In a significant move for the Catholic community in Southern California, Bishop Alberto Rojas of the Diocese of San Bernardino has authorized parishioners to skip Mass if they fear immigration enforcement actions. This decision underscores the escalating climate of anxiety surrounding federal immigration activities in the region.
Bishop Allows Catholics to Skip Mass Amid Immigration Raids Fears
Bishop Allows Catholics to Skip Mass Amid Immigration Raids Fears
Bishop Rojas provides relief to parishioners concerned about federal enforcement actions, exempting them from Sunday Mass attendance.
The Roman Catholic Church's response reflects the growing concerns among its 1.6 million members regarding immigration raids in the Los Angeles area. In his announcement, made in a letter on Tuesday, Bishop Rojas emphasized that those experiencing a "genuine fear of immigration enforcement" are formally dispensed from the obligation to attend Sunday or holiday Masses. This permission is a rare measure normally reserved for extraordinary circumstances, such as during the Covid-19 pandemic.
The decision follows a notable increase in federal immigration raids, with approximately 2,000 individuals apprehended in the Los Angeles area since early June. Federal agents, often masked and armed, have been reported detaining individuals in public spaces such as shopping center parking lots, car washes, and bus stops. Specific incidents have raised alarms; in one case, armed agents detained a Latino man outside a church in Downey, California, which sparked concern among local pastors about the safety of their parishioners.
The San Bernardino diocese is not the only Church entity responding to this climate of fear; in May, the Nashville diocese made a similar declaration, advising its members that attending Mass is not mandatory if it jeopardizes their safety. The Bishop's recent action highlights the critical intersection of faith, community, and the pressing realities of immigration enforcement in America today.
The decision follows a notable increase in federal immigration raids, with approximately 2,000 individuals apprehended in the Los Angeles area since early June. Federal agents, often masked and armed, have been reported detaining individuals in public spaces such as shopping center parking lots, car washes, and bus stops. Specific incidents have raised alarms; in one case, armed agents detained a Latino man outside a church in Downey, California, which sparked concern among local pastors about the safety of their parishioners.
The San Bernardino diocese is not the only Church entity responding to this climate of fear; in May, the Nashville diocese made a similar declaration, advising its members that attending Mass is not mandatory if it jeopardizes their safety. The Bishop's recent action highlights the critical intersection of faith, community, and the pressing realities of immigration enforcement in America today.
