express themselves respectfully, peacefully, and nonviolently, however passionately they may disagree with one another. I urge those who are engaged in or inciting acts of violence against law enforcement and Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents to ask God to calm their hearts and to instill in them a spirit of respect, restraint and sobriety. By God’s grace, may the conciliation and de-escalation which we seek for our nation begin with pious and sincere acts of prayer and a growing relationship with Jesus Christ, our Savior.
As Archbishop Coakley stated in his invitation to consider a Holy Hour for peace, we pray that this becomes “a moment of renewal for our hearts and for our nation” and that God increases our faith and helps us to grow as witnesses to the Gospel and to all that is right and just for the sake of true and lasting peace. Please God, assist America in turning to you with confidence now and always.
