Notes/Sermons
THE SOCIAL DOCTRINE OF THE CHURCH: MAGISTERIAL TEACHING ON IMMIGRATION AND EMIGRATION
In all of the public debates on immigration and the flow of refugee migrants, it is important for us as Catholics to be grounded in the magisterial teaching of the Church. Here follows some excerpts from the excellent compendium by Christopher Jay, 2000 Years of Social Wisdom: Catholic Social Teaching from the Papacy, published in 2016:
When there are just reasons in favor of it, [people] must be permitted to emigrate to other countries and take up residence there. The fact that [they are] citizens of a particular State does not deprive [them] of membership in the human family, nor of citizenship in that universal society, the common, world-wide fellowship of men (“Pacem in Terris”, 1963, PAR 25)...And among man’s personal rights we must include his right to enter a country in which he hopes to be able to provide more fittingly for himself and his dependents. It is therefore the duty of State officials to accept such immigrants and— so far as the good of their own community, rightly understood, permits—to further the aims of those who may wish to become members of a new society. (Par. 106)
We are thinking of the precarious situations of a great number of emigrant workers whose condition as foreigners makes it all the more difficult for them to make any sort of social vindication, in spite of their real participation in the economic effort of the country that receives them. It is urgently necessary to people to go beyond a narrowly nationalist attitude in their regard and to give them a charter which will assure them a right to emigrate, favor their integration, facilitate their professional advancement and give them access to decent housing where, if such is the case, their families can join them. Linked to this category are the people who, to find work, or to escape a disaster or a hostile climate, leave their regions, and find themselves without roots among other people. It is everyone’s duty, but especially that of Christians, to work with energy for the establishment of universal brotherhood, the indispensable basis for authentic justice and the condition for enduring peace: ‘We cannot in truthfulness call upon God who is the Father of all if we refuse to act in a brotherly way toward certain men, created to God’s image.’ (“Octagesima Adveniens”, 1971, PAR 17)
We can say that we are facing a social phenomenon of epochmaking proportions that requires bold, forward looking policies of international co-operation if it is to be handled effectively...No country can be expected to address today’s problem of migration by itself. We are all witnesses of the burden of suffering, the dislocation and the aspirations that accompany the flow of migrants. The phenomenon, as everyone knows, is difficult to manage; but there is no doubt that foreign workers, despite any difficulties concerning integration, make a significant contribution to the economic development of the host country through their labor, besides that which they make to their country of origin through the money they send home. Obviously these laborers cannot be considered as a commodity or a mere workforce...Every migrant is a human person who, as such, possesses fundamental, inalienable rights that must be respected by everyone and in every circumstance. (Caritas in Veritate, 2009, PAR 62)
(Fr. Higgins)
Quick Links


MOST RECENT POSTINGS
January 31, 2021 - read more ...
January 24, 2021 - read more ...
January 10, 2021 - read more ...
January 3, 2021 - read more ...
December 27, 2020 - read more ...
December 20, 2020 - read more ...
December 13, 2020 - read more ...
December 6, 2020 - read more ...
November 29, 2020 - read more ...
DEDICATION OF THE CHURCH OF
MARY IMMACULATE OF LOURDES,
Newton Upper Falls, MA
November 22, 2020 - read more ...
November 15, 2020 - read more ...
November 8, 2020 - read more ...
November 1, 2020 - read more ...
October 25, 2020 - read more ...
October 18, 2020 - read more ...
October 11, 2020 - read more ...
October 4, 2020 - read more ...
September 27, 2020 - read more ...
September 20, 2020 - read more ...
September 13, 2020 - read more ...
September 6, 2020 - read more ...
August 23, 2020 - read more ...
1856-1925
"How can you be lonely with Christ in the Tabernacle?"
August 16, 2020 - read more ...
August 9, 2020 - read more ...
August 2, 2020 - read more ...
July 26, 2020 - read more ...
1550-1614 A.D.
July 19, 2020 - read more ...
July 12, 2020 - read more ...
June 28, 2020 - read more ...
June 21, 2020 - read more ...
June 14, 2020 - read more ...
June 7, 2020 - read more ...
May 31, 2020 - read more ...
May 24, 2020 - read more ...
May 10, 2020 - read more ...
May 3, 2020 - read more ...
April 26, 2020 - read more ...
April 12, 2020 - read more ...
March 22, 2020 - read more ...
THE BEGINNINGS OF THE MASS PILGRIMAGE AND THE CAUSE OF ROYALIST FRANCE
March 15, 2020 - read more ...
March 8, 2020 - read more ...
March 1, 2020 - read more ...
February 23, 2020 - read more ...
January 26, 2020 - read more ...
January 19, 2020 - read more ...
NOVEMBER 24th, 1910
(THANKSGIVING DAY)
November 24, 2019 - read more ...
November 17, 2019 - read more ...
November 3, 2019 - read more ...
October 27, 2019 - read more ...
October 20, 2019 - read more ...
October 13, 2019 - read more ...
October 6, 2019 - read more ...
September 29, 2019 - read more ...
September 22, 2019 - read more ...
September 15, 2019 - read more ...
September 8, 2019 - read more ...
September 1, 2019 - read more ...
August 11, 2019 - read more ...
August 4, 2019 - read more ...
July 28, 2019 - read more ...
July 21, 2019 - read more ...
July 14, 2019 - read more ...
July 7, 2019 - read more ...
June 16, 2019 - read more ...
June 9, 2019 - read more ...
(Photos by Rod Phillips)
June 2, 2019 - read more ...
May 19, 2019 - read more ...
May 12, 2019 - read more ...
May 5, 2019 - read more ...
April 28, 2019 - read more ...
(Concluding Conference: April 12th, 2019)
April 21, 2019 - read more ...
(Conference V: April 5th, 2019)
April 14, 2019 - read more ...
(Conference IV: March 22nd, 2019)
April 7, 2019 - read more ...
(Conference III: March 22nd, 2019)
March 31, 2019 - read more ...
(Conference II: March 15th, 2019)
March 24, 2019 - read more ...
(Conference I: March 8th, 2019)
March 17, 2019 - read more ...
March 10, 2019 - read more ...
March 3, 2019 - read more ...
February 24, 2019 - read more ...
February 17, 2019 - read more ...
February 10, 2019 - read more ...
February 3, 2019 - read more ...
January 13, 2019 - read more ...
December 23, 2018 - read more ...
December 16, 2018 - read more ...
December 9, 2018 - read more ...
December 2, 2018 - read more ...
November 25, 2018 - read more ...
November 18, 2018
November 11, 2018 - read more ...
November 4, 2018 - read more ...
October 28, 2018 - read more ...
October 21, 2018 - read more ...
October 14, 2018 - read more ...
October 7, 2018 - read more ...
September 30, 2018 - read more ...
September 16, 2018 - read more ...
September 9, 2018 - read more ...
September 2, 2018 - read more ...
August 26, 2018 - read more ...
August 19, 2018 - read more ...
August 12, 2018 - read more ...
July 29, 2018 - read more ...
July 22, 2018 - read more ...
July 15, 2018 - read more ...
July 8, 2018 - read more ...
July 1, 2018 - read more ...
June 24, 2018 - read more ...
May 6, 2018 - read more ...
April 29, 2018 - read more ...
Conference V, Friday, March 23, 2018 A.D.
April 1, 2018 - read more ...
Conference IV, Friday, March 16, 2018 A.D.
March 25, 2018 - read more ...
Conference III, March 9th, 2018 A.D.
March 18, 2018 - read more ...
March 11, 2018 - read more ...
Conference II, February 23rd, 2018 A.D.
March 4, 2018 - read more ...
Conference I, February 16th, 2018
February 25, 2018 - read more ...
February 18, 2018 - read more ...
February 11, 2018 - read more ...
January 21, 2018 - read more ...
January 7, 2018 - read more ...
December 31, 2017 - read more ...
December 24, 2017 - read more ...
December 17, 2017 - read more ...
December 10, 2017 - read more ...
December 3, 2017 - read more ...
November 26, 2017 - read more ...
November 19, 2017 - read more ...
November 12, 2017 - read more ...
October 29, 2017 - read more ...
October 22, 2017 - read more ...
October 1, 2017 - read more ...
January 15, 2017 - read more ...
January 8, 2017 - read more ...
December 18, 2016 - read more ...
December 11, 2016 - read more ...
December 4, 2016 - read more ...
November 27, 2016 - read more ...
November 20, 2016 - read more ...
November 13, 2016 - read more ...
October 30, 2016 - read more ...
October 16, 2016 - read more ...
October 9, 2016 - read more ...
October 2, 2016 - read more ...