Governor’s decision to stop execution an example of restorative justice.  AUSTIN – The Catholic bishops of Texas expressed gratitude for the decision of Governor Greg Abbott to grant clemency to Thomas Whitaker. Their full statement follows: “We offer prayers of thanksgiving that Thomas Whitaker was granted clemency and mercy has been shown. We are grateful to Governor Greg Abbott, the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles, and to all those who worked for mercy and justice in this case, including Thomas’ father and stepmother, Kent and Tanya Whitaker. We remember and pray for the souls of the victims, Patricia and Kevin Whitaker. “As Pope Francis has said, ’No man ever, not even the murderer, loses his personal dignity, because God is a Father who always awaits the return of the son who, knowing that he has done wrong, asks pardon and begins a new life.’ “We believe this case suggests a spirit of restorative justice, and we pray all may reflect on how Texans would be better served by a criminal justice system which embraces restorative justice. We pray the Whitaker family may also experience healing and ongoing reconciliation in their lives.” The Texas Catholic Conference of Bishops is the association of the Roman Catholic bishops of Texas. Through the TCCB, the bishops provide a moral and social public policy voice, accredit the state’s Catholic schools, and maintain archives that reflect the work and the history of the Catholic Church in Texas. 

“It is my prayer that people who find themselves in similar situations like the Hernandez family receive the charitable support necessitated by our nation’s current immigration policies,” Bishop Tamayo wrote. MORE

“These Baptist brethren are our family, friends and neighbors who live among us in the archdiocese; just minutes away from our Wilson County parishes of Sacred Heart in Floresville, St. Ann in La Vernia, and St. Mary in Stockdale. We are committed to work in unity with all our brothers and sisters to build peace in our communities; to connect in a more direct and substantial way. The Catholic Church in Texas and across the United States is with you…” MORE

Recently, several single-issue groups in our country have made an effort to advance their political agenda by establishing coalitions with each other. One such example is Indivisible, the founder of which explains his goal as follows: “You might be an abortion rights advocate, an immigrant rights advocate, a racial justice advocate, but if you wait your turn to stand up for your issue, you will wait your turn to lose. You need to stand up for the most vulnerable communities, but that’s not all of it. This is a steely-eyed strategy: if I don’t stand up for you, I’m going to lose.” – Ezra Klein, Founder of Indivisible These coalitions advocate for immigration and criminal justice reform, which are goals shared by the Catholic Church, but unfortunately they also voice support for abortion, by which more than 50,000 unborn Texas children are killed each year. Just as Catholics must not support—in any way—organizations that perform abortions, Catholics should not join pro-abortion coalitions. Catholics should also beware of those organizations that purport to act on pro-life principles, but which fail to operate charitably or transparently, relying on hardball political tactics that diminish others rather than build up a culture of solidarity and charity. Our belief in the dignity of the human person and the sanctity of human life leads to a “consistent ethic of life,” or what St. John Paul II called a “culture of life.” This ethic includes all humanity in the search for and fulfillment of integral human development – that is, the development of the whole person –  and realization of fundamental human rights. St. John Paul II wrote in his encyclical, Evangelium Vitae, about the contemporary contradiction between “the solemn affirmation of human rights…

Enforcement of immigration laws should be humane, target criminals, not patients seeking surgery AUSTIN – The case of an undocumented 10-year-old who was stopped by federal agents on her way to emergency surgery highlights the need for clarification of local and federal law enforcement agents’ responsibilities in securing the United States’ borders. Rosa Maria Hernandez, 10, who has cerebral palsy and has lived in the United States since she was a few months old, was detained and held by federal agents in the early morning hours of Tuesday, Oct. 10, on her way to a Corpus Christi hospital for emergency gall bladder surgery. After the surgery she was taken from her family and placed in a juvenile detention center in San Antonio. On Thursday she was released into the custody of the federal Office of Refugees and Resettlement (ORR). “While we are grateful Rosa Maria is now in the care of ORR, and should be reunited soon with her family, there is no reason why she should have had to undergo such trauma while she was in need of medical care,” said Bishop James Tamayo of the Laredo Diocese. “I am saddened and appalled that Border Patrol agents are stopping ambulances from transporting children to hospitals,” said Bishop Tamayo. “This action is not humane. It also shows why people are afraid of law enforcement agents and why we need greater protection for locales identified by ICE as ‘sensitive locations,’ such as schools, places of worship and hospitals.” San Antonio Archbishop Gustavo García-Siller, MSpS, in whose archdiocese Rosa Maria is now being detained, stated, “I have reached out to the proper authorities and it is my hope to meet with Rosa Maria and her family as soon as…

“The local Catholic Church, through Catholic Charities-Diocese of Laredo, stands ready to assist Rosa Maria and the Hernandez family with immigration support,” said Bishop James Tamayo of the Laredo Diocese. MORE

Bishop Daniel E. Flores of Brownsville offers prayers and practical support for Jane Doe, the unaccompanied minor who is pregnant and under federal custody in Brownsville. MORE

Under DACA, more than 110,000 young people contribute to Texas society and well-being AUSTIN –The Texas Catholic bishops have issued the following statement in response to the decision to terminate the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA). We say, first, to DACA youth: regardless of your immigration status, you are a child of God. You are welcome in the Catholic Church. We support you and will advocate for you. We denounce the termination of DACA. Under the program, more than 110,000 young adults brought to Texas as children received work authorization and temporary reprieve from deportation. DACA youth contribute to the economy, serve honorably in our armed forces, excel in our schools and universities, minister in our churches, and volunteer in our communities. We are proud to claim them as our own. We reiterate: America’s immigration laws are in desperate need of reform. Families are separated and visa holders wait decades for permanent resident status. Immigrants who try to work for a better life for their families are being denied. Texans have long stood for opportunity and liberty; we will work to ensure that these blessings are extended to immigrants, especially DACA youth. To that end, we call on Texas’ two Senators and 36 Representatives to vote for the Dream Act of 2017: S.1615/H.R. 3440. Through this bill, Congress has the opportunity to reform immigration law before DACA protections terminate on March 5, 2018. Reform of the law is the most sustainable remedy for DACA students, their families, and all immigrants. We urge all Texas Catholics to contact their members of Congress and ask them to vote for this bill.

U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB) president, Cardinal Daniel N. DiNardo of Galveston-Houston, has called for prayers and solidarity with those impacted by Hurricane Harvey. Cardinal DiNardo also called on all people of good will to closely monitor future calls for assistance for victims and survivors in the days ahead. MORE