We’re Still at It!
Submitted by Barb Messerknecht
Good Shepherd continues to support immigrants. On May 1, the Feast of St. Joseph the Worker, some of our parishioners marched with immigrants to support necessary legislation for jobs, driver’s licenses, and health care.
The Immigration Study Group at Good Shepherd has been active and engaged for years. In 2004 to assist our faith community in understanding the ongoing issues with immigrants and migrants both here and abroad, Meriel Christensen had a letter to the editor that was published in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:
How many times have we heard people say that it is good we went to war in Iraq to save the people from torture, rape, beatings and death? Regina Bakala has experienced the first three – torture, rape and beatings – in her native country, the Congo. Now, she will be afforded the last of these, which is death when she is sent back to the Congo. Her sin was working for democracy in her homeland. Are we really so filled with fear that we must grab up every decent, hard-working mother we can find and get them out of America as fast as possible?
[Regina Bakala was saved from deportation in 2005 with the help of Sr. Josephe Marie, at the time Adult and Family Christian Formation Director at St. Mary Catholic Faith Community, Hales Corners]
Our Catholic Social Teaching states that human dignity is inalienable. The human dignity and human rights of asylum seekers must be respected, regardless of their citizenship, visa status or mode of arrival.