BUFFALO, NY (WKBW) — The Buffalo Catholic Diocese is amplifying calls for compassion for immigrants through a pastoral letter drawing on more than 130 years of Catholic social teaching.
Bishop Michael Fisher's letter reinforces a message from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops calling to end "de-humanizing rhetoric" and violence against immigrants.
"Jesus himself was an immigrant," Father Mark Noonan, pastor of the Orleans Niagara East Catholic Community, said.
The letter, distributed to priests across the Buffalo Diocese, reinstates a message delivered in mid-November from the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. In their statement, the bishops said, "to our immigrant brothers and sisters, we stand with you in your suffering since when one member suffers, all suffer."
Pope Leo recently responded to the effort, saying, "I think we have to look for ways of treating people humanely, treating people with the dignity that they have."
"The church's teaching on this matter of immigration has been clear and consistent, and it's something that we want to embrace," Noonan said. "We're Christians."
Noonan, who serves an immigrant population, said the issue hits close to home for his congregation.
"Most Americans, most Catholics, we recognize that the dignity of a human person is greater than political gain," he said.
When asked about the fears in his community, Noonan shared widespread anxiety among immigrant families.
"There's a lot of fear, a lot of anxiety. It would surprise most Americans to learn that there are little kids in our neighborhoods, in the neighborhoods that I live in, who are afraid of being separated from their mommy and daddy, who are afraid to go to school, who are afraid just being in their homes," Noonan said.
The message extends beyond the Catholic Church. Pastor emeritus Dan Shifeling of the Church of the Nativity in the town of Tonawanda said the United Church of Christ has formed a "compassion not cruelty" campaign to fight immigration policy.
"We want to be a group of Christians who stand up against that and say, no, that's not true Christianity," Shifeling noted. "Jesus is going to the people who are most in need, people who are sick, people who are mentally ill, people who are poor, people who are actually being shunned by society."
The interfaith effort is expanding across denominations in Western New York.
Rev. Shifeling said they've heard from many who want to fight back.
"We were reaching out to Presbyterian, Methodist and Roman Catholic congregations as well. And here in Western New York, we expect to have a number of those congregations, kind of holding hands and working together very shortly," Shifeling said. "We've already reached out to members at two roman catholic congregations, St. Joe's University, Roman Catholic Church and Blessed Sacrament. Hopefully, they will be able to get permission to go forward with our group."
WATCH: 'Jesus himself was an immigrant': Buffalo Catholic Diocese calls for compassion for immigrants
Bishop Fisher's letter concludes by saying in part, "We can and should do better as Christians, we must."
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