Dear Parishioners and Friends,
On this weekend of the 250th anniversary of our nation’s independence, we commemorate a significant milestone in our history. Without ignoring the many struggles we have endured – and continue to suffer – we have much to be thankful for. God has blessed our nation with greatness over the two and a half centuries of our country’s existence, and we must always be grateful for our freedoms.
I’ve been reflecting a lot lately about the “American experiment”, as many historians call it. Ours is a precious and often-tested democratic form of self-government. We often disagree about many things, but we usually find a way to resolve those differences with a spirit of unity. Our nation’s motto, “E pluribus unum” – “Out of many, one” – continues to guide our collective struggle to accept those differences, however grave at times.
Our faith in God and in each other ought to be the constant source of unity in a land of great diversity. But that diversity is what makes us so unique in our world. May we always strive for mutual respect and dignity of each person.
Unfortunately, that dignity and respect is often ignored and trampled upon. One instance is the recent Supreme Court ruling to allow the termination of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haitian and Syrian migrants.
The Committee on Migration of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops issued a statement in response to the ruling, stating: “Revoking the legal status of hundreds of thousands of people residing in our country creates a moral crisis when returning to their country of origin is not a safe or reasonable option. If we are truly to affirm the God-given dignity of every human person we as a nation cannot turn a blind eye to such an injustice and the impossible choirs it will create for families and communities.
“Even if the Administration determines TPS is no longer warranted, deferred enforced departure remains a tool available to the President, and we urge him to exercise right judgement in this way. Forcibly sending families to dire conditions is a legacy all leaders should seek to avoid. To that end, by brother bishops and I also The Pastor’s Corner continue to call upon Congress to act—to meet this moment with the moral fortitude that is so desperately needed” (Bishop Brendan J. Cahill, Chairman).
Our Sister Parish Committee, which works hard to advocate for the people of Haiti, has communicated its concern to the Archdiocese of Hartford, saying that “We are appalled and deeply concerned about the recent Supreme Court decision. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled … that over 350,000 Haitians legally in the U.S. with Temporary Protected Status can be removed from our country by the Trump Administration and sent to Haiti where the same administration’s Department of State has the highest level of “Do Not Travel” restrictions due to violence, instability of government, food shortages, etc… Many Haitians live in our diocese, working in our nursing homes and hospitals providing vital care to our most vulnerable populations. We need to support our Haitian neighbors.
”I am hopeful that we are all praying for a sensible and sensitive response by our government to this matter because it is literally a question of life and death.
As we celebrate and cherish our own freedoms, let us not forget those who are not free to live in peace and security.
Blessings on your week ahead!
Fr. Tim Shreenan, O.F.M.
Pastor
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