U.S. Bishops issue 'brief summary' about Comprehensive Immigration Reform

Headquarters building for the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops in Washington, D.C.

The campaign for Comprehensive Immigration Reform has reached an important point as bill S.744 has passed the Senate and the House prepares its own approach.

The Catholic church has a long history of supporting comprehensive immigration reform (CIR) and has taken a powerful public stand as many resources and much effort has been put into creating more awareness, engaging and rallying parish support and influencing legislators. The Church has played a leading role in declaring the moral imperative that is before our nation and emphasizing faith-based values and principles as part of any legislation.

The Church's position on immigration reform is deeply rooted in Catholic social teaching. The Justice for Immigrants (JFI) campaign has been the primary vehicle from which the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) has driven its efforts for CIR. JFI has been a leader in the faith community as many dioceses have been actively involved and are making an impact in working through JFI and in collaboration with each other.

In preparation for the next phase of the campaign and to capitalize on the momentum that has been created, JFI is proposing a new effort called "Pilgrimage For Reform."

Pilgrimages have been an important and enduring part of our Catholic faith for hundreds of years. This deeply devotional expression of our faith is simply a purposeful journey to a significant destination and is carried out in a prayerful way. JFI will invite dioceses to organize their own pilgrimage between August 15th (The Feast of the Assumption) and October 15th (The Feast of St. Teresa of Avila). The exact date, location, length, mode, etc... will be up to each diocese to determine.

"Pilgrimage For Reform" will be an opportunity for Catholics throughout the country to take an active and spiritual role in helping to advance CIR, build bridges with immigrant and non-immigrant communities, and strengthen their prayer life. Unlike a march, a pilgrimage is a spiritual journey that deepens both individual and communal devotion through prayer and sacrifice. It is calls us to an intentional destination through intentional action. It can provide an opportunity for reflection, sharing, relationship building and greater understanding of oneself and God?s role in our life. It can also serve as a testament to the further commitment of the Catholic church for CIR and more importantly to the people who are suffering under our current broken immigration system.

Throughout the country, Catholics and non-Catholics will hear about this effort and be moved and inspired to get involved and take action. "Pilgrimage For Reform" has the power to change hearts and minds and, in coordination with other efforts already underway, (i.e. vigils, postcard campaigns and deliveries, Congressional office visits, phones calls, other advocacy events, etc.) can be an effective part in moving CIR forward in a strategic way.

"Pilgrimage For Reform" would, with the cooperation of JFI and various religious orders, run through individual dioceses. Each diocese would determine the:

• Date - Anytime between August 15th - October 15th.

• Length and Duration - 1 or 100 miles or anything in between, each diocese or diocesan JFI team will decide the distance and how many days it will last.

• Route - We encourage that each route be chosen with strategic objectives in mind. Whether to help to promote dialogue and awareness between immigrant and non-immigrant communities and/or draw attention to targeted legislators, the route should be intentional and created based on achieving specific outcomes.

• Mode - Although walking is a more traditional way for pilgrims to participate, other modes of transportation can be used. For instance, pilgrims can walk part of the way and then take buses or cars as well. This should be based on the needs of the pilgrims and to preserve strategic objectives of the route.

• Program - We encourage Mass to be held at various parishes throughout the pilgrimage and to conclude with Mass at a Cathedral or another significant location. We also encourage stories to be shared by immigrants about the role their Catholic faith has played in their lives and the challenges of our current broken immigration system. Rosaries, Chaplets, Liturgy of the Hours and other forms of prayer are highly recommended as well as the Divine Mercy at 3:00 P.M. each day.

• Media Strategy - It is important that community and decision makers take notice of the powerful event taking place and the story and message that emerge. Press and media outlets will need to be engaged and provided with a strong and sound message that lifts up the true nature of the issue and the journey. The USCCB?s JFI campaign can also assist with organizing tele-press conferences in conjunction with a pilgrimage.

• Ways to Involve Others - There are those who cannot walk, but would like to participate and support. They can provide water or food at points along the route. They can help with recruitment. They can also pray at home or with others in solidarity of the pilgrims walking. In addition there are many other immigrant rights groups and affiliated faith partners who are doing good work that could share in the organizing and participation in places where it makes sense.

Once again, JFI encourages each diocese to be creative and organize their own Pilgrimage For Reform that works for them given the resources and energy of their supporters. It is crucial that local parish leadership also assume ownership and are involved. This is a wonderful opportunity to develop leadership. The "Pilgrimage for Reform" is yet another vehicle for supporters and other parishioners to express their support for immigrants and devotion to their Catholic faith. It is also a powerful way to continue building bridges between immigrant and non-immigrant communities as they walk together for a common purpose. A toolkit will be provided for guidance to all dioceses that will participate.

There would also need to be a collaborative effort to promote the pilgrimages and secure media coverage. A communications team should be formed that helps to think through overall messaging and media outreach in order to maximize press and public attention to a pilgrimage. As mentioned the USCCB?s JFI campaign can also assist with organizing tele-press conferences in conjunction with a pilgrimage.

When JFI was launched in May 2005 by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops to make humane and just immigration reform a public policy priority, the path to victory seemed very distant.   Never before have we been so close to finding a lasting solution and never before has the voice of Catholics been so needed to provide hope and a way forward. It is clear that making comprehensive immigration reform a reality will be life altering for millions of families. However there is much more at stake. The next couple of months are crucial not just for the passage of CIR, but for determining who we are as a nation.

To learn more, visit the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) web site:  www.justiceforimmigrants.org