Prayers Without Papers: Faith Amidst Immigration Uncertainty
Seated in a back pew of her parish, Maria (not her real name) clutches her rosary tightly as she listens to Father's homily on compassion and solidarity. As an undocumented immigrant, she finds solace in these Sunday Masses, but the fear of deportation constantly lingers in the back of her mind. Maria's story is not unique – it echoes the experiences of countless Catholic immigrants across the United States who strive to balance their faith with the challenges of their immigration status.
The intersection of immigration and faith has become an increasingly pressing issue for the Catholic Church in America. According to a 2023 Pew Research study, “Of the approximately 11.1 million unauthorized immigrants living in the U.S. in 2011, an estimated 9.2 million (83%) are Christians, mostly from Latin America”[1]. Parishes nationwide are grappling with how to support their vulnerable members while adhering to the law.
The Church's Embrace: A Beacon of Hope
The Catholic Church's stance on immigration is rooted in the respect for the human person, their dignity and their right to seek a better life. In the United States, many bishops have issued pastoral letters emphasizing the Church's commitment to immigrant rights. They also recognize the power of the local church:
"Immigrants will experience the Church's welcome most personally at the level of the parish. Pastors and parish staff, accordingly, must be filled with a spirit of welcome, responding to a new and perhaps little-understood culture”. Welcoming the Stranger Among Us: Unity in Diversity, A Statement of the U.S. Catholic Bishops.
For undocumented Catholics like Maria, her parish is a source of not only spiritual comfort but also practical guidance. Many parishes offer resources to help immigrant families prepare for potential encounters with immigration authorities. My office, as well, has helped families by creating family emergency plans before an ICE encounter, accompaniment to court dates and Know Your Rights workshops, which educates parishioners about their legal rights during encounters with authorities.
Building Bridges: A Call to All Catholics
The issue of immigration presents an opportunity for all Catholics – Hispanic and non-Hispanic alike – to live out our faith through action and understanding. In our diocese alone there exist many great parish-based groups, like St. Francis Xavier’s Refugee, Immigrant and Migrant Ministry (RIM). In our diocese a small but mighty coalition of volunteers have served in the Pastoral Migratoria (PM) group. And not all volunteers are documented. Our parishioners know that you don’t need to be documented to advocate or pray on behalf of your migrant brothers and sisters. “We can all be a light in someone's darkness, regardless of our own status,” says a Sacred Heart parishioner and PM member who for safety reasons wishes to remain anonymous.
As the sun sets on another Sunday at Maria’s parish, she leaves the church feeling a renewed sense of hope. Despite the uncertainties that lie ahead, she finds strength in her faith and her community. For both Hispanic and non-Hispanic Catholics, the call to action is clear: to create a more welcoming and just society for all of God's children.
As Father. Michael McAndrew, CSsR, author of Walk With My People: A Life of Migration Ministry, says, “After thirty years of walking with [migrants], in anxious times, we recall Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe saying to Juan Diego, ‘Am I not here, I am who am your mother?’ Even in the most difficult times, we are not alone.”
[1] Wormald, B., & Wormald, B. (2024, April 14). The religious affiliation of U.S. immigrants: majority Christian, rising share of other faiths. Pew Research Center. https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/2013/05/17/the-religious-affiliation-of-us-immigrants/
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