Today we have an example of one of those secular observances (and you don't get much more secular than a Marxist-inspired observance) that the Church very deliberately co-opted and "baptized." That means that the Church recognized a genuine human value that needed to be rescued from the harm that would be done to it if it remained solely under the influence of the ideology that first brought it to the public forum. Hence, today's feast of "St. Joseph the Worker," opening the beautiful month of May, dedicated to Joseph's wife, Mary. What is especially helpful in this is the way the month of Mary opens with a feast of her husband, an ordinary workman: it points to the family as central in the "workers' question" (as the matter used to be phrased in the late 19th century). The family still is central, of course. And today Chicago will be the setting for one of the marches seeking the legal rights of immigrant workers whose primary concern has been, precisely, to provide for their families.
The odd thing is that this is controversial, even among Catholics. Many people seem to think that it is a "crime" to be in this country without proper credentials, and that the "illegal immigrants" are "criminals." That is a serious misunderstanding, at least from what I have been reading in the news. They are guilty, at most, of a misdemeanor--so those who have never run a red light or (accidentally on purpose) surpassed the speed limit can cast the first stone. The law is that it is a felony to "harbor or exploit foreign nationals" who don't have the proper papers, so any "crimes" are on the side of employers. But I really want to look into the attitude, more than the "facts," because the attitude of many Catholics in this regard is simply not Catholic. It is Puritan! Our ancestors (anxious to prove themselves worthy of respect) breathed in the Puritan atmosphere of respectability that is guaranteed to the law-abiding. They conformed to the surrounding culture to such a degree that American Catholics are more American than Catholic in many of their attitudes. In traditionally Catholic countries (unless their identity was in some way overwhelmed and driven underground by powerful and threateningly violent cultural forces) you don't find this Puritan attitude that makes law-abiding a supreme value and emphasizes punitive action so much, targeting the "sinner" and ignoring the circumstances that may have made the "sin" unavoidable. You sure don't find that in Italy! But even in Poland: if being an upstanding citizen meant faithful, docile submission to all the laws of the land, then Archbishop Wojtyla was certainly guilty of criminal incitement when he celebrated Masses (illegally) on the site of the communist "model city" of Nowa Huta, which was designed specifically without a place of worship. Wojtyla led public worship and illegally began to build a Church without the proper papers.
Our "new" immigrants today are largely from Catholic countries in Latin America and they have a genuinely Catholic recognition that the concrete needs of their families constitute a right that trumps the abstract values represented by the US' unjust immigration restrictions, specifically crafted to limit arrivals who do not meet the Puritan standards that are our national heritage.
Today Cardinal George (no radical, he) will be among those who are standing up for the immigrants who form almost half of our Church. Here's the official statement:
"
Cardinal George and the diocesan bishops of the other five Catholic Dioceses of Illinois have called for comprehensive immigration reform legislation that secures our borders, establishes realistic enforcement strategies that will restore the rule of law, but that also allows for non-documented men and women to move towards a fully documented, legally recognized status and provides a safe, orderly, and fair system for those who wish to come to work in the United States. A full copy of the Illinois Bishops statement on immigration reform can be accessed through the Archdiocese of Chicago web site at www.archchicago.org."
8 comments:
Greetings Sr. Anne,
It's been awhile since I've commented, but I haven't stopped reading your blog ;-). I was wondering about St. Joseph the worker and communism, you seem to imply that the feast was brought onto the calendar as a response to communism, but I thought that the feast was celebrated well before communism was even in the horizon. Could you clarify? Thanks!
One banner during today's protests demanded "Full Rights For Immigrants." The issue for me regarding immigrant workers is not that they shouldn't be treated fairly and with dignity, but that many are asking for rights of citizenship without following the process. One result is that an undocumented resident is far less likely to report abuse at the hands of an unscrupulous employer. Another is that there are undocumented resident aliens utilizing resources (medical care, education etc) without contribution to the tax base that ulimately pays for these services. One account I read stated that many do not want citizenship, just employment at a greater wage than can be obtained at "home."
Seeker, the feast of St. Joseph the Worker was insituted in 1955, and was intended to offset the secular materialistic influence of the Marxist-Socialist observances.
Regarding the other issues, and there are many more than were mentioned here so far, the Church recognizes the right to immigrate. Our nation's laws render that right extremely difficult to exercise: how can a man wait five years for a visa to be approved (in itself not too likely if he is an unskilled laborer), when he sees his children suffering now? Not that immigration is the first answer (I'm sure it's not the first choice of too many people to leave their home): it is much better for all that just trade laws make it possible for people to earn a sufficient wage to support themselves and their family in their own home country. But the Church recognizes that concrete needs have an immediate priority; a person's right to work and sustenance trump every other consideration. That right needs to be legally recognized, while other persons' rights to provide similarly for their own families (I am thinking of unskilled US citizens) needs to be recognized and provided for. It is sadly clear that many employers prefer undocumented workers whom they can cheat and exploit freely. Not for nothing does the Church list "withholding the wages of a laborer" as a "sin which cries to heaven for vengeance."
Thank you, Sister Anne, for speaking so graciously about this controversial topic. And your fellow bloggers for agreeing to disagree so peacefully.
This is an editorial written by an
American citizen, published in a
Tampa, FL Newspaper. He did quite a job; didn't he? Read on, please!
IMMIGRANTS,
NOT AMERICANS,
MUST ADAPT.
I am tired of this nation worrying about whether we
Are offending some individual or their culture. Since the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11,
We have experienced a surge
In patriotism by the majority
Of Americans. However...... The dust from the attacks had
Barely settled when the "politically correct! " crowd began complaining about
The possibility that our patriotism was offending others.
I am not against immigration, nor do I hold a grudge against anyone who is seeking a better life by coming to ! America.
Our population is almost entirely made up of descendants of immigrants.
However, there
Are a few things that those
Who have recently come to
Our country, and apparently some born here, need to understand.
This idea of America being a
Multicultural community
Has served only to dilute our sovereignty and our national identity. As Americans......
We have our own culture, our
Own society, our own language and our own lifestyle. This culture has been developed over centuries of struggles, trials, and victories by millions of men and women who have sought freedom.
We speak ENGLISH, not Spanish , Portuguese, Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, Russian, or any other language.
Therefore, if you wish to become part of our society, learn the language!
"In God We Trust" is our national motto. This is not some Christian, right wing, political slogan.. We adopted this motto because Christian men and women.......on Christian principles.............
Founded this nation..... And this is clearly documented.
It is certainly appropriate to display it
On the walls of our schools.
If God offends you, then I suggest you consider another part of the world as
Your new home.........because
God is part of our culture.
If Stars and Stripes offend you, or
You don't like Uncle Sam, then you
Should seriously consider a move
To another part of this planet.
We
Are happy with our culture and have
No desire to change, and we really
Don't care how you did things where
You came from.
This is
OUR COUNTRY,
Our land, and our lifestyle.
Our First Amendment gives every citizen the
Right to express his opinion and we
Will allow you every opportunity to do so!
But once you are done complaining....... Whining...... And griping....... About our flag.......
Our pledge...... Our national motto........or our
Way of life....I highly encourage you to
Take advantage of one other Great American Freedom.......
THE RIGHT TO LEAVE.
It is Time for America to Speak up
If you agree -- pass this along;
If you don't agree -- delete it - You are in the WRONG Country!
AMEN
Actually, I find the sentiments deplorable. I certainly hope it was no one who claims any affiliation with the Catholic Church who expressed them, because such a person would need to re-evaluate their membership in the Body of Christ, which has priority over every other allegiance. But I don't think it was a Catholic who wrote or posted this; it was someone for whom "Americanism" is a religion. He or she may think it is a Christian religion, but it is not. It is simply a substitute. Can you find anything identfiably Christian at all in the post (outside of the claim of being Christian)?
re:"Immigrants, not Americans, must adapt"
First and foremost… Americans are IMMIGRANTS!
How proud he must feel to speak only English. It’s too bad he will never understand the joyfulness of speaking anything other than that.
And in God he trust, huh? It seems like all of his statements show a high level of intolerance and respect for “other people”. Human beings that have actually struggled in their lives. Who have more courage than he ever will, and who wish people like himself opened their eyes to see the world without boundaries -- the way God intended it to be.
My great-grandmother was born in the United States, but never really managed to communicate adequately in English. In our neck of the woods, English was the alien language, and it took over 100 years before it became the first language of a relative majority. The local language was French.
Of course, the Louisiana purchase was not a democratic regime change, either. But once Napoleon signed over the territories, that was that. America is not a monolith! But you have to be familiar, at least a little, with history, to have that perspective.
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