I am a son of immigrants and son of the Catholic Church

I am always grateful to God for our wonderful priests. They are truly blessings to all of us as they minister to us. On Thursday, February 21, I was particularly proud of our priests. On their own initiative, and without encouragement from me, some of our priests banded together to celebrate Masses where they would pray together with our immigrant brothers and sisters during these times which are fraught with fear and anxiety for our immigrant neighbors. Masses were celebrated in Baldwin, Houston, Lee, Mobile, Montgomery, and Russell Counties. I joined in celebrating the Mass in Baldwin. At the Masses, we prayed to God, and for the intercession of our Mother Mary, for the dignity of immigrants, for secure borders, and for a reasonable path for legal status for immigrants in our country. I was particularly impressed with the presence of parishioners who were not immigrants, but who came to pray with their immigrant neighbors.
As I write this article, I am aware that immigration is a controversial and divisive issue. But I knew I had to be at the Mass because I know who I am. I am the son of immigrants who came to this country 180 years ago, and I am a son of the Catholic Church who ministered to them and stood with them in their difficult times. 
In the 1840s there was widespread famine in Ireland. Of the 8 million people in the country, one million starved to death. Many people were desperate to leave their country and seek a better life in America. There were ships available to take them across the ocean. The shipowners took what little money these desperate people had. The ships were often deplorable. They became known as “coffin ships” since so many died crossing the ocean. There was a young couple on one of these ships, their names were Patrick and Mary. They had a little girl. She died on the ship and her body was “buried,” being tossed into the sea. The little girl’s name was Mariah. That young couple were my great grandparents, and their story has been told and retold in my family through the years so that we would never forget our roots. 
They landed in New Orleans. There was slavery in those days. Slaveowners often did not want their slaves to do dangerous work. The slaveowners had paid money for their slaves and did not want to lose their labor. If dangerous work was required, it was better to hire immigrants for a pitiable salary and so protect one’s investment in slaves. Immigrants often take the jobs no one else wants or is available to do.
The blessing the immigrants enjoyed was that the Catholic Church was there for them and ministered to them. The Irish immigrants were resented and looked down upon. It was common for businesses to have signs in their windows “Irish need not apply.” Even though the Irish would strengthen our country, at first the Irish were viewed as different and there was concern that they might change our culture.  But the Catholic Church was with the Irish immigrant in solidarity, treated them with dignity, and ministered to them.
This was the situation in Alabama as well in the 1840s. The story repeated itself in the 1920s, when other immigrants arrived in Alabama, this time from Italy and eastern Europe. One of our priests, Fr. James Coyle, the first President of McGill Institute in Mobile, spoke out forcefully for the dignity and welfare of the Italians and the other immigrants in Birmingham. Even though these immigrants would strengthen our country, at first these immigrants were resented because they were viewed as different and there was concern that they might change our culture. There was strong anti-immigrant attitude among many in Birmingham, including some of the political and civic leadership, but Fr. Coyle would not be deterred. He would be murdered one August evening in 1921 as he sat on the front porch of his rectory. Most shocking of all was the fact that his murderer was an anti-Catholic clergyman. (As an aside, the judge and jury, with a blatant and despicable bigotry toward the Catholic Church and immigrants, refused to convict the murderer and set him free.)
But the Catholic Church was with the Italian immigrants in solidarity, respected their dignity, and ministered to them.
Now new immigrants have arrived. Even though they are strengthening our country, there are some who resent them because they are viewed as different and there are concerns that they might change our culture. They come to this country for the same reasons immigrants have in past. People usually do not wish to leave their country. It is my experience that immigrants who come from Latin America come disproportionately from the countries where violence is rampant, faith is persecuted, or dictators have created oppressive regimes. Immigrants fear for their safety and the safety of their families. They are desperate, as were my ancestors who came to this country. Yes, some immigrants have come without documents. But to be fair, our country has not made the necessary efforts to secure our borders. Unsecured borders will not deter desperate people. It only invites them.
It appears our country may finally be taking steps to have secure borders. It is about time. Any country needs secure borders. Criminals have been allowed to come into our country. This must stop. Drugs flood our country ruining or ending the lives of many, especially our young people. Human trafficking exploits the vulnerabilities of the young. Our borders must be secure. Those involved in criminal activity must be deported. We need a secure border and enforcement of reasonable immigration laws.
But the vast number of our immigrants who have arrived here are hardworking and law abiding. They add to our country’s greatness. Our country needs to address our immigration system which is broken. Our country needs to develop a path for legal status in this country.
The immigrants are children of God. We can easily lose sight of the dignity of other people, especially if we refer to them as “aliens” or if we spend time trying to appear to be articulate or erudite in our speech, focusing on the finer points of theology with terms such as “Ordo Amoris.” Immigrants laugh and cry just as we do; they have hopes and fears just as we do, they suffer and bleed just as we do, they love just as we do, and most importantly of all, they are loved by God just as God loves us. The Catholic Church will  be in solidarity with them and minister to them.
As I said above, I felt I had to join with our immigrant neighbors at Mass during these challenging times for them. I could not be absent from the Mass because I know who I am, a son of immigrants and a son of the Catholic Church. Both realties compel me, for the love of God, to be with them in solidarity, treat them with dignity, and minister to them.