Catholic community members, activists and immigrants gathered at St. Joseph Church in Waite Park on Nov. 13 for a second Catholic Public Witness for Immigrants prayer vigil. A similar event was held Oct. 22 at St. Francis Xavier in Sartell.
The vigil was part of One Church, One Family: Catholic Public Witness for Immigrants, a nationwide campaign involving U.S. Catholic bishops and Catholic organizations across the country. The movement calls people of faith to publicly demonstrate solidarity with migrant families, asylum seekers and refugees.
This local gathering came just one day after the U.S. bishops approved a special pastoral message on immigration during their annual fall plenary assembly in Baltimore. The statement voiced “our concern here for immigrants” and marked the first time in 12 years the bishops invoked this urgent form of communication. The last such message, issued in 2013, addressed the federal government’s contraceptive mandate.
“As pastors, we, the bishops of the United States, are bound to our people by ties of communion and compassion in Our Lord Jesus Christ,” the statement read. It was overwhelmingly approved and received a standing ovation.
The bishops’ message reflects growing concern that certain immigration policies risk creating practical challenges for the Church’s pastoral and charitable work, as well as raising religious liberty issues.
Amid increased attacks on migrant communities by federal authorities, the One Church, One Family campaign has invited parishes, schools, and faith-based organizations to host prayerful public witnesses affirming the dignity of every person.
Bishop Patrick Neary, who attended the Baltimore meeting, expressed support for these efforts and encouraged all Catholics in the diocese to join in this public witness.
“The dehumanizing narratives, unjust treatment and policies that our immigrant brothers and sisters have been facing with increasing intensity must be named,” he said. “And the dignity and right to life-affirming opportunities that our faith demands for all God’s children, regardless of ethnicity or status, must be affirmed.”
Community members echoed these concerns.
Harry Fleegel, who attended the vigil with his wife, Mary, said:
“I’m really upset about the way immigrants are being treated. They are all our brothers and sisters. They’ve done so much — they work so hard in the fields, the meatpacking plants, on our roofs. And they’ve done it for years and years. It’s hard work nobody else wants to do. And then we treat them like this.”
Although many at the vigil work with or are part of the Latino community, Fleegel said that in his work at the Lincoln Center — a 24/7 no-barrier shelter in southeast St. Cloud — he sees immigrants from all over the world. “It’s scary for everybody,” he said.
MaElena Gutierrez, director of Fe y Justicia, a community-based advocacy group, shared the testimony of a relative who came to the U.S. in 1986 and remains undocumented.
“I feel like more people need to hear about what is happening and not close their ears,” she said. “I want them to see the truth of our lives, because we are just trying to survive here in the U.S. right now.”
Her faith, she added, keeps her going. “Faith is really important. Nothing will help if we are not close to God.”
Fleegel agreed that gathering together and hearing stories is important.
“I think sometimes people think they’re the only ones who are concerned. It’s good to gather with others who care. It renews our commitment to immigrants, to those less fortunate, and gives us strength in numbers,” he said.
During the service, Benedictine Father Efrain Rosado of Saint John’s Abbey read comments he had collected from Latinos and non-Latinos in the parishes he serves. He later expressed frustration about misinformation circulating in both communities.
“It’s coming from both sides,” he said. “They’re reading or seeing YouTube or other sources and they believe all these things.”
Building bridges, he added, is essential, and events like this help.
“There are many organizations, many groups of people, lay people or from different churches who want to help our immigrants,” Father Rosado said. “And this is a space in which we can meet, reconnect and join our efforts to support those who need us.”
OSV News contributed to this story.
Pictured above: Harry and Mary Fleegel light a candle during the vigil. (Dianne Towalski / The Central Minnesota Catholic)
Important story and excellent pics, Dianne. Vicki and I pray that awareness, action, and attitudes move us each and all to move toward our sisters and brothers of immigrant/refugee status.🙏🏽