CT PHOTOS/E.L. HUBBARD

The cardinal concelebrated Mass at St. Julie Billiart Parish in Hamilton on Sept. 17 with, from left, Father Tim Bunch, pastor of St. Peter in Chains in Hamilton; Father Mike Pucke, pastor of St. Julie; Deacon Thomas Strodtbeck, the cardinal, Deacon William Renneker, and Franciscan Father Manuel Viera.

Panel addresses immigration during cardinal’s visit

By Carmen M. Hubbard

ST. ANDREW DEANERY — Man’s law versus God’s law. Moral responsibility, human dignity and respect regardless of an expired visa, being undocumented and risk deportation while in the U.S.

It’s a conundrum of sorts that makes for a hot-button issue this election year. Still, the Archdiocese of Cincinnati continues to appeal to citizens and law enforcement officials throughout southwest Ohio to remember we’re all God’s people.

Honduran Cardinal Oscar Rodriguez

Cardinal Rodriguez led a panel of clergy and one woman religious, including Archbishop Daniel Pilarczyk, during a discussion on Sept. 16 at the Athenaeum of Ohio’s Bartlett Pastoral Center.

The event was titled "The Church’s Teaching on Migrants and Immigration Reform: Enabling our parishioners to understand and respond to these vital issues in a U.S. election year."

Other panelists included Tony Stieritz, director of the archdiocesan Catholic Social Action Office; Notre Dame Sister Maria Francine Stacy, assistant director of Catholic Hispanic Ministry in Dayton; Franciscan Father Manuel Viera, assistant director of Catholic Hispanic Ministry in Hamilton; and Father Mike Pucke, pastor of St. Julie Billiart Parish in Hamilton, where a significant immigrant population is located. Father Len Wenke, director of the archdiocesan Priest Personnel Office, served as moderator. The event was sponsored by the archdiocesan Mission Office and co-sponsored by the Athenaeum.

Archbishop Pilarczyk reminded the audience of priests, deacons and pastoral staff that "Catholic social teaching is not some intensely complicated thing."

"Right here have been immigration enforcement raids," he said. "All kinds of basic rights are being violated. We need to get people say ‘You can’t do that’ to our law enforcement."

Stieritz told the audience that immigration law is relatively new. It was developed, he said, to racially target the Chinese who built railroads in the 1800s. While U.S. immigration law is to be enforced by federal officers, state and local officials like Butler County Sheriff Richard K. Jones have enforced it locally.

"We have to think about the causes for (migrant workers) coming here. People are desperate," Stieritz said.

Fathers Pucke and Viera and Sister Maria detailed the Latin holidays their ministries celebrate and the need for more Hispanic priests and Spanish speakers. They also discussed the lack of resources in a predominantly English-speaking environment and insensitivity to varying Latin cultures. In addition, they shared stories of Latinos living here illegally and its impact on their families, not to mention their U.S.-born children who would have to leave their homeland if their parents are deported or whose care must be trusted to children’s services should they remain in the states without them.

"We have a core group but they have fears of deportation. Constantly, the community endures," said Father Viera, noting that because families are frequently forced to move, it is difficult for children to receive the sacraments.

Toward the end of the program, the audience participated in a question and answer session to discuss misconceptions that Latinos don’t pay taxes and have taken jobs from American workers.

"When the (Koch Foods) raid in Fairfield happened, no one ran to get those jobs," Father Viera said.