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CV NEWS FEED // The Catholic Bishops of Ohio are calling for prayers and support for the community of Springfield, rather than harboring “ill will” against anyone in the city.
In a September 19 letter, Archbishop Dennis Schnurr of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati and his fellow bishops recalled that Jesus tells the parable of the Good Samaritan in response to a scholar’s question, “who is my neighbor?”
“Today,” they continued, “our nation is divided by partisanship and ideology, which blind us to the image of God in our neighbor, especially the unborn, the poor, and the stranger.”
“These negative sentiments are only exacerbated by gossip, which can spread quickly across social media with no concern for the truth or those involved,” they added.
Highlighting that all human beings are made in the image of God, the bishops wrote that Jesus Christ’s coming into the world asserts that God has given every person dignity, “without exception.”
“It is our belief in the dignity of human life that guides our consciences and rhetoric when engaging in politics or personal conversation,” they wrote. “Each of us, therefore, must turn to God and ask for eyes to see the infinite dignity of every person.”
They pointed out that Catholics have long sought freedom of religion by immigrating to the U.S. In the present day, some who are new to the diocese were fleeing “extreme violence and poverty,” the bishops wrote, “and are seeking work to support themselves and their families.”
They wrote that the Haitians who have come to Ohio “should be afforded the respect and dignity that are theirs by right and allowed the ability to contribute to the common good,” just like everyone else.
The bishops noted that Haitians in Springfield were granted “Temporary Protected Status,” which is a federal program protecting those from other countries from being deported “to unsafe home countries.”
As CatholicVote previously reported, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine announced efforts to increase healthcare access and to improve traffic and driving safety in Springfield. His announcement also listed various steps that the state has already taken to support the city amid the increase of migrants, including school district support and financial support for translation services.
In the September 19 letter, the bishops acknowledged that the city’s resources have been strained due to the increase in migrants in the city in a short amount of time. They thanked community groups that are helping the city to flourish.
“If we remain true to our principles, we can have a dialogue about immigration without scapegoating groups of people for societal issues beyond their control,” they wrote.
They recalled the third chapter of the Letter of St. James, which states: “Consider how small a fire can set a huge forest ablaze. The tongue is also a fire… With it we bless the Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings who are made in the likeness of God”.
The bishops continued, “As the residents of Springfield, Ohio struggle with violent threats and life disruptions fueled by unfettered social media posts, we exhort the Catholic faithful and all people of goodwill not to perpetuate ill will toward anyone involved based on unfounded gossip.”
“Instead, we ask for prayers and support for all the people of Springfield as they integrate their new Haitian neighbors and build a better future together,” they wrote.
The bishops also pointed out that September 29 is the World Day of Migrants and Refugees, and Pope Francis has asked the faithful to reflect on the importance of seeing those in need. As CatholicVote previously reported, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops recently urged Catholics to pray for migrants ahead of National Migration Week, which begins on September 23.
“The Catholic Church continues to pray and work in places of violence and economic despair so that individuals and families do not have to flee their homeland,” the bishops concluded in their September 19 letter: “In the meantime, let us reject a mindset of judging who belongs to our community and put on the mind of Christ to understand that God walks with all his people, especially those in need.”
The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops official X account posted on September 20 on X backing the Ohio Catholic bishops’ letter.
