Catholic leaders urge prayers, action on immigration reform

Published: 2006-04-17

WASHINGTON (CNS) -- Bishops and church organizations are urging Catholics across the U.S. to pray for comprehensive immigration reform and to push their legislators for measures that would legalize the status of millions of illegal immigrants. The bishops of New York state in a Good Friday statement supported legislation that "provides for a pathway to permanent legal status for undocumented workers" and sets up "a rational and fair temporary worker program." San Francisco Archbishop George H. Niederauer called for special prayers for a humane immigration reform to be said April 23, Divine Mercy Sunday. In an April 12 statement, he also urged Catholics to make sacrifices and contact their legislators on behalf of measures that respect "the dignity of our brothers and sisters who have come here from other lands." An April 10 statement by the Knights of Columbus supported paths to legalization and noted that the world's largest Catholic lay organization "has proudly included brother Knights in Mexico for more than 100 years."

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