As the largest denomination in the country, Catholic Americans have a lot of voting power. Trump won by the largest margin in decades.
But now Catholic Bishops from this key swing state just handed Trump a major shock.
The Catholic bishops of Georgia reaffirmed the Church’s teachings on immigration in a statement issued on Feb. 4, expressing their solidarity with immigrants while also acknowledging the need for law and order.
Archbishop Gregory J. Hartmayer of the Archdiocese of Atlanta, Bishop Stephen D. Parkes of the Diocese of Savannah, and three auxiliary bishops of Atlanta signed the statement, which was published in The Georgia Bulletin.
In their message, the bishops emphasized that every human being has inherent dignity, as they are created in God’s image.
They stressed that immigrants, regardless of status, should be treated with respect and compassion.
However, they also voiced concerns that certain immigration policies under discussion could have harmful consequences for immigrant communities.
At the same time, the bishops made it clear that criminal activity cannot be ignored.
“However,” they wrote, “we also understand and agree that those who come to our country with previous criminal records and those who commit crimes after their arrival must be held accountable and deported to their home countries.”
The statement echoed Archbishop Timothy Broglio’s response to President Donald Trump’s recent executive orders on immigration, reaffirming the Church’s long-held stance: while people have the right to seek a better life for themselves and their families, nations also have the right to secure their borders.
“The call and desire of every Catholic, regardless of national origin or legal status, is to worship the Almighty,” the bishops wrote.
“And we pray that our churches may be places of peace through solemn prayer, places of grace afforded by the celebration of the Sacraments, and places of compassion provided by fellowship and accompaniment.”
The bishops concluded with a message of hope and unity, lifting up prayers for immigrants and all those on the margins of society.
“We also lift in prayer our immigrant brothers and sisters and all who are marginalized, that the light of Christ will guide them to peace. During this Jubilee Year and always, may we have the desire to journey together as Pilgrims of Hope.”
This comes on the heels of Bishop Michael Burbidge of Arlington, Virginia coming to the defense of Trump’s immigration policy.
“Even when immigration reform includes repatriation of those persons who have committed violent crimes, or who otherwise violate the terms of a right to remain, human dignity can be respected,” he wrote.
“We must not presume a conflict between human dignity and the rule of law.” Bishop Burbidge also acknowledged the reality of crime within some immigrant populations. “Sadly, some of those who have entered our country, legally or illegally, have committed serious crimes,” he wrote.
“There must be consequences for such behavior, as there is no place for violence, trafficking, or gang activity in our society. Our laws exist to safeguard the good of all, and they must be respected.”
Quoting other Catholic bishops who have recently addressed immigration in response to federal deportation raids, Bishop Burbidge affirmed their shared position “that every country has the right and the responsibility ‘to promote public order, safety, and security through well-regulated borders and just limits on immigration.’”
Though the self-identified Catholic electorate in this country has split between Left and Right, we may be seeing a seismic shift.
Stay tuned to Prudent Politics.
