As pastors, we, the bishops of the United States, are connected to our people through love and care in our Lord Jesus Christ. We are upset when we see our people feeling scared and worried about issues related to profiling and immigration enforcement, said the first bishop in the video, speaking directly to the camera.
The video is put together from clips of several bishops reading from a historic document called the “Special Message” released by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops earlier this week.
Christopher Hale from the “Letters from Leo” Substack said the video has already been watched over 5 million times. He added that it might be the most-watched Catholic video ever in America.
“We are sad about how the current discussions are going and how immigrants are being treated badly.
We are worried about the conditions in detention centers and the lack of support for people in need,” the bishops continued.
“We are upset that some immigrants in the United States have lost their legal status without reason.
We are troubled by threats against churches and other important places like hospitals and schools.”
“We feel sad when we meet parents who are afraid of being detained when taking their children to school or when we try to comfort family members who have already been separated from their loved ones.
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“Even with difficulties and misunderstandings, immigrants have made big contributions to the well-being of our country.
We, as Catholic bishops, love our country and pray for its peace and prosperity.”
“For this reason, we feel it’s important to speak out now in defense of the dignity that God gives to every person.
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“Catholic teaching says that all people, including immigrants, have great value.
We bishops are calling for real changes to our immigration laws and processes.”
“Human dignity and national security are not opposites.
Both can be achieved if people who care work together.”
“We understand that countries have a duty to manage their borders and create a fair and orderly immigration system for the good of all people.
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“Without proper systems, immigrants face the risk of being taken advantage of.
Safe and legal ways to enter the country help prevent these dangers.”
“The church’s teachings are based on caring for every person, as they were created in the image of God.
As pastors, we look to the holy scriptures and the example of the Lord, where we find the wisdom of God’s love. The Lord always cares for those who are most in need, like the poor, the lonely, and the strangers.”
“In Jesus, we see a person who chose to live in poverty for our sake.
We see the good Samaritan who helps us when we are in trouble. And we see the one who is always with the least among us. The church’s concern for others, especially immigrants, is a way of living out the Lord’s command to love as He loved us.”
“To our immigrant brothers and sisters, we stand with you in your pain, because when one person suffers, we all suffer.
You are not alone.”
“We are thankful that so many of our priests, religious, and lay members already help immigrants meet their basic needs.
We encourage everyone who cares to keep doing this and do even more.”
“We oppose the mass deportation of people without reason.
We pray for an end to cruel words and violence, whether directed at immigrants or at law enforcement.”
“We pray that God will guide our nation’s leaders, and we are grateful for the chance to talk with public officials and leaders.
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“In these conversations, we will keep pushing for real immigration reform.
As followers of the Lord, we remain people of hope, and hope never lets us down.”
“May the care and love of Our Lady of Guadalupe surround us all and bring us closer to the heart of Christ,” the final bishop said.
The written message and the video were inspired by Pope Francis’s strong support for migrants.
He asked American bishops to speak out strongly against the “inhuman treatment” of immigrants under the Trump administration, and they have answered that call with powerful words.
This message is especially important because J.D. Vance—someone who supports many cruel policies in his drive for political power—claims to be a Catholic.
In reality, he only likes the appearance of Catholicism and does not really care about the teachings of Jesus, which emphasize compassion and kindness.
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