Balancing God, country and immigration

In Bishop David Zubik’s July 30 letter to the Post- Gazette (“Catholic Church stands with refugees”), he clearly came down on the side of immigrants. But, as is usually the case, there are two sides to the story.

To quote a report from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops: “The Catholic Catechism instructs the faithful that good government has two duties, both of which must be carried out and neither of which can be ignored. The first duty is to welcome the foreigner out of charity and respect for the human person. ... The second duty is to secure one’s border and enforce the law for the sake of the common good.”

Bishop Zubik has overlooked the “second duty.”

Immigration is clearly a dilemma for an American Christian. We are duty bound, as Christians, to help the downtrodden. The problem is to what extent are we, as a country, obliged to sacrifice for them.

If a poor immigrant family shows up hungry at your door, any decent family will provide a meal for them. On a one- to- one basis, there is no problem. However, if 1,000 poor immigrants show up, there is not much you can do as there will be insufficient food for them and you.

A similar dilemma existed for Gen. George McClellan during the Civil War. He would not engage in battle because he did not want anyone to be killed. As a result, the war lingered. If you believe your cause is just, then fight. Blessed are the peacemakers; not blessed are the pacifists.

Do the immigrants not share some responsibility to change their home countries instead of paying to escape and leaving their less fortunate countrymen to stay behind and suffer? If they are denied entrance to the U. S., perhaps they will find a way to fight at home.

The poorest of the poor are not necessarily the ones who are immigrating. Who pays their transportation from Asia or Africa to Mexico? Who pays for the transportation from Guatemala through Mexico to the U. S. border? Mexico is a Christian country, so why do the Mexicans not accept them?

Bishop Zubik compares helping immigrants with marching against abortion. Both, he says, are pro- life causes. The big difference is that immigrants have a choice, unlike the baby in the womb.

Should we help immigrants? Absolutely. Should we control our borders? Absolutely.

RAY WEAVER

Monroeville