Bishop Robert J. McClory: Church remains committed to caring for migrants
February 22, 2025
Brothers and Sisters,
As we journey together, we must always remain ever attentive to the needs of one another. In these uncertain times, my thoughts and prayers are especially with our migrant brothers and sisters who face immense hardships in their search for safety and dignity. As members of the Church, we are called to live as one family, bound by love and compassion, supporting each other in times of distress. Pope Francis reminds us that each of us is created in God’s image and likeness, compelling us to treat one another with the utmost respect, dignity and kindness – as if we are encountering Christ. In a Feb. 10 letter to the United States Bishops, Pope Francis cites the words with which Pope Pius XII began his Apostolic Constitution on the Care of Migrants:
“The family of Nazareth in exile, Jesus, Mary and Joseph, emigrants in Egypt and refugees there to escape the wrath of an ungodly king, are the model, the example and the consolation of emigrants and pilgrims of every age and country, of all refugees of every condition who, beset by persecution or necessity, are forced to leave their homeland, beloved family and dear friends for foreign lands.” (Exsul Familia Nazarethana, Apostolic Constitution, Pope Pius XII – 1952)
Like Mary and Joseph, there are people in our communities who have left their homeland in search of safety. These people are often devoted, faith-filled members of our parishes and schools who have enriched our communities in numerous ways.
This issue is not an easy one to navigate. As expressed by Archbishop Thompson, the local Church in Indiana supports “meaningful reforms that affirm the desire of so many migrants who wish to contribute fruitfully to society.” (Read his full statement at archindy.org/immigrants2025.html). We must advocate for change that protects the vulnerable while addressing security through well-regulated borders and just limits on immigration. As Pope Francis states: “one must recognize the right of a nation to defend itself and keep communities safe from those who have committed violent or serious crimes while in the country or prior to arrival.”
The Executive Director of the Indiana Catholic Conference, Alexander Mingus, on behalf of the bishops of Indiana, promotes and reports on public policy through the lens of the Catholic Church. In a recent statement on the heightened enforcement of immigration policy he noted that “the men and women and children who are really suffering and who are in great need of loving care” may be “(subject to) immigration enforcement that does not meaningfully advance public safety for Hoosiers or our immigrant brothers and sisters.” (Read the full news article here).
As we reflect on the Holy Father’s Letter to the Bishops of the United States let us turn to the powerful intercession of Our Lady of Guadalupe to pray that our immigrant brothers and sisters may find strength and remain hopeful in these difficult times.
Let us remain Pilgrims of Hope and Missionary Disciples of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.
Your servant,
Most Reverend Robert J. McClory
Bishop
Diocese of Gary