U.S. bishops ask Pope Francis for prayers to build better immigration system

CNA Staff, Feb 11, 2025 / 18:44 pm

The president of the U.S. bishops’ conference has responded to Pope Francis’ letter to the bishops regarding the country’s latest drive to deport unauthorized immigrants, emphasizing the importance of safeguarding human dignity and the goal of building a humane system of immigration.  

Archbishop Timothy Broglio of the Archdiocese for Military Services and president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), thanked Pope Francis for his “prayerful support” and asked for the Holy Father to pray for the U.S. to improve its immigration system, protect communities, and safeguard human dignity.  

“Boldly I ask for your continued prayers so that we may find the courage as a nation to build a more humane system of immigration, one that protects our communities while safeguarding the dignity of all,” Broglio wrote. 

The letter was in response to Pope Francis’s February 10 letter, in which the Holy Father urged the U.S. to evaluate the justness of its policies in the light of human dignity and highlighted the inherent dignity of migrants. 

Broglio, in turn, highlighted the importance of centering the issue on Christ. 

“As successor to Saint Peter, you call not only every Catholic, but every Christian to what unites us in faith — offering the hope of Jesus Christ to every person, citizen and immigrant alike,” Broglio wrote on behalf of all the country’s bishops. “In these times of fear and confusion, we must be ready to answer our Savior’s question, ‘what have you done for the least of these?’”

Pope Francis in his letter proposed that a “rightly formed conscience” would disagree with associating the illegal status of some migrants with criminality, while at the same time he affirmed a nation’s right to defend itself from people who have committed violent or serious crimes. Additionally, the Holy Father weighed in on the Catholic concept of “ordo amoris” — “rightly ordered love” — which was recently invoked by Vice President JD Vance, a Catholic convert, in the ongoing debate over the country’s refugee and immigration policies.

Broglio also directly addressed ongoing concerns around the U.S. government’s role in charitable aid. Noting the recent funding pause by the U.S. government, Broglio urged the U.S. and the faithful to support Catholic charity and relief organizations. 

“We all turn to the Lord in prayer that families suffering from the sudden withdrawal of aid may find the strength to endure,” Broglio continued. “With you, we pray that the U.S. government keep its prior commitments to help those in desperate need.”

Under the Trump-Vance administration, the U.S. has paused its funding to most national and international charities. This includes Catholic organizations such as Catholic Relief Services and Catholic Charities, which have since urged the administration to resume funding. 

Meanwhile, the U.S. bishops’ conference last week laid off 50 staff members in its migration and refugee services office, citing a delay in reimbursements from the federal government.

“We also turn to the People of God to ask their mercy and generosity in supporting the Catholic Relief Services national collection this Lent as well as the ‘on the ground’ work of local Catholic Charities organizations so that the void might be filled with the efforts of all,” Broglio wrote. 

Broglio concluded by highlighting the importance of fraternity, especially in the Jubilee Year.  

“As we struggle to continue our care for the needy in our midst and the desire to improve the situation in those places from which immigrants come to our shores, we are ever mindful that in them we see the Face of Christ,” Broglio wrote. “In this Jubilee Year, may we build bridges of reconciliation, inclusion, and fraternity.”