VATICAN CITY, Oct 8 (Reuters) – Pope Leo instructed U.S. bishops visiting him on the Vatican on Wednesday that they need to firmly tackle how immigrants are being handled by President Donald Trump’s hardline insurance policies, attendees stated, within the newest push by the pontiff on the difficulty.
Leo, the primary U.S. pope, was handed dozens of letters from immigrants describing their fears of deportation below the Trump administration’s insurance policies in the course of the assembly, which included bishops and social employees from the U.S.-Mexico border.
“Our Holy Father … is very personally concerned about these matters,” El Paso Bishop Mark Seitz, who took half within the assembly, instructed Reuters. “He expressed his desire that the U.S. Bishops’ Conference would speak strongly on this issue.” “It means a lot to all of us to know of his personal desire that we continue to speak out,” stated Seitz.
The Vatican didn’t instantly touch upon the pope’s assembly.
Elected in Could to switch the late Pope Francis, Leo has proven a rather more reserved model than his predecessor, who steadily criticised the Trump administration and infrequently spoke in shock, off-the-cuff remarks.
However Leo has been ramping up his criticism in latest weeks.
The pope questioned on September 30 whether or not the Trump administration’s anti-immigration insurance policies have been in keeping with the Catholic Church’s pro-life teachings, in feedback that drew heated backlash from some outstanding conservative Catholics.
The White Home has stated Trump was elected based mostly on his many guarantees, together with to deport felony unlawful aliens.
One of many letters given to the pope on Wednesday, shared with Reuters, described a household with two members who didn’t have authorized permission to remain within the U.S. and who have been afraid to go away the home for worry of deportation.
“I believe the Pope should speak out openly against the raids and the unfair treatment the community is experiencing,” learn the letter, written in Spanish.
Leo additionally met privately with a bunch of about 100 American Catholics concerned in ministry with migrants on Tuesday night, thanking them for his or her work.
