Category: Diocese of Scranton News

(OSV News) – “Let me say very simply: I want more babies in the United States of America,” Vice President JD Vance told a cheering crowd at the 52nd National March for Life Jan. 24.

“I want more happy children in our country, and I want beautiful young men and women who are eager to welcome them into the world and eager to raise them,” he said. “And it is the task of our government to make it easier for young moms and dads to afford to have kids, to bring them into the world, and to welcome them as the blessings that we know they are, here at the March for Life.”

In his first public appearance following Inauguration Day, Vance was the final speaker at the annual march’s two-hour rally preceding attendees’ walk from the Washington Monument grounds to the U.S. Supreme Court Building. Other speakers included Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., and House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La. It is the first time both leaders of Congress’s chambers attended a March for Life.

While most speakers — policymakers and pro-life advocates — spoke specifically about making abortion “illegal and unthinkable” in post-Dobbs America, Vance championed a pro-family vision that not only rejected abortion, but also supported raising children.

Noting his own three young children, Vance, who is Catholic, said, “The task of our movement is to protect innocent life. It’s to defend the unborn; and it’s also to be pro-family and pro-life in the fullest sense of that word possible.”

As in years past, the march drew tens of thousands, many of them young adults. Some traveled more than a day on buses, missing high school and college classes to join others along the National Mall in the mid-Atlantic cold. They held signs reading “Love them Both,” “Life is our Revolution” and “Defund Planned Parenthood,” the largest U.S. abortion provider.

The 2025 march also commemorated a leadership change for the event’s organization, with longtime president Jeanne Mancini handing off her role to March for Life’s incoming president, Jennie Bradley Lichter. While Mancini emceed the 2025 march, both women spoke, with Bradley Lichter also introducing Vance.

The march was founded to protest Roe v. Wade, the 1973 Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion in all 50 states. That decision was overturned in 2022 with the court’s Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision, thus returning abortion policy to lawmakers. At the rally, March for Life leaders addressed the march’s role in the changed abortion landscape, with abortion laws now varying widely by state. The march, they insisted, must continue.

“Today we affirm that the pro-life generation will not rest until every single abortion facility in our nation closes its door for good. We will march until every child is protected by federal law, until abortion is unthinkable, and until every pregnant woman receives excellent prenatal care,” said Hannah Lape, president of Wheaton College Voice for Life. Her group carried the 2025 march’s iconic banner.

“With the new administration and the fall of Roe v. Wade, the next four years of America’s history will be defined either by courage or by cowardice,” she said. “Abortion is not a state’s rights issue to be ignored. It is a fundamental human rights crisis weighing on America’s shoulders. Our country cannot be great until the preborn are protected, and are protected (with) the right to life.”

The march came four days after President Donald Trump was sworn in for his second term, following a campaign that disappointed many pro-life advocates in certain respects. Trump was hailed for pro-life actions during his first term. Since then, he reversed support for a federal abortion ban, stating he believes U.S. states should determine their own abortion laws. He also posted on social media positively about “reproductive rights,” and indicated he would not restrict access to mifepristone. The drug, while it is prescribed in some miscarriage care protocols, is widely used for nearly two-thirds of abortions in the U.S.

How Trump’s campaign statements on abortion affect policy-making remain to be seen. But many pro-life leaders appear optimistic about the new administration. The day before the March for Life, Trump pardoned 23 pro-life activists convicted of violating the federal Freedom of Access to Clinics (FACE) Act. The activists, many of whom Trump said were elderly, had been convicted for blocking access to abortion clinics. An executive order on gender Trump issued earlier in the week also defined life as beginning at conception, a point House Speaker Johnson noted at the march rally.

Johnson was among House members who passed the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act Jan. 23, the day after Democrats blocked a companion bill in the Senate.

In a video played at the march, Trump touted his pro-life record and said that in his second term “we will again stand proudly for families and for life.”

“We will protect the historic gains we have made and stop the radical Democrat push for a federal right to unlimited abortion on demand, up to the moment of birth and even after birth,” he said.

A majority of Americans support some legal limits on abortion, while keeping the practice largely intact, according to a Knights of Columbus-Marist poll released Jan. 23. The annual survey found that 83% of Americans supported pregnancy resource centers and 67% of Americans support some legal limits for abortion. But 60% support limiting abortions to the first three months of pregnancy — a limit that would leave most abortions legal as nine out of 10 abortions occur in the first trimester.

“All of you here — all of you — have the power to change minds,” Lila Rose, a Catholic and longtime pro-life advocate, told the crowd during the march rally. “You are the voice for those who have no voice. Remember, science is on our side. The truth is on our side. We must simply have the courage to speak the truth with love.”

The March for Life was preceded by two large-scale events: Life Fest 2025 at EagleBank Arena in Fairfax, Virginia, held the evening before and the morning of the march; and the National Prayer Vigil for Life at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington.

The Sisters of Life, the Knights of Columbus and the Diocese of Arlington, Virginia, united to present the two-day Life Fest event, which drew almost 8,000. At the national shrine, Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann of Kansas City, Kansas, was the main celebrant and homilist at the prayer vigil’s opening Mass Jan. 23, with Bishop Robert J. Brennan of Brooklyn, New York, the main celebrant of the closing liturgy Jan. 24. Archbishop Naumann also gave an opening prayer at the March for Life.

Marcela Rojas, who lives in the Archdiocese of New York, said that she attended the march with a group of 75 people, many of them mothers who brought their small children.

“Within our being, in our womb, there is a life,” she said of pregnant mothers. “It is a life that we cannot choose for. It is already another life that does not belong to us, and we are not the ones to decide whether it lives or not.”

SCRANTON – The Most Reverend Joseph C. Bambera, Bishop of Scranton, will celebrate Mass for the 33rd World Day of the Sick on Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2025, at 12:10 p.m. at the Cathedral of Saint Peter in Scranton.

The commemoration of the World Day of the Sick not only provides an opportunity to devote special attention to those who are ill, but is also a celebration of God’s works of mercy, especially through those who work tirelessly in the healthcare field.

The World Day of the Sick Mass at the Cathedral of Saint Peter will feature the Liturgy of the Anointing. Any person who wishes to receive the Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick will be invited to approach the bishop/priest with their hands open and palms facing up. The bishop/priest will anoint both the forehead and hands of the sick person.

Last year, Pope Francis reminded all faithful that the sacrament of the anointing of the sick is not just for those who are nearing the end of their life.

“Let us remember that the anointing of the sick is one of the ‘sacraments of healing,’ of ‘restoration,’ that heals the spirit,” the pope said in a video message released in July by the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network.

For the month of July 2024, the pope dedicated his prayer intention to the pastoral care of the sick.

“The anointing of the sick is not a sacrament only for those who are at the point of death,” the pope said, emphasizing “it is important that this is clear.”

Having a priest or bishop give the sacrament does not necessarily mean saying “goodbye to life,” he said. “Thinking this way means giving up every hope.”

“When a person is very ill, it’s advisable to give them the anointing of the sick. And when someone is elderly, it’s good that they receive the anointing of the sick,” Pope Francis said, underlining how there is no need to wait until a person experiencing a serious illness is at the point of death to receive the sacrament.

“Let us pray that the sacrament of the anointing of the sick grant the Lord’s strength to those who receive it and to their loved ones, and that it may become for everyone an ever more visible sign of compassion and hope,” he said.

CTV: Catholic Television of the Diocese of Scranton will provide a live broadcast of the Mass for those unable to attend.

SCRANTON – In advance of National Disability Awareness Month in March, the Diocese of Scranton will hold its annual Mass for Persons with Disabilities on Sunday, Feb. 9, 2025, at 10 a.m. at the Cathedral of Saint Peter in Scranton.

All people, including those with special abilities, have gifts to contribute to the life of the Church. The Diocese of Scranton embraces and welcomes the talents of all individuals in building up the Kingdom of God.

The Most Reverend Joseph C. Bambera, Bishop of Scranton, will serve as principal celebrant and homilist at this special Mass.

The Mass is open to everyone. It will be broadcast live on CTV: Catholic Television of the Diocese of Scranton. The Mass will also be livestream on the Diocese of Scranton website, YouTube channel and links will be provided on all Diocesan social media platforms.

A lite reception will be held following the Mass at the Diocesan Pastoral Center, 330 Wyoming Avenue, Scranton.

Partners in the annual Mass for Persons with Disabilities include Saint Joseph’s Center in Scranton and the Order of the Alhambra. For more information, visit dioceseofscranton.org.

HAZLETON – Despite a storm on Jan. 19 that dropped several inches of snow in the Hazleton area, roughly 900 people gathered to celebrate a special Mass in honor of the Feast of Our Lady of Altagracia.

The Most Rev. Joseph C. Bambera, Bishop of Scranton, served as principal celebrant of the Mass, which was held in the gymnasium of Holy Family Academy to accommodate the large crowd.

“We’re a joyful people and it shows,” parishioner Rafael Perez of Annunciation Parish, explained. “This is what brings us together … It is our faith that makes us one. That is what we celebrate.”

Three parishes that regularly hold Spanish Masses – Annunciation Parish in Hazleton; Queen of Heaven Parish in Hazleton; and Holy Name of Jesus Parish in West Hazleton – work together to plan all aspects of the liturgy.

“This is a great day,” parishioner Eugenio Sosa of Queen of Heaven Parish, said. “It is a great tradition. It is a great celebration around the world, and as you can see in Hazleton, it’s a big celebration.”

Our Lady of Altagracia is the patroness of the Dominican Republic. Under that title, the Blessed Virgin Mary continues to be revered by people of Dominican heritage in the United States.

The feast of Our Lady of Altagracia (which is Jan. 21 each year) derives from a popular image of Mary painted in the 16^th century which shows a woman’s image in front of her child, and behind her is Joseph, as it is written in Revelation 12:5.

(OSV News) – The State Department has canceled all refugee travel to the U.S., following a Jan. 20 executive order by newly inaugurated President Donald Trump.

In addition, a Biden administration program that enabled private U.S. citizens to sponsor refugees has also been halted.

“Preventing any access to asylum and other protections will only endanger those who are most vulnerable and deserving of relief, while empowering gangs and other predators to exploit them,” Bishop Mark J. Seitz of El Paso, Texas, and chair of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee on Migration, said in a Jan. 22 statement. “Likewise, indefinitely halting refugee resettlement is unmerited, as it is already proven to be one of the most secure legal pathways to the United States.”

In a statement issued Jan. 22, the USCCB president, Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio of the U.S. Archdiocese for the Military Services, said Trump’s executive orders on the treatment of immigrants and refugees were among those the bishops found “deeply troubling and will have negative consequences, many of which will harm the most vulnerable among us.”

“No matter who occupies the White House or holds the majority on Capitol Hill, the Church’s teachings remain unchanged,” he said in his statement. “It is our hope that the leadership of our Country will reconsider those actions which disregard not only the human dignity of a few, but of us all.”

Trump’s executive order on refugees gave the State Department until Jan. 27 before suspending refugee processing and travel, which had been overseen by the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program. USRAP has been offlined by the order until “further entry into the United States of refugees aligns with the interests of the United States,” the executive order declared.

Trump said the nation “lacks the ability to absorb large numbers of migrants, and in particular, refugees, into its communities in a manner that does not compromise the availability of resources for Americans, that protects their safety and security, and that ensures the appropriate assimilation of refugees.”

While the suspension was slated for Jan. 27, internal documents reviewed by The Associated Press showed the suspension took immediate effect Jan. 21.

Guidance reviewed by CBS News and reported by its media partner, BBC News, also indicated that the suspension, at present, does not impact Special Immigrant Visa holders. Those visas are granted to those who have assisted the U.S. military as translators and interpreters.

While often used interchangeably, the terms “migrant” and “refugee” are separately defined under international law, with refugees specifically protected due to perilous conditions — such as war or persecution — that make returning to the country of origin impossible. No uniform definitions of “migrant” or “forced migration” exist at the international level, according to the United Nations. However, migrants are nonetheless protected as human persons under international human rights law.

Under the U.S. Immigration and Nationality Act, refugees are persons who have left their countries of origin and are unwilling or unable to return, due to actual or well-founded fear of persecution on account of race, religion, nationality, social group or political opinion. Asylum is a form of protection extended by the U.S. to refugees who are already in the U.S. or seek admission at a port of entry.

“The U.S. refugee program helps some of the most vulnerable people on earth, refugees whose lives are literally in danger,” J. Kevin Appleby, senior fellow for policy and communications at the Center for Migration Studies of New York, told OSV News in a Jan. 22 email.

“To shut the door on refugee families who have already been processed, vetted, and prepared to travel is the height of cruelty,” said Appleby, who served as the USCCB’s director of migration policy and public affairs from 1998-2016.

“The program has successfully resettled refugees in the U.S. over the decades without a security breach,” said Appleby. “There is no justified reason to halt it, other than to serve an anti-immigrant agenda.”

Bishop Seitz explained in his statement that the Catholic Church “is committed to defending the sanctity of every human life and the God-given dignity of each person, regardless of nationality or immigration status.”

“Church teaching recognizes a country’s right and responsibility to promote public order, safety, and security through well-regulated borders and just limits on immigration,” Bishop Seitz explained. “However, as shepherds, we cannot abide injustice, and we stress that national self-interest does not justify policies with consequences that are contrary to the moral law.”

While the Trump administration has made a welcome emphasis on fighting human trafficking, the bishop said several of Trump’s executive orders were “specifically intended to eviscerate humanitarian protections enshrined in federal law and undermine due process, subjecting vulnerable families and children to grave danger.”

He also condemned the “use of sweeping generalizations to denigrate any group, such as describing all undocumented immigrants as ‘criminals’ or ‘invaders,’ to deprive them of protection under the law.” Bishop Seitz said this behavior “is an affront to God, who has created each of us in his own image.”

Bishop Seitz called on the president to “to pivot from these enforcement-only policies to just and merciful solutions, working in good faith with members of Congress to achieve meaningful, bipartisan immigration reform that furthers the common good with an effective, orderly immigration system.”

WASHINGTON (OSV News) – Executive orders signed by President Donald Trump on issues including migration, the environment and the death penalty are “deeply troubling,” Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, said in a Jan. 22 statement, while praising another on gender policy.

Among the first acts of his second term beginning Jan. 20, Trump signed a slew of executive orders. Some implement his hardline policies on immigration, including seeking to change the interpretation of birthright citizenship under the 14th Amendment, an order that prompted a legal challenge.

Others include withdrawing from the 2015 Paris Agreement on climate and another sought to expand the use of the federal death penalty. Trump also signed an order directing the U.S. government to only recognize two sexes, male and female.

Archbishop Broglio, who heads the U.S. Archdiocese for the Military Services, said many of the topics that the first batch of executive orders concern “are matters on which the Church has much to offer.”

“Some provisions contained in the Executive Orders, such as those focused on the treatment of immigrants and refugees, foreign aid, expansion of the death penalty, and the environment, are deeply troubling and will have negative consequences, many of which will harm the most vulnerable among us,” he said. “Other provisions in the Executive Orders can be seen in a more positive light, such as recognizing the truth about each human person as male or female.”

Archbishop Broglio stressed that neither the Catholic Church nor the USCCB is “aligned with any political party.”

“No matter who occupies the White House or holds the majority on Capitol Hill, the Church’s teachings remain unchanged,” he said. “It is our hope that the leadership of our Country will reconsider those actions which disregard not only the human dignity of a few, but of us all.”

Executive orders are legally binding directives from the president and are published in the Federal Register. At the same time, the term “executive actions” is broader and may include informal proposals for policy the president would like to see enacted. While it is typical for new presidents to issue some executive orders on their first day in office to signal certain priorities, Trump signed a larger number of orders than usual.

Citing the current Jubilee Year of Hope declared by Pope Francis, Archbishop Broglio said, “As Christians, our hope is always in Jesus Christ, who guides us through storm and calm weather.

“He is the source of all truth,” Archbishop Broglio said. “Our prayer is one of hope that, as a Nation blessed with many gifts, our actions demonstrate a genuine care for our most vulnerable sisters and brothers, including the unborn, the poor, the elderly and infirm, and migrants and refugees. The just Judge expects nothing less.”

Also among its first actions, the Trump administration said Jan. 21 it would rescind a long-standing policy preventing Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents from making arrests at what are seen as sensitive locations, including houses of worship, schools and hospitals.

Bishop Mark J. Seitz of El Paso, Texas, said in a Jan. 21 statement the policy change is one of “many drastic actions from the federal government related to immigration that deeply affect our local community and raise urgent moral and human concerns.”

Bishop Seitz, who heads the USCCB’s migration committee, told reporters at the bishops’ general assembly in November that the bishops would watch how Trump’s migration policy actually unfolds and “raise our voice loudly” if those policies violate basic human rights protections.

WASHINGTON (OSV News) – President Donald Trump signed executive orders Jan. 20 that direct the U.S. government to only recognize two sexes, male and female, and another ending diversity, equity and inclusion programs within federal agencies.

In an order titled “Defending Women From Gender Ideology Extremism And Restoring Biological Truth To The Federal Government,” Trump directed, “It is the policy of the United States to recognize two sexes, male and female. These sexes are not changeable and are grounded in fundamental and incontrovertible reality.”

The order also directed that government-issued identification documents, “including passports, visas, and Global Entry cards, accurately reflect the holder’s sex.”

The issue of policy concerning people who identify as transgender was a hot-button topic during the 2024 election, with Trump running ads saying the agenda of his rival, then-Vice President Kamala Harris, was for “they/them, not you.”

A still-pending ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court on a Tennessee state law banning certain types of medical or surgical gender reassignment procedures for minors who identify as transgender may bring the issue back to the forefront during Trump’s second term.

Kristen Waggoner, CEO, president and general counsel for Alliance Defending Freedom, called the order “momentous.”

“It’s a 180-degree turn back toward reality and common sense,” Waggoner said in a statement. “Men and women have real biological differences. When the law denies this, people suffer. ADF has represented female athletes deprived of fairness, privacy, and safety; students deprived of free speech; parents deprived of decision-making authority for their children; teachers deprived of conscience rights; and schools deprived of funding. This executive order is a victory for them.”

Kevin Jennings, CEO of Lambda Legal, an LGBTQ+ policy group, issued a statement vowing to push back on “Trump’s first actions in office targeting LGBTQ+ people.”

“The Trump administration is targeting, among others: transgender and intersex people, especially youth, denying them access to essential public facilities, school programs, and the same medically recommended health care that is readily available to their cisgender peers; anti-bias programming and protections in the workplace; and transgender, intersex, and nonbinary people who only seek to have accurate identity documents,” Jennings said, adding the group was exploring “every legal avenue” to challenge the orders.

In guidance on health care policy and practices released in March 2023, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee on Doctrine outlined the church’s teaching that “just as bodiliness is a fundamental aspect of human existence, so is either ‘being a man’ or ‘being a woman’ a fundamental aspect of existence as a human being, expressing a person’s unitive and procreative finality.”

A 2022 study by the UCLA Williams Institute found that there are approximately 1.6 million people — adults and youth over age 13 — in the U.S. who identify as transgender.

WASHINGTON (OSV News) – A coalition of advocacy groups led by the American Civil Liberties Union filed a federal lawsuit Jan. 20 challenging President Donald Trump’s Day 1 executive order seeking to change the interpretation of the 14th Amendment, which grants birthright citizenship.

Catholic immigration advocates praised the challenge to that order, with some expressing concern about Trump’s immigration actions more broadly.

As part of a series of Day 1 actions, Trump signed executive orders to implement some of his signature hardline immigration policies, including one seeking to end the practice of birthright citizenship.

The 14th Amendment states, “All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside,” but Trump told reporters in the Oval Office “we’re the only country in the world that does this.”

As has been reported in various media, the United States is one of at least 30 countries, including Canada and Mexico, in which the principle of “jus soli” or “right of soil” applies, which grants citizenship without restrictions, regardless of the immigration status of the parents.

Trump’s order directed federal agencies to stop issuing passports, citizenship certificates and other official documents to children born in the U.S. to parents without legal status or temporary visa holders. The order would not apply retroactively, Trump said, and would be enforced in 30 days.

A lawsuit by the ACLU challenged that order almost immediately after it was signed.

“Denying citizenship to U.S.-born children is not only unconstitutional — it’s also a reckless and ruthless repudiation of American values,” Anthony D. Romero, executive director of the ACLU, said in a statement. “Birthright citizenship is part of what makes the United States the strong and dynamic nation that it is. This order seeks to repeat one of the gravest errors in American history, by creating a permanent subclass of people born in the U.S. who are denied full rights as Americans.

“We will not let this attack on newborns and future generations of Americans go unchallenged. The Trump administration’s overreach is so egregious that we are confident we will ultimately prevail.”

J. Kevin Appleby, senior fellow for policy at the Center for Migration Studies of New York and the former director of migration policy for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, told OSV News Jan. 21 that while “it is likely that the courts will strike it down, Trump’s birthright citizenship executive order would essentially create a large stateless population in the country without the full rights and protections given to citizens.”

“It would primarily harm children and is another attempt to divide the country and create a permanent underclass,” he said. “How cruel.”

The Catholic Legal Immigration Network Inc., or CLINIC, issued a statement Jan. 21 condemning Trump’s immigration orders, which also included the suspension of a task force to reunite families deliberately separated at the border. Another order suspended some U.S. refugee programs, including one for Afghans cleared by the U.S. government to resettle in the U.S. due to threats by the Taliban after they aided the U.S.

“As Catholics, we are called to uphold the dignity of every person, regardless of where they come from,” Anna Gallagher, CLINIC executive director, said in a statement. “These dehumanizing executive orders contradict our core values of compassion, justice, and the biblical mandate to welcome the stranger. They threaten the very fabric of our society and the protections that have long made the United States a beacon of hope for immigrants and refugees.”

Gallagher added, “Now, more than ever, we must come together as people of faith and conscience to resist policies that marginalize and dehumanize our immigrant brothers and sisters. CLINIC will continue to work tirelessly to ensure that immigrants and refugees are treated with the respect and care they deserve.”

Hardline immigration policies, including his call for mass deportations, were a core tenant of the platform Trump campaigned on. While the specifics on how the White House may carry out a mass deportation program are not yet fully clear, mass deportations more broadly run contrary to the Second Vatican Council’s teaching in “Gaudium et Spes” condemning “deportation” among other actions, such as abortion, that “poison human society” and give “supreme dishonor to the Creator,” a teaching St. John Paul II affirmed in two encyclicals on moral truth and life issues.

Executive orders are legally binding directives from the president and are published in the Federal Register. Conversely, the term “executive actions” is broader and may include informal proposals for policy the president would like to see enacted. While it is typical for new presidents to issue some executive orders on their first day to signal certain priorities, Trump signaled plans that were broader in scope. Some of Trump’s other orders are expected to face legal challenges.

“It’s one thing to sign executive orders, but quite another to implement them,” Appleby said. “Trump cannot simply wave his magic wand and they will happen. There will be resistance to these policies among advocates, faith groups, state and local jurisdictions, the courts and members of Congress. The fight has just begun.”

WASHINGTON (OSV News) – The Trump administration said Jan. 21 it would rescind a long-standing policy preventing Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents from making arrests at what are seen as sensitive locations, including houses of worship, schools and hospitals.

Prior to his second inauguration, Trump’s transition team indicated his administration would scrap the long-standing ICE policy — which prohibits immigration enforcement arrests at such locations, as well as other sensitive events like weddings and funerals without approval from supervisors. Catholic immigration advocates expressed alarm at the announcement.

Acting Department of Homeland Security Secretary Benjamine Huffman directed on Jan. 20 that those guidelines be rescinded, as well as another directive restricting parameters for humanitarian parole, a DHS spokesperson said.

“This action empowers the brave men and women in CBP and ICE to enforce our immigration laws and catch criminal aliens — including murders and rapists — who have illegally come into our country,” a DHS spokesperson said. “Criminals will no longer be able to hide in America’s schools and churches to avoid arrest. The Trump Administration will not tie the hands of our brave law enforcement, and instead trusts them to use common sense.”

Bishop Mark J. Seitz of El Paso, Texas, said in a Jan. 21 statement the policy change is one of “many drastic actions from the federal government related to immigration that deeply affect our local community and raise urgent moral and human concerns.”

“The end of the Department of Homeland Security’s sensitive locations policy strikes fear into the heart of our community, cynically layering a blanket of anxiety on families when they are worshiping God, seeking healthcare and dropping off and picking up children at school,” Bishop Seitz said. “We have also seen the rapid and indiscriminate closure of the border to asylum seekers and the return of the ill-conceived Remain in Mexico policy, violating due process and restricting the few legal options available to the most vulnerable who knock on our door seeking compassion and aid.”

Bishop Seitz added that he wanted to assure El Paso’s immigrant community that “whatever your faith and wherever you come from, we make your anxieties and fears at this moment our own.”

“We stand with you in this moment of family and personal crisis and pledge to you our solidarity, trusting that the Lord, Jesus Christ, will bring about good even from this moment of pain, and that this time of trial will be just a prelude to real reform, a reconciled society and justice for all those who are forced to migrate,” he said.

The Diocese of El Paso, Bishop Seitz added, “will continue to educate our faithful on their rights, provide legal services and work with our community leaders to mitigate the damage of indiscriminate immigration enforcement. Through our Border Refugee Assistance Fund, in partnership with the Hope Border Institute, we are preparing to channel additional humanitarian aid to migrants stranded in our sister city of Ciudad Juarez.”

Dylan Corbett, executive director of Hope Border Institute, told OSV News, “The reversal of the sensitive locations policy is gravely troubling and will have an immediate impact on families in our parishes as well as on our Catholic educational institutions and service organizations.”

“It is an attack on members of our community at pivotal moments in their life — dropping off and picking up children, seeking out health care and worshipping God,” he said. “There are serious religious liberty implications and it strikes at the core of the trust that is indispensable to a safe community. It is also a sad and troubling step in the direction of indiscriminate deportations.”

South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, who has also taken hardline immigration positions, is Trump’s nominee to lead the Department of Homeland Security, but she has not yet been confirmed by the Senate.

VATICAN CITY (CNS) – Pope Francis told U.S. President Donald Trump he hoped that the nation would prosper under his leadership and make no room for hatred, discrimination or exclusion.

The pope offered his “cordial greetings and the assurance of my prayers that Almighty God will grant you wisdom, strength and protection in the exercise of your high duties,” in a message marking Trump’s inauguration as the 47th president of the United States Jan. 20.

“Inspired by your nation’s ideals of being a land of opportunity and welcome for all, it is my hope that under your leadership the American people will prosper and always strive to build a more just society, where there is no room for hatred, discrimination or exclusion,” the pope wrote.

“At the same time, as our human family faces numerous challenges, not to mention the scourge of war, I also ask God to guide your efforts in promoting peace and reconciliation among peoples,” the message said.

Pope Francis also invoked “upon you, your family, and the beloved American people an abundance of divine blessings.”