Pope Francis has written an extraordinary public letter to the US bishops criticizing the Trump Administration's declared intent to deport immigrants who are in the United States illegally.
The letter, which is quite brief, can be read here.
Much of the letter consists of a stout defense of the human dignity which immigrants possess, even when beset by the difficult circumstances which in many cases constituted the reason for their fleeing their homeland.
Besides referencing the Holy Family's immigrant status (or, perhaps we could say, refugee status - the letter doesn't make the distinctions between immigrant, refugee and asylum seeker found in US immigration policy), Francis puts forth the parable of the Good Samaritan as the criterion we should use to treat the foreign stranger in our midst.
The letter's call to action, addressed not only to the American bishops but to "all the faithful of the Catholic Church, and all men and women of good will", urges us "not to give into narratives" that have characterized American political discourse and debate, especially political rhetoric that seeks to diminish the dignity of immigrants.
Indeed, although Francis characterizes the president's executive order initiating deportations as a "major crisis" (meaning something sharply different than the president and his allies when they speak of an immigration crisis), most of his criticism in this letter is a criticism of political rhetoric, or, to use a term much in vogue in political discussion these days, "vibes".
In a rather striking passage, Francis seems to take direct aim at a recent statement from Vice President (and Catholic convert) JD Vance. Vance, as ever a junkyard dog in defending Trump administration policies, had said this on Fox News last week:
There is a Christian concept that you love your family and then you love your neighbor, and then you love your community, and then you love your fellow citizens, and then after that, prioritize the rest of the world.
If you Google "jd vance first family then community then nation then world" you will find many hot takes from religion-focused media on his statement, including quite a few publications that have defended it. (It's entirely possible that Google will prioritize different search results for you than for me, although I assure you I am not a regular reader of conservative Catholic or Christian media.) Many commentators have noted that Vance seemed to be referencing (rightly, wrongly or somewhere in between) an ordo amoris articulated by Augustine and Aquinas.
But Francis is not among those defenders. In his letter, he writes:
6. Christians know very well that it is only by affirming the infinite dignity of all that our own identity as persons and as communities reaches its maturity. Christian love is not a concentric expansion of interests that little by little extend to other persons and groups. In other words: the human person is not a mere individual, relatively expansive, with some philanthropic feelings! The human person is a subject with dignity who, through the constitutive relationship with all, especially with the poorest, can gradually mature in his identity and vocation. The true ordo amoris that must be promoted is that which we discover by meditating constantly on the parable of the “Good Samaritan” (cf. Lk 10:25-37), that is, by meditating on the love that builds a fraternity open to all, without exception. [3]
7. But worrying about personal, community or national identity, apart from these considerations, easily introduces an ideological criterion that distorts social life and imposes the will of the strongest as the criterion of truth.
Whether Francis's letter will be well-received by Catholics, and whether it will have any practical effect, is yet to be seen. In recent days, news media focus on immigration seems to have waned as media attention has moved on to other topics. Inopportunely, the preaching in our parish for the next two weekends will consist of solicitations for the Annual Catholic Appeal. No doubt, a pro-immigrant spin can be put on that exercise - and Cardinal Cupich, who will send out video and audio messages to be played at parish masses this weekend, is just the prelate to make such a connection.
I think the ability of the bishops to influence Vance let alone Trump is nil.
ReplyDeleteOn the other hand, if each bishop were to call personally their Catholic Senators and Representatives to talk about this issue, they might be able to bend enough Catholic Republicans to make a difference.
That might be particularly true if the bishops made it clear that they intended to make public their differences with Catholic politicians on immigration.
Maybe I am too cynical, but I wouldn't expect many Catholic profiles in courage among Republican senators and representatives. Their loyalty to Trump is ruthlessly enforced by the president's political operation.
DeleteIn addition, I believe this episode will illustrate just how low in esteem Francis is held among conservative Catholics. I think they see him as being on the wrong side of the culture wars.
Vance has already thrown a rhetorical roundhouse at the US bishops, accusing them of having a conflict of interest, allegedly being the recipients of $100 million in immigration funding.
DeleteImmigration czar Tom Homan, also a Catholic, has abruptly and rather rudely dismissed bishops' concerns. It seems pretty clear the Trump administration doesn't fear or even respect the bishops.
I guess if we wanted to do something we could begin to send copies of the Pope's letter to our Representatives and Senators. It would be helpful to know which of them are Catholic. Is there a list out there somewhere? However, we should probably send them a letter even if they are not. They would probably be concerned about losing the "Catholic vote."
ReplyDeleteIt really does strike me as extraordinary that the Holy Father himself, rather than a spokesman or department head, weighed in on Vance's interpretation of the ordo amoris. I take that as a sign of how important migrant issues are to Francis.
ReplyDeleteIt's not every American Catholic who can say he's been publicly rebuked by the pope. I would die a thousand deaths if it happened to me. I suppose Vance will wear it as a badge of honor.
Jim, you nailed it when you said that Vance was "...ever a junkyard dog in defending Trump administration policies..."
DeleteI am a bad person because I enjoyed it that the pope basically said that newbie convert Vance didn't understand theology quite as well as he thought he did.
I do think there is a spark of real belief in Vance, and hopefully he will take the opportunity to go deeper in his faith journey than culture and politics.
I am in the process of composing an e mail to our congressman, Mike Flood re:Elon Musk. I am still chilled and repelled by his statement that he fed USAID " into the wood chipper". That decision by the richest man in the world will certainly cost lives of the poorest of the poor. It is an indication that there is something deeply wrong with the man.
ReplyDeleteI think Mike Flood will at least pay attention, he is Catholics, and funded livestreamed Masses during the pandemic on News Channel Nebraska, which he owns. From what I've seen it isn't politically biased.
I take the "wood chipper" comment as an illustration of the extent to which Musk lives in an online X bubble. I am sure that kind of rhetoric plays well with his followers and minions online.
DeleteThe pope's letter has been compared to "Mit brennender Sorge", the encyclical by Pope Pius XI in 1937 https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mit_brennender_Sorge
ReplyDeleteThe title is translated as " with deep anxiety". The encyclical was written in German, rather than the usual Latin. It was smuggled into Germany, for fear of censorship, and distributed to the churches there to be read on Passion Sunday.
I had not previously heard of "Mit brennender Sorge". I don't think we are at this point like Germany in 1937, but it is concerning that the pope is disturbed enough to throw a flag.
Maybe I've been basking in too much sunshine and consuming too many lollipops, but I'm not ready yet to compare our situation in the US to 1930s Germany and the rise of the National Socialist Party.
DeleteI want to be in the sunshine and lollipops corner. But I'm not there right now. Mainly because of the 24-7 level of chaos of the first three weeks of the new administration (is it really only 3 weeks? t feels like a lot longer.) Isn't there supposed to be a honeymoon period for awhile? The only comfort is that this level of chaos isn't sustainable.
DeleteYes, I am with you on the chaos. That at least is vintage Trump.
DeleteIt all seems in service to a program - but what is that program? Where does Musk, er Vance, er Trump wish to take us?
Do Trump and Vance know where they wish to take us? It isn't clear that they do. Musk absolutely does know where he wants to take us. He wants to be the world's first trillionaire. He doesn't care how he gets there. We are collateral damage.
DeleteI think Trump is motivated primarily by the desire for revenge against the many government workers and departments whom/which he believes have stymied him and/or wronged him throughout his first term and during Biden's term. He is especially motivated to get even with those who committed 'Lawfare' against him. I think these are the main reasons he decided to run for president again.
DeleteTrump also is motivated to keep beating the drum about immigration - that is his signature issue. He has always used disparaging rhetoric about immigrants, characterizing them as murderers, rapists and gang members. This is what gets under Francis's skin.
Trump also is a devoted practitioner of the art of culture warfare. He has a compulsion to stir the pot and own the news cycle - especially the cable news cycle. This is why he focuses on paper straws, the Kennedy Center and similarly seemingly-trivial topics.
Musk may be motivated by financial considerations (which billionaire isn't?) and undoubtedly he has conflicts of interest, at least with some government departments. Musk also has long-running beefs with the SEC and perhaps with other government departments who have sought to constrain his ability to grow his businesses.
I think Musk also is motivated by a genuine desire to rein in government spending and growth. I don't see Trump as a committed smaller-government person, but for now he seems to be willing to indulge those who are.
It is repellant that the richest man in the world is so concerned to rein in government spending that he feeds USAID into his handy wood chipper (USAID is like 1% of the budget), and is firing into the high six figures of federal employees. I doubt if he has any clue what they do. But he knows how much his government contracts are worth.
DeleteAnd yes you are right that Trump is motivated by revenge.
Lord save us all.
"There is a Christian concept that you love your family and then you love your neighbor, and then you love your community, and then you love your fellow citizens, and then after that, prioritize the rest of the world."
ReplyDeleteThis is American evangelical/fundamentalist teaching. God protects the Christian Daddy, Daddy protects Mommy, and Mommy protects the kids. Buy some guns to shore up protection against outsiders.
Catholic programs like That Man Is You and She Shall Be Called Woman feed into this idea and emphasize clear gender roles and the focus on the nuclear family.
Vance's hierarchy of care for others totally ignores the basic precept Christ gave to us all: Love God [first] with all your heart and your neighbor [everybody] as yourself.
Catholicism raised up monks and nuns on "the love that is not particular" that is, to see all people as your brothers and sisters and not be clouded by romantic or blood ties.
I am the absolute crumbles Catholic here, and even I know Vance is full of crap.
The best way to help immigrants is to contact your local area's migrant or refugee services group and ask what they need.
Crumbles=crummiest
DeletePew had a big report this week on where people stand on Trump sliced and diced by the usual demographics. Just under half the country loves him. A less enthusiastic minority is inclined to go along with him.
ReplyDeleteSo this isn't a coup or takeover. It's a majority of Americans choosing to believe partisan rightwing social media vs anything their own institutions (a free press, government vetted research, public school curriculum, university trained experts) might counter with.
https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/2025/02/07/trumps-second-term-early-ratings-and-expectations/
We have to be realistic. If those countries actually could improve the conditions that drive people here they would have done it. Most people don’t want to move to a foreign country, different language and culture and hostility from the natives.
DeleteOur country is the richest in the world. We also have a ton of room ( people/ square mile), and a desperate need for labor.
We are far better equipped to care for these immigrants than their own countries are. So we have a responsibility - to help the current need and to try to help the sending countries create stable economies and societes. Obviously far easier said than done.
I can play devil's advocate on Vance's concentric-circles statement.
ReplyDeleteI think it can be understood as spheres of responsibility. Parents have the primary responsibility for rearing their children. This is a huge issue for conservatives, on everything from COVID-era mandates to school choice to prayer in schools.
Likewise, those of us in a local community have primary responsibility for the flourishing of that community. (Unless, apparently, that local community is the Gaza Strip - then Trump knows best.)
And likewise, again, for the flourishing of a country. That is one conservative critique of Francis's letter: he said nothing about the responsibility of Guatemala, Venezuela et al to provide a civil society which doesn't force thousands of its citizens to flee.
M'okay. Your the deacon.
DeleteSure, everyone, including nations, have responsibilities. But it doesn't stop there. The fact that Lazarus' nation failed him and now he is at our doorstep doesn't mean we can just step over him.
DeleteMaybe I shouldn't play devil's advocate.
DeleteLOL, Jim, tough job but somebody has to do it.
DeleteWhatever. Sure we all have family responsibilities. But I didn't want to be a Catholic so I could worship the nuclear family unit and my role as wife-mom. I wanted to love God and be connected through Christ to the larger world. But that ain't where MAGA Catholics, who are most if 'em, are headed.
DeleteI think the key political insight that underlies both Vance's ordo amoris comment, and the larger political popularity of Trump's border philosophy, is many Americans' opinion that something is askew in priorities: we're prioritizing foreigners and immigrants over Americans. This is why USAID is so unpopular, too.
DeleteRuy Teixeira, who is known to be politically insightful, believes Americans' instinct is to be generous to foreigners - but not at the expense of Americans.
None of this is to defend Trump. Francis is spot-on about Trump's corrosive rhetoric. But Trump has proven himself a master politician at putting into words people's unarticulated dissatisfaction and motivating them to vote for him.
I see Vance as providing a sort of spiritual-ish. love-ey justification for Trump's policies. I am not sure Vance wants that argument scrutinized too closely, because it may lead to conclusions that contradict Trump's policies, which are rooted neither in spirituality nor love.
FWIW - I mentioned in a previous comments that there are some articles defending Vance's view of the ordo amoris. This one from Our Sunday Visitor is Professor Kenneth Craycraft, a seminary moral theologian, is the best of those I've seen. The headline is, "JD Vance is obviously, and simply, correct about the order of love". But the body of the article is more sophisticated than the headline implies.
https://www.oursundayvisitor.com/jd-vance-is-obviously-and-unremarkably-correct-about-the-order-of-love/
Seriously? I stopped reading OSV years ago because it seemed to be written at a third grade catechism level., I can’t imagine a decent theologian would be willing to be published there.
DeleteI don’t think the majority of white Catholics, including bishops, parish priests, and people in the pews are even “ real” Christians. Few of them seem to have the slightest understanding of the teachings of Jesus.
The bishops are caught in a bind and anything they say or do will be pablum, because at some point they will have to go to Rome and face Francis in person.
But they fear trump more than they respect Francis, or fear the man who occupies The Throne of Peter, so they won’t raise much of a ruckus. Francis won’t laicize them all, but trump and his alleged Catholic VP would be happy to make their lives hell.
Delete"Americans' instinct is to be generous to foreigners - but not at the expense of Americans."
DeleteMaybe this is true some places or maybe has been a truism in the past, but I think that tide has turned. Americans resent needy people across the board, especially as their own finances are squeezed. They've all got some wastrel of a cousin or brother-in-law whom they can use as an example for how our safety net is encouraging shiftlessness and lack of personal responsibility. Or they've heard on Facebook about immigrants getting free stuff.
Trump routinely gets struggling people turning on each other for resources at the bottom of the heap to deflect attention from people at the top who are responsible for poor wages and benefits.
Sadly, what you say Jean, is also true. Not even very generous to other Americans.
DeleteIt must be remembered that most foreign aid money is spent here. For instance, who grows the food we send there? I’d rather give farmers more money to feed people than $400M to the nutcase for stupid cybertrucks.
DeleteJim, your point that Americans are generous if they are feeling rich enough to help foreigners. Rick Steves has been talking a lot lately about the fact that most Americans have never even traveled to highly advanced countries like those in Europe much less have gone to poor countries. He thinks Americans need to travel to conquer their American triumphalist,. In order not to scare them off, his tours have focused on Europe. He calls his European tours “ kindergarten “ tours to break through the ignorance of most Americans. He says that maybe after they’ve taken a guided tour to Italy or France or England ( if they fear not being in an English speaking place) might make some take the next step. Steve’s has written a book called “Travel as a Political Act”. By speaking out about world poverty and especially his opposition to trump he has lost business. A few of his tv shows ventured a little farther afield, including one in Ethiopia. The MAGAs who liked him are very angry with him. His shows are all available for streaming on PBS. Which trump hopes to shut down. No more grants for them or NPR.
ReplyDeleteI knew a whole lot about global poverty and the conditions millions lived in and still live in. I started supporting CRS, and other international humanitarian organizations because of my head knowledge because of my career. There are lots and lots of organizations - govt and religious and other private organizations that support our poor. I has seen lots of photos and news stories on TV about the worlds poor. But it wasn’t until I visited the poorest part of the Dominican Republic that my academic understanding became a heart and soul understanding. No American lives as poorly as millions in the poorest countries. Even the homeless who choose to live in a tent on a sidewalk instead of a shelter has options - shelters, soup kitchens, free mental health if they will accept it ( many don’t) etc. In DC in the winter some freeze to death because they refuse to allow the volunteers who know where they camp to take them to a shelter. They put their tents over the heating grates on famous streets like Pennsylvania Ave. Sometimes the hearing grates aren’t enough. But they did make that choice themselves. The mother dying alongside of her two year old didn’t choose that. Few Americans starve to death. They don’t watch their children die of disease and starvation, covered with flies and maggots, helpless to help them. In the Adar I met one woman who gave birth 19 times. Only 7 survived to adulthood. Many children died before age two. The priest there told us that it broke his heart to go to the mountain villages all the time for the burials of babies and toddlers.
Well I've never traveled to a foreign country; never had the money. But I do know how to read. People can become informed about conditions beyond their borders if they choose to. I partially blame a de-emphasis on the study of geography for the ignorance. It used to be a required subject in college, but I hear that it is no longer available in the state college I attended.
DeleteIntelligent people who read are becoming an endangered species . You are the exception that proves the rule. When my husband’s never traveled outside the country sister ( one trip to western states) learned that our son and his wife planned to move to Spain and work virtually she was shocked. “You mean Spain has the internet”? Seriously. She doesn’t read. She thinks Europeans don’t have nearly as good a quality of life as we do. Actually it’s better in Spain and most of Western Europe on most counts, including not only internet, but low crime, outstanding and affordable healthcare, excellent public schools, excellent affordable universities. Great public transit, including high speed trains around Europe etc.
DeleteI’m all for teaching Western Civ and English Lit and the Clasdics in colleges but too many don’t want history or art and music, and civilization courses from non- western cultures taught. I’m guessing that few Americans know, for example, that Persia had a great empire, amazing science and art, and that algebra was invented by a 9th century Persian mathematician. MAGA doesn’t realize that not only will trump not make America great “ again” this government is destroying what made us great. A millennium from now who knows who will be the most powerful country on earth. People might not even realize by then that the United States of America was once the worlds richest and most powerful country.
Even visiting Western Europe as a tourist opens people’s eyes as to how good life is there. ( Unless they are the type that speak loudly in English asking for ketchup). It also opens eyes to the realization that at different times Spain, France, England, and even Portugal and Italy were on top. Then we have the more recent history of Germany and Nazism, which frighteningly similar to what is happening right now in our country. MAGA eyes aren’t open, they know little history, and seem much like the average Germans in the 30s, applauding Hitler who was going to make Germany great again.
Yes, we shouldn’t be too afraid. The Democrats are there to save us. I still get the “send more money” emails. Since I can’t send as much money as the billionaires, I guess I shouldn’t send any. If there’s a threshold of donation that’ll cancel out the billionaires, I wish they would tell me.
ReplyDeleteBtw, I mentioned in the post that our parish will be doing diocesan fundraising the next two weekends at mass. Were we to have a homily this coming Sunday (and we might - we could possibly squeeze in a brief homily plus the fundraising), the Gospel reading is Luke's version of the beatitudes, which seem particularly well-suited to Francis's letter and our discussion. It includes "Blessed are you who are poor" (without adding Matthew's "... in spirit") and "Woe to you who are rich".
ReplyDeleteOccasionally, the confluence of a Gospel passage and current events is such that it almost seems malpractice not to make the connection in a homily. I'd suggest that, in light of Francis's letter, this weekend is such a weekend - if our preachers have the insight and the courage to tackle it.
We're not raising funds this weekend (I think we usually do it in the fall?)
DeleteI got the e mail from our choir director with our songs for Sunday. Including They'll Know We are Christians by our Love, and Seek Ye First.
I don't know any Gospel passages that say "Blessed are the billionaires"!
Yeah, Katherine. Blessed are the billionaires, for they will steal the whole shebang.
DeleteJD Vance is on a roll. A little while ago he got corrected by the pope on his theology. Just days ago he got a rebuke, a lot sterner and more direct than the pope's, from the German Chancellor, Olav Schultz, about interferring in their election on behalf of the far right ultra nationalist party.
ReplyDeleteJust another day in our not-ready-for-prime-time government. Sometimes I hope that they apply the 25th amendment to Trump. Then I remember that we'd get JD for pres.
Sorry, I spelled the German Chancellor's name wrong, it should be Olaf Scholz.
DeleteI wonder what Ivanka and Jared and Netanyahu think about the open support for the neo-Nazi party. Trump brought back the Hungarian who wore his father’s Nazi pin to be on his national security team . Apparently the scapegoating is for brown skinned minorities - refugees - instead of for Jews. I will have to see if the IDF includes Jews in their hate platform.
DeleteSorry, it’s AfD. . They especially oppose allowing Muslim immigrants to stay, but also retain the idea of ethnic nationalism from the 19th century.
Delete