USCCB ends refugee agreements with federal government
Purple Catholic Saturday Post
This week, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops announced that it would be ending its cooperative agreement with the federal government to care for migrants and refugees. This is a sad turn of events in our country.
Back in February, the State Department cancelled a contract with the USCCB that outsourced refugee resettlement services. This came after the federal government quit paying the USCCB for services it had already provided. Because of the non-payment, the USCC took the federal government to court, and as of this writing, I am not aware of any outcomes from that lawsuit.
For decades, the USCCB has worked with refugees on behalf of the government to make sure they are placed in safe environments, children are provided with education, and adults can find employment.
The USCCB has stepped up to this role because the government understood (more than fifty years ago) that it would be unable to handle this as efficiently as other outside groups.
This week, Archbishop Timothy Broglio took to the pages of the Washington Post to explain the USCCB’s decision. He writes that the cancellation of funding “forced us to reconsider the best way to serve the needs of our brothers and sisters seeking safe harbor from violence and persecution.” He adds later on that this does not mean the end of support of refugees, but that it will necessarily look different in the future.
Now, as I said on Ave Maria Radio earlier this week, I hear and understand the critique that maybe the USCCB shouldn’t be engaging on contracts with the federal government. I answer that: this relationship has spanned many administrations and political parties, and who better to help assist migrants and refugees than individuals that have the clearest understanding of what a human is.
As Catholics, we are the people with the only consistent definition of life and personhood throughout the centuries. We know that human value doesn’t come from class or race or age or disability. That is why our organizations are more fit than others to ensure that the dignity of all people, especially the most vulnerable, is respected.
It is sad that in the name of government efficiency or border security, the federal government has decided to end an agreement that is necessarily more efficient than what it could accomplish and has nothing to do with the border.
The individuals the USCCB was involved with were not random people crossing the border. These individuals were vetted and brought to the US. As Archbishop Broglio writes, “Some of these people assisted American efforts abroad at their own risk, such as by serving as translators for the U.S. military in Afghanistan. Some were fleeing countries with oppressive governments, such as Venezuela, Nicaragua, Somalia and many other places. Others were seeking a place to live where they could safely practice their faith.”
And to my conservative friends who think the government is too big and bloated, why would it be a good idea for the federal government to take something in-house that an outside organization has handled successfully for decades?
As Catholics we must remember the two greatest commandments Jesus gave us: Love God and love our neighbor. Is leaving people in their current distressing situations the right way to do that?
The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches us that “The more prosperous nations are obliged, to the extent they are able, to welcome the foreigner in search of the security and the means of livelihood which he cannot find in his country of origin.” (2241) Are we not an able country with the resources to care for these individuals?
I want to be clear that I am not laying blame on the USCCB; it was put in an impossible situation. But it is a sad day in our country when our government has decided that aiding those who need the most help is not a priority.
End of Michigan Mornings® (for now)
This week will be the last week of my morning radio program, Michigan Mornings®, on Ave Maria Radio. As Ave Maria Radio expands and grows, it is working on new and more expansive programming, they must make changes.
I am very grateful for the opportunity to share news and inspiration with you every morning on the archetypal Catholic radio station.
This is not the end of my relationship with Ave Maria Radio. Beginning on Easter Monday, I will be anchoring the news on Morning Offering, a current radio program in Toledo that is expanding into Michigan on Ave Maria Radio.
Each morning, tune in for prayer and inspiration, news and information, lots of great guests, and a few laughs along the way. You can listen on Annunciation Radio in Toledo, Ohio or any of Ave Maria Radio’s stations (I’ve included a complete list of stations below).
Thanks again for checking out my program every morning, and Lord willing, I will be sharing some exciting new programming with you soon.
Listen to Ave Maria Radio in Michigan!
Ann Arbor / Detroit - 990 AM
Ann Arbor - 107.9 FM
Southfield - 105.5 FM
Bay City / Saginaw - 1440 AM
Midland - 105.9 FM
Lansing - 1390 AM
CLICK HERE to stream online!
Listen to Annunciation Radio in northwest Ohio!
Toledo - 89.7 FM
Mansfield / Lexington - 89.5 FM
Sandusky / Port Clinton - 88.1 FM
Willard - 90.9 FM
Bryan - 89.9 FM
The Stations of the Cross with St. Thomas Aquinas
Dino Piccinini and Matthew Handley
$5.99 paperback / $1.99 Kindle
Meditate upon Jesus' passion and death on the cross with selections from Scripture and St. Thomas Aquinas's writings. Each station features a scripture passage that shares the story of Jesus' walk to Calvary, a reflection on that station from the Summa Theologiae, and a scriptural meditation. Proceeds earned from purchases during Lent will be donated to Aid to the Church in Need.
Palm Sunday of the Lord's Passion
Tomorrow is Palm Sunday, the last Sunday in Lent. At many parishes, there will be a procession, and at those churches, we will hear an extra Gospel reading at the beginning of Mass: Luke 19:28-40. In this Gospel, Jesus sends two disciples to find a colt and bring it to him. Then he rides into Jerusalem, thus fulfilling the prophecy of Zechariah:
Lo, your king comes to you;
triumphant and victorious is he,
humble and riding on an ass,
on a colt the foal of an ass. (9:9)
During Mass, the readings will be Isaiah 50:4-7, Psalm 22, Philippians 2:6-11, and Luke 22:14—23:56.
And being found in human form he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name which is above every name,
Phillipians 2:8-9
In the news:
The United States
U.S. bishops urge Congress to back religious worker visa bill - Catholic News Agency
There will come soft rains - Francis X. Maier in the Catholic Thing
Who will succeed Cardinal Dolan — and when? - JD Flynn in the Pillar
Watching ‘The Chosen’ in prison - America Magazine
For those who need some red: Is the family still fundamental? - James Kalb in Catholic World Report
For those who need some blue: Trump’s attacks on immigrants hurt all Americans—and our democracy - The Editors of America Magazine
The Vatican
King Charles and Queen Camilla visit Pope Francis on their anniversary - Vatican News
Does the Vatican have group chats? - The Pillar
Suspicious financial reports down in Vatican, watchdog finds - The Pillar
The World
Why did India’s bishops back a bill opposed by Muslim leaders? - The Pillar
Nicaraguan priests must submit homilies for police inspection - The Pillar
Have a good weekend,
Matthew