Priests vow support for immigrants

Priests vow support for immigrants
By Margaret Ramirez
Copyright © 2006, Chicago Tribune
Published October 21, 2006

Dozens of Roman Catholic priests from across the Chicago area gathered at Holy Name Cathedral on Friday to express support for undocumented immigrants and call for immediate suspension of deportations that separate families.

The priests, who lead congregations with large Latino, Polish, Irish and African communities, are part of a new group, Priests for Justice for Immigrants. They publicly pledged to listen to the stories of undocumented immigrants, educate church leaders on the issue and raise awareness about the 98,000 families at risk of being separated by deportation.

They also called on other priests to participate in homilies and prayers on Oct. 29 as part of the Catholic Church's Respect Life Month. The pledges are to be posted in parishes across the Chicago archdiocese.

Reading from a statement, Rev. Larry Dowling said the priests were "saddened by the current congressional leadership's passage of enforcement-only legislation, which totally ignores the disheartened spirits of the immigrants among us who daily contribute their gifts to this country."

Dowling, of St. Denis parish on the Southwest Side, said the 120 priests in the campaign are supported by Cardinal Francis George and are part of a national effort organized by the nation's Catholic bishops to press the federal government for immigration reform.

Rev. Esequiel Sanchez, pastor of Mary, Queen of Heaven, in Cicero, said the priests were not pressing for a sanctuary law to harbor immigrants or arguing for open borders. Instead, they want respectful and just immigration reform. "We're asking for a change in the law that is more compassionate," he said.

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maramirez@tribune.com