BALTIMORE—On the first day of the Fall General
Assembly, Archbishop Joseph E. Kurtz, president of the U.S. Conference of
Catholic Bishops, asked his brother bishops to support a post-election
statement given by Bishop Eusebio Elizondo, auxiliary bishop of Seattle, Washington,
and chairman of the USCCB Committee on Migration, repeating the words to our
brothers and sisters who come to the country seeking a better life: “We
are with you.”

Below is the original statement issued November 11,
and now supported by the body of bishops.

Bishop Eusebio Elizondo, Auxiliary Bishop
of Seattle

Chairman, U.S. Conference of Catholic
Bishops’ Committee on Migration:

We would first like to congratulate President-elect
Donald J. Trump and give our support for all efforts to work together to
promote the common good, especially those to protect the most vulnerable among
us. I personally pledge my prayers for Mr. Trump, all elected officials, and
those who will work in the new administration. I offer a special word to
migrant and refugee families living in the United States: be assured of our
solidarity and continued accompaniment as you work for a better life.

We believe the family unit is the cornerstone of
society, so it is vital to protect the integrity of the family. For this
reason, we are reminded that behind every “statistic” is a person who
is a mother, father, son, daughter, sister or brother and has dignity as a
child of God. We pray that as the new administration begins its role leading
our country, it will recognize the
contributions of refugees and immigrants to the overall prosperity and
well-being of our nation. We will work to promote humane policies that protect
refugees and immigrants’ inherent dignity, keep families together, and honor
and respect the laws of this nation.

Serving and welcoming people fleeing violence and
conflict in various regions of the world is part of our identity as Catholics.
The Church will continue this life-saving tradition. Today, with more than 65
million people forcibly displaced from their homes, the need to welcome
refugees and provide freedom from persecution is more acute than ever and 80 of
our dioceses across the country are eager to continue this wonderful act of
accompaniment born of our Christian faith. We stand ready to work with a new
administration to continue to ensure that refugees are humanely welcomed
without sacrificing our security or our core values as Americans. A duty to
welcome and protect newcomers, particularly refugees, is an integral part of
our mission to help our neighbors in need.

We pray for President -elect Trump and all leaders in
public life, that they may rise to the responsibilities entrusted to them with
grace and courage. And may all of us as Catholics and Americans remain a people
of solidarity with others in need and a nation of hospitality which treats
others as we would like to be treated.

—–

Keywords: U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, USCCB,
Bishop Eusebio Elizondo, migration, refugees, Donald Trump, President-Elect,
elections, elected officials, solidarity, Church tradition, human dignity,
accompaniment, U.S. security, mission, core values, family.

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Source:: United States Conference of Catholic Bishops