Prelate warns against ‘fortress America’
December 17, 2015
Stating that “the Holy Family lived for years as what today we would call ‘political refugees,’” Archbishop Thomas Wenski of Miami wrote in an op-ed piece that “we cannot give into our fear and retreat into the mindset of a ‘fortress America.’”
Writing in the Miami Herald, he stated that “today there are more than 60 million refugees and internally displaced persons living in our world — the greatest number since the end of World War II. Close to one-third of these people are from Syria and Iraq. And most are surviving in desperate circumstances.”
“Certainly we can and should look at strengthening the already stringent screening program; yet we can do that while still continuing to welcome those in desperate need,” he continued. “Security fears should not be used as a smoke screen to justify heartless and senseless policies that would close our doors to victims of terrorism as the Bethlehem innkeepers closed their doors to the Holy Family that first Christmas.”
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Posted by: unum -
Dec. 18, 2015 8:10 AM ET USA
“Certainly we can and should look at strengthening the already stringent screening program..." How does Abp. Wenski know the U.S. refugee screening program is "stringent"? It troubles me when our bishops dabble in national security and other secular realms that the Church teaches are the responsibility of civil authorities.
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Posted by: Thomas429 -
Dec. 18, 2015 12:38 AM ET USA
Sorry Father, but St. Joseph, Ste. Mary, and the Child God-Man did not pose a threat to Egypt's citizens. Nor did any of those who may have travelled with them. The same cannot be said of the Hajjis from Syria and the rest of the Moslem world.
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Posted by: skall391825 -
Dec. 18, 2015 12:31 AM ET USA
"Are we to refuse to aid millions because a few hundred terrorists are among them?" We, along with the UN, should help them by creating safe zones in the mid-east."Is such a view in conformity with the Gospel" Yes."Do we now only help Christians"? You've got that backwards; Obama helps mostly Islamic refugees from the mid-east.
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Posted by: bernie4871 -
Dec. 17, 2015 8:38 PM ET USA
The Bishop needs to get real.
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Posted by: 1Jn416 -
Dec. 17, 2015 1:57 PM ET USA
Feedback, we have a war-torn region and speaking against war alas won't change that. Are we to refuse to aid millions because a few hundred terrorists are among them? Is such a view in conformity with the Gospel, esp. Mt. 5 to 7 and Mt 25:31-46? Do we now only help Christians (Mt 5:47)? Following the Gospel does not mean being imprudent (Mt 10:16), but we must still follow the Gospel!
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Posted by: feedback -
Dec. 17, 2015 9:03 AM ET USA
War refugees come from wars and it is much better, and much wiser, to speak up against wars than be "welcoming" unlimited crowds of war refugees that represent completely different mentality, culture and religion. The reason for, what Bishop Wenski calls, "senseless policies" is a well-founded fear of those who, unlike the Holy Family, religiously believe in a Heavenly reward for blowing up as many infidels as possible.
