Bishop McManus and superintendent of diocesan Catholic schools, David Perda, issued statements Friday in response to recent changes in federal immigration policies regarding churches and schools.
In an announcement on Jan. 21 by the acting secretary for the Department of Homeland Security, Benjamine Huffman, the Trump administration rescinded previous guidelines in place for Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection.
ICE and CBP are now allowed to make arrests at schools and churches among other so-called “sensitive” places.
In his statement, that coincided with the 52nd annual March for Life in Washington D.C., Bishop McManus asserted the fundamental dignity of all people.
"As Catholics we can never abandon a fundamental tenet of our faith: every person from conception to natural death is made in the image and likeness of God and is loved by God and, as such, deserves to be treated with dignity,” he stated.
“This applies not only to the child in the womb ... but also migrants, refugees, the homeless and all who are facing physical and emotional distress. We are all God’s children.”
Echoing a statement by Bishop Mark Seitz, bishop of El Paso, Texas, and chairman of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops Committee on Migration, the prelates acknowledged that the Church recognizes that a country has the “right and responsibility to promote public order, safety, and security through well-regulated borders and just limits on immigration,” but stressed “that national self-interest does not justify policies with consequences that are contrary to the moral law.”
Bishop McManus called on everyone to pray for the federal government to find “better ways to resolve the crisis at the borders” and that it will continue to respect the freedom and rights of all Americans to worship in churches.
“Our churches are public places to which people come to seek God’s comfort and hope; we cannot turn them into places where people at prayer do not feel safe,” Bishop McManus wrote.
Catholic Schools in the Diocese of Worcester
In a letter sent to parents and guardians of Catholic school students, Superintendent Perda joined with other dioceses and public-school systems in expressing concern about the newly announced immigration policy changes.
Superintendent Perda wrote that he was unaware of any ICE activity in Catholic schools in the Worcester diocese.
His letter outlined procedures “already in place” to protect students and their personal information.
In a list, he said that Catholic schools in the diocese do not ask for the immigration status of a student or their family; they do not share student records with anyone, except in rare instances when a court order or parental/guardian consent is provided; they do not coordinate with ICE; and they do not release a student to the custody of anyone other than the legal guardian or a person identified by the legal guardian’s notice in advance.
Superintendent Perda also said that ICE agents will not be granted access to school facilities without a "criminal judicial warrant signed by a federal judge."
“Our Catholic schools have always welcomed students and families from all walks of life,” Superintendent Perda stated. “Indeed, Catholic schools have historically played an important role in helping immigrant populations integrate into American life. You can expect that to continue.”