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(Vatican Radio) The Vatican on Friday announced preparations for a Synod of Bishops on the theme of young people, as Pope Francis published a personal letter addressed to the youth of the world. In October 2018 bishops from across the globe will come to Rome for the 15th Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, focused on “Young People, the Faith and Vocational Discernment”.

In the Vatican press office, a young Cape Verdean man and a young Italian woman joined Cardinal Lorenzo Baldisseri and Bishop Fabio Fabene to present the Synod’s preparatory document and to discuss their hopes and expectations for the event.

Philippa Hitchen reports.

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24 year old Federica and 21 year old Elvis, both students at Rome’s Sapienza University, spoke clearly about their desire to be part of the process of building “a younger, fresher Church”. A Church which is less rigid, more welcoming, and open to discussions, debates and encounters. They want Church leaders who are willing to spend time listening to the experiences of young people, making them “privileged interlocutors” of a Church which is open and engaged in dialogue with the young generations.

That’s the ambitious goal at the heart of the next Synod of Bishops, focused on the choices that young people make in all walks of their professional, spiritual and personal lives. In his letter, issued to coincide with the start of this Synod process, the Pope tells young Catholics to make their voices heard, saying the Church wants to listen to their sensitivities and their faith, as well as their doubts and criticisms.  St. Benedict, he recalls,  urged the abbots of his community “to consult, even the young” before making any important decision, as “the Lord often reveals to the younger what is best”.

Listen, discern, act

The preparatory document therefore urges bishops to begin by listening to the concrete challenges facing young men and women today, especially through unemployment and insecurity, corruption, addictions, exclusion or discrimination.  The second part of the 23 page text calls for a careful process of discernment, guided by the Spirit, to help young people mature and make the right life choices. The third part focuses on the pastoral activity of the Church, identifying the people (parents, priests, religious, teachers, the whole Christian community) and the places (such as schools, universities, parishes, volunteering or social centres, the internet) that can offer vital support for those in their formative years.

Website for youth participation

Finally, the preparatory document follows in the footsteps of the previous Synods on the Family by providing Church leaders with a questionnaire to gather statistics and to try and find out what young Catholics really think and want from their Church. Alongside 15 generic points, there are also more specific questions focused on the different continents. And perhaps most significantly of all, the real novelty of this upcoming Synod is a website, to be launched in March, which will question young people directly about their own expectations, feeding the answers into the working document for the bishops gathered in Rome in October 2018.

Click for the full English text of the preparatory document for the XV Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops on “Young People, the Faith and Vocational Discernment”

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Washington D.C., Jan 13, 2017 / 06:01 am (CNA/EWTN News).- Congress took its first step toward blocking D.C.’s doctor-prescribed suicide law on Thursday, but the action will need the support of both houses of Congress and the President.

“America must be a nation that supports and cherishes human life, no matter the age, ethnicity or health of that life,” Sen. James Lankford (R-Okla.) stated Jan. 12 after introducing a resolution in the Senate that opposes Washington, D.C.’s “Death With Dignity Act of 2015.” The law had legalized doctor-prescribed suicide in the District.

D.C.’s law, Lankford said, “would erode our culture’s respect for life, and possibly lead to the mistreatment and exploitation of the disabled and most vulnerable among us.”

The city council of Washington, D.C. had passed the “Death With Dignity Act” in 2015, with Mayor Muriel Bowser (D) signing it in December.

Congress has 30 legislative days to review a law of the District of Columbia once it is passed by the city government. Resolutions of disapproval must be passed by both houses and be signed by the president to block a D.C. law.

Companion resolutions of disapproval of D.C.’s law were introduced in the Senate by Sen. Lankford, who chairs the subcommittee with oversight of D.C., and in the House by Rep. Brad Wenstrup (R-Ohio) on Thursday. Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah) also said this week that he would push to block the law.

The D.C. law legalized doctor-prescribed suicide under certain conditions, similar to other “death with dignity” laws passed or introduced in several states.

A physician must determine that the patient is terminally-ill, with six months or fewer to live, and inform the patient of other options if a request for a lethal prescription is made. They must refer the patient to a consulting doctor who independently verifies they are capable of making the decision, and who may refer the patient for counseling if he deems they are psychologically impaired. Two witnesses must also confirm that the patient is capable of making an informed decision.

After two oral requests, a 15-day period, a written request for a lethal prescription, and another 48-hour period, a doctor can prescribe a lethal dose of medication after offering the patient one more opportunity to stop the process and the patient refuses.

Aside from the troubling legalization of doctor-prescribed suicide, critics of the law have warned that it is open to serious abuses.

Patients can outlive terminal diagnoses, sometimes for years, though they may not be aware of this when they receive a terminal diagnosis. Someone deemed competent to choose to die may be still be suffering from mental disorders like depression, which may be a result of their terminal illness and may be treatable.

Also, a physician writing the prescription may not be the patient’s long-time doctor who knows them well. There is no protection against a patient being coerced into ingesting the lethal medication. And one of the witnesses to their choice may be a financial beneficiary of their death.

Cardinal Donald Wuerl of Washington spoke out strongly against the bill along with other Catholic leaders in the city.

“It cannot be denied that there are hardships in life, some of which seem to overwhelm us. Whether experienced late in life, in a physical illness or a bout of mental depression, or in a crisis pregnancy, the human condition is for us all beset with trials and tribulations,” he stated.

“A truly compassionate and merciful response to the sick and vulnerable is not to confirm these impulses by offering a lethal drug. Whether it is a terminally ill person or a young person suffering from depression, our response should be to draw them away from the edge, to help the vulnerable among us – regardless of their condition or circumstances – with genuine compassion and give them hope.”

Rep. Wenstrup stated that “as a physician of over 25 years, access to quality healthcare for every American is a concern that is close to my heart.”

“By authorizing doctors to violate the Hippocratic Oath of ‘do no harm,’ physician-assisted suicide undermines a key safeguard that protects our nation’s most vulnerable citizens and ensures our loved ones receive the best medical care when they need it most,” he said.

He echoed concerns of some of the city’s African-American residents who thought the law would discriminate against the poor, minorities, and the elderly. They, more than others, might not be able to afford the health care needed to fight terminal illnesses or could be pressured into obtaining a lethal prescription rather than fight a terminal illness.

 “Under this new law, if D.C. residents are not able to pay for health care out of pocket, they may find their options severely limited when facing a new diagnosis, suffering from a chronic illness, facing a disability, or struggling with mental illness,” Wenstrup said.

Doctor-prescribed suicide is now legal in the District of Columbia and six states: Washington, Oregon, Vermont, Montana, California, and Colorado.

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Vatican City, Jan 13, 2017 / 06:33 am (CNA/EWTN News).- With the 2014-2015 Synod of Bishops on the Family barely falling out of sight, the preparatory document for the next synod dedicated to youth has been released, indicating that young people will play an active role in both the preparation and the discussion.

“Through every phase of this Synod, the Church wants again to state her desire to encounter, accompany and care for every young person, without exception,” a preparatory document for the 2018 synod read.

“The Church cannot, nor does she wish to, abandon them to the isolation and exclusion to which the world exposes them.”

The theme for the 2018 50th General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, “Young People, the Faith and the Discernment of Vocation,” was announced Oct. 6, 2016.

According to the document, in choosing this specific theme, the Church wanted to not only ask herself “how she can lead young people to recognize and accept the call to the fullness of life and love,” but also “to ask young people to help her in identifying the most effective ways to announce the Good News today.”

“By listening to young people, the Church will once again hear the Lord speaking in today’s world. Listening to their aspirations, the Church can glimpse the world which lies ahead and the paths the Church is called to follow.”

Released Friday, the document for synod is divided into three parts focusing on the themes of “Young People in Today’s World,” “Faith, Discernment and Vocation” and “Pastoral Action.”

It concludes with a series of questions directed at the synods and councils of patriarchs of the Eastern Catholic Churches, episcopal conferences, dicasteries of the Roman Curia and the Union of Superiors General.

While some of the questions are more general, others are divided by continent in order grasp the differing realities of youth around the world, as well as to go outside of the “ Western, European, even an Italian” lens the reality of the Church is often read through, Cardinal Lorenzo Baldisseri said.

Cardinal Baldisseri, Secretary General of the Synod of Bishops presented the text at a Jan. 13 news conference alongside Bishop Fabio Fabene, Undersecretary of the Synod, as well as two youth, a man and woman pursuing university degrees and who are actively involved in their parish life, as a sign of the synod’s interest in making youth more than just observers in the discussion.

In addition to the questions included in the text, a separate questionnaire specifically aimed at youth and “their expectations and their lives” will be available online. Though it’s not active yet, Cardinal Baldisseri said the site is expected to be ready by March 1, and will be www.sinodogiovane2018.va.

He said the Synod of Bishops is taking time to ensure the language used for the questionnaire is more attractive and appealing than the “high, technical” speech frequently used by Church hierarchy.

When asked about the participation of youth in the synod discussions, Baldisseri said “the synod is a synod of bishops,” but the auditors, who participate in the meeting but can’t vote, will include young men and women with different vocations from around the world.

Answers to both questionnaires will form the basis for the eventual drafting of the “Instrumentum Laboris,” or “working document” of the 2018 synod, which Baldisseri said ought to be ready at the beginning of next year.

“Young People in Today’s World”

The preparatory document defines youth as being individuals 16-29 years old, but also takes into account that the definition of “young” is different depending on where you’re from.

While the text clarified that in no way does it provide a complete reading of the situation of youth today, it did say that in order to get an accurate perspective certain factors need to be taken into consideration, such as how countries with high birth-rates where young people make up the majority of the population differs from those where population is diminishing.

Also important to keep in mind is the history that separates countries or continents where Christianity is an ancient part of their tradition and culture, versus others where “Christianity is the minority and oftentimes only recently present.”

Special attention was also given to the growing differences related to gender, “masculine and feminine.” While gender on one hand “determines different perceptions of reality,” on the other it is often the basis “of various forms of domination, exclusion and discrimination, all of which societies need to overcome.”

The text also covers several difficulties youth can face, including: unemployment, poverty, a lack of education, gang and drug violence, child soldiers, various forms of slavery and exploitation, globalization, environmental degradation as well as the differing causes of the increased number of migrants and refugees.

It also touches on the benefits and dangers of technology and the problem of child brides and women forced to marry against their will, noting that obstacles surrounding work and education specifically are “even more difficult for young women to overcome.”

Multiculturalism was another point emphasized, since societies are increasingly more intercultural and interreligious. From the faith perspective, the document said “the situation is seen as a sign of our times, requiring greater listening, respect and dialogue.”

The document also pointed out that youth need both personal and institutional points of reference “who are able to express empathy and offer them support, encouragement and help in recognizing their limits, but without making them feel they are being judged.”

However, it also notes that youth can be “cautious by nature” when it comes to those outside their realm of relationships, leading them to “nourish mistrust, indifference or anger toward institutions,” including the Church.

The skills of youth are needed in order to overcome these challenges, the document says, explaining that “it is significant that young people — often withdrawn into a stereotype of passivity and inexperience — propose and practice alternatives which show how the world or the Church could be.”

“If society or the Christian community want to make something new happen again, they have to leave room for new people to take action.”

“Faith, Discernment and Vocation”

The second section of the text begins by saying that to respond to the challenges faced by today’s youth, “the Church, beginning with her Pastors, is called to make a self- examination and to rediscover her vocation of caring for others.”

It offered different ideas for accompanying youth, “beginning with the faith and listening to the tradition of the Church.” The ultimate goal is to support youth in their vocational discernment and in making “fundamental choices in life, starting from an awareness that some of these choices are permanent.”

It then posed the question: “how does a person live the good news of the Gospel and respond to the call which the Lord addresses to all those he encounters, whether through marriage, the ordained ministry or the consecrated life? Where can a person’s talents be put to good use: a professional life, volunteer work, service to the needy or involvement in civil and political life?”

Proper discernment is needed if these questions are to be answered, the text said, providing a three-step plan to discernment outlined by Pope Francis in his apostolic exhortation Evangelii Gaudium: “to recognize” one’s thoughts and feelings, “to interpret” them and then “to choose.”

As with all important things in life, “vocational discernment is a long process unfolding over time,” during which the different signs given by the Lord “to indicate and specify a vocation that is very personal and unique” must be monitored.

“Pastoral Action”

The document’s third section begins with a question: “How does the Church help young people accept their call to the joy of the Gospel, especially in these times of uncertainty, volatility and insecurity?”

A broad overview of pastoral activity is then given focusing on the different roles of those involved in the caring for the vocational discernment of young people.

When it comes to walking with youth, the document offers three tips for adopting a pastoral style similar to that of Jesus: “going out,” “seeing” and “calling.”

Pope Francis has often voiced his desire for “a Church that goes out,” but when it comes to vocational discernment, the synod’s preparatory document says that accepting this invitation from the Pope first of all means “abandoning the rigid attitudes which make the proclamation of the joy of the Gospel less credible” and tossing out a way of “acting as Church which at times is out-dated.”

When it comes to accompanying youth on the path of discernment, the text emphasizes that parents, educators and priests all have primary roles in forming youth and walking with them as they discover what God wants for their lives, beginning with how they are called to serve him.

It also distinguishes between spiritual accompaniment and psychological support, which often “has a basic importance.”

Pope Francis
 
In a letter from Pope Francis coinciding with the document’s publication, the Pope told youth that “I wanted you to be the center of attention, because you are in my heart.”

He recalled how when he was in Krakow for World Youth Day over the summer, he had asked the youth on several occasions “Can we change things?” to which they responded with a loud, resounding “yes!”

“That shout came from your young and youthful hearts, which do not tolerate injustice and cannot bow to a throw-away culture nor give in to the globalization of indifference,” Francis said, urging young people to “listen to the cry arising from your inner selves!”

“A better world can be built also as a result of your efforts, your desire to change and your generosity,” he said, telling them not to be afraid of the “bold choices” proposed to them by the Holy Spirit and to not delay “when your conscience asks you to take risks in following the Master.”

“The Church also wishes to listen to your voice, your sensitivities and your faith; even your doubts and your criticism,” he said, telling youth not to be shy in making their voices heard, even to their priests.

Pointing to the example of how St. Benedict urged his abbots “to consult, even the young, before any important decision” since “the Lord often reveals to the younger what is best,” Francis said that this is also the case for the upcoming synod.

“My brother bishops and I want even more to work with you for your joy,” he said, and prayed that Mary would “take your hand and guide you to the joy of fully and generously responding to God’s call with the words: ‘Here I am.’”

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IMAGE: CNS photo/Bob Roller

By Dennis Sadowski

WASHINGTON (CNS) -- New York Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan said the Scripture passage he chose to read at the Jan. 20 inauguration of Donald J. Trump as president -- Wisdom chapter 9 in which King Solomon prays for wisdom to lead Israel according to God's will -- was an easy one to make.

"I pray it all the time," he told Catholic News Service and joked that "the Lord still hasn't answered the prayer."

Jokes aside, Cardinal Dolan said that Solomon's prayer has been one offered to God for centuries.

In the prayer, Solomon acknowledges that God made humankind "to govern the world in holiness and righteousness and to render judgment in integrity of heart." The king continues by asking God for wisdom, "the consort at your throne, and do not reject me from among your children."

Solomon also pleads with God to send wisdom "that she may be with me and work with me, that I may know what is pleasing to you." He asks that his "deeds will be acceptable and I will judge your people justly and be worthy of my father's throne."

As for his appearance on the podium at the start of the inaugural ceremony with three other faith leaders, Cardinal Dolan explained that he was "flattered" to be invited to participate by inauguration planners.

The cardinal has one minute to read the passage. "That's more than enough," he said. "I've timed it."

He also was asked to send his selection to the Trump team. "I don't know if that was for vetting purposes or not, which I think is appropriate to do so," he told CNS.

And in these divisive times in the country, Cardinal Dolan acknowledged that he opened himself to critics by agreeing to be part of the ceremonies on the West Front of the U.S. Capitol.

"I know they are (there) because they've written to me," he said. "And as I tell them, had Mrs. (Hillary) Clinton won and invited me, I would have been just as honored.

"We pastors and religious leaders are in the sacred enterprise of prayer. People ask us to pray with them and for them. That doesn't mean we're for them or against them," he added.

"That's our sacred responsibility."

The cardinal noted that he had met Trump twice. The first time came Oct. 14 in the midst of the presidential campaign when Trump and his wife, Melania, made the six-block trip from Trump Tower to St. Patrick's Cathedral. At the time, diocesan spokesman Joseph Zwilling said that Trump had requested the meeting weeks before it occurred.

The two met again at the 71st annual dinner of the Alfred E. Smith Memorial Foundation six days later.

For the record, Cardinal Dolan met Clinton a few months earlier and also at the dinner, according to Zwilling.

The inauguration of a new president can be a time of hope and renewal for the country, Cardinal Dolan said.

"Many people may have reservations of the president-elect and I certainly do, as with any incoming president. But in the great American tradition, we look at the time of an incoming president as a time of hope ... a way to give a man a chance and try to fulfill some of the promises he made."

Trump's inauguration won't be the first in which a Catholic cleric participated. History shows that Msgr. John Ryan, a pioneer of the church's social justice advocacy who served a long term as director of the U.S. bishops' social action department, offered a prayer at the President Franklin Roosevelt's 1937 inauguration.

Prelates who prayed at inaugurations include Cardinal Richard J. Cushing of Boston at the inauguration of President John F. Kennedy in 1961; Cardinal Terrence J. Cooke of New York, at both of President Richard Nixon's inaugurations in 1969 and 1973; and, most recently, Archbishop John R. Roach of St. Paul and Minneapolis, who was U.S. bishops' conference president in 1977 when President Jimmy Carter took the oath of office.

Cardinal Dolan said he attended ceremonies as a private citizen for President Ronald Reagan in 1981 and President George H.W. Bush in 1989.

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Editor's Note: The full Bible passage of Wisdom chapter 9 can be found online at www.usccb.org/bible/wisdom/9:13.

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IMAGE: CNS photo/Bob Roller

By Junno Arocho Esteves

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Pope Francis asked young people to tell him, their bishops and pastors about their hopes and struggles and even their criticisms.

In preparation for a meeting of the Synod of Bishops focused on youth, the pope wrote a letter to young people, saying the church wants "to listen to your voice, your sensitivities and your faith, even your doubts and your criticism."

"Make your voice heard," the pope told young people. "Let it resonate in communities and let it be heard by your shepherds of souls."

The pope's letter was released Jan. 13 along with the preparatory document for the synod. The document includes a series of questions to be answered by national conferences of bishops and other church bodies. The responses, along with input from young people themselves, will form the basis of the synod's working document.

Pope Francis chose "Young people, faith and vocational discernment" as the theme for the synod gathering, which will be held in October 2018.

Young people will have an opportunity to contribute to the working document by submitting reflections "on their expectations and their lives" through a dedicated website -- www.sinodogiovani.va -- that will be launched March 1, said Bishop Fabio Fabene, undersecretary of the Synod of Bishops.

In his letter, Pope Francis referred to God's call to Abraham. The Old Testament patriarch, he said, "received a compelling invitation, a challenge, to leave everything and go to a new land. What is this 'new land' for us today, if not a more just and friendly society which you, young people, deeply desire and wish to build to the very ends of the earth?"

"A better world can be built also as a result of your efforts, your desire to change and your generosity," Pope Francis told young people. "Do not be afraid to listen to the Spirit who proposes bold choices; do not delay when your conscience asks you to take risks in following the Master."

The synod preparatory document offered three chapters for reflection by bishops and youths, which it defines as people roughly between the ages of 16 and 29: young people in today's world; faith, discernment and vocation; and pastoral activity.

Through the synod, the document said, "the church has decided to examine herself on how she can lead young people to recognize and accept the call to the fullness of life and love, and to ask young people to help her in identifying the most effective ways to announce the Good News today."

The church, it said, needs to evaluate its pastoral approach to young people living in a rapidly changing world where globalization, technological dominance, as well as economic and social hardships pose significant challenges to discovering their vocational path.

"From the vantage point of faith, the situation is seen as a sign of our times, requiring greater listening, respect and dialogue," the document said.

A special focus of the synod, it said, will be "on vocational discernment, that is, the process by which a person makes fundamental choices, in dialogue with the Lord and listening to the voice of the Spirit, starting with the choice of one's state in life."

Specifically for Christians, it said, the question is: "How does a person live the good news of the Gospel and respond to the call which the Lord addresses to all those he encounters, whether through marriage, the ordained ministry or the consecrated life?"

One of the major challenges for young people in defining their personal identity and finding their path in life is the countless options available -- particularly when it comes to their careers -- that may impede them from making a definitive life choice.

Many young people today, it said, "refuse to continue on a personal journey of life if it means giving up taking different paths in the future: 'Today I choose this, tomorrow we'll see.'"

Lack of employment and social and economic hardships, it added, also contribute to "their inability to continue in one career. Generally speaking, these obstacles are even more difficult for young women to overcome," it added.

Gender inequality and discrimination against ethnic or religious minorities, which can force people to emigrate, are other detrimental factors that the church is called to address to help young people become "agents of change."

"If society or the Christian community wants to make something new happen again, they have to leave room for new people to take action," the document said.

By accompanying young people in their personal discernment, it said, "the church accepts her call to collaborate in the joy of young people rather than be tempted to take control of their faith."

Cardinal Lorenzo Baldisseri, general secretary of the Synod of Bishops, told journalists Jan. 13 that the presence of young men and women at the synod will help bishops understand how best to accompany youths who are searching for their vocation and path in life.  

As auditors, young people "will not only be able to take part in the meetings of the general assembly, but also the small working groups," he said.

Federica Ceci and Elvis Do Ceu, young members of Rome's St. Thomas More parish, joined the cardinal for the news conference and expressed their gratitude for Pope Francis' attention to the realities facing today's young people.

Ceci, a 24-year-old law student, said the synod was a call for young people to "get their hands dirty."

Do Ceu told reporters, "Pope Francis, in a certain way, helps us understand that that the only way forward is to offer a future -- as well as a present -- by engaging young people and giving them a leading role."

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Follow Arocho on Twitter: @arochoju.

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Editors: The complete text of the synod preparatory document in English can be found at: http://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/it/bollettino/pubblico/2017/01/13/0021/00050.html#EN

The complete text in Spanish can be found at: http://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/it/bollettino/pubblico/2017/01/13/0021/00050.html#SPA

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Copyright © 2017 Catholic News Service/U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. www.catholicnews.com. All rights reserved. Republishing or redistributing of CNS content, including by framing or similar means without prior permission, is prohibited. You may link to stories on our public site. This copy is for your personal, non-commercial use only. To request permission for republishing or redistributing of CNS content, please contact permissions at cns@catholicnews.com.

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By Mark Pattison

WASHINGTON (CNS) -- Despite the apprehension over policies that could be enacted by a Republican-led Congress acting in accord with a Republican president in Donald Trump, the U.S. Catholic bishops remain hopeful that Congress will pass an immigration reform bill.

"This is a new moment with a new Congress, a new administration. We should up our expectations and move very carefully on comprehensive immigration reform," said Cardinal Daniel N. DiNardo, of Galveston-Houston, who is president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.

"I think this might be a very good time, a better time, to pursue our goals," Cardinal DiNardo said during a Jan. 12 conference call promoting National Migration Week, Jan. 8-14.

"I think the (bishops') conference is trying to start a conversation with the transition team of the president-elect," said Archbishop Jose H. Gomez of Los Angeles, USCCB vice president. "We continue to help elected officials ... to understand the issue," he added. "I think we are trying to establish that communication."

"We are very much concerned about keeping families together. It's Important to respect the security of this nation ... but never to lose that human face to this reality," added Bishop Joe S. Vasquez of Austin, Texas, chairman of the bishops' Committee on Migration.

"People are suffering. People want to be welcome. People want to be a part of this great American society," Bishop Vasquez said. "We need to bring about some change," he added. "We hope the president will work with us and with Congress as well to pass some laws that will be humane and respectful."

"In the days and weeks ahead, there will be intense debate over immigration reform and refugee policy. Ultimately, the question is this: Will our nation treat all migrants and refugees, regardless of their national origin or religion, in a way that respects their inherent dignity as children of God?" Cardinal DiNardo said.

"Pope Francis reminds us we are all equal before God. In equal measure, we are in need of and can receive God's great mercy. This is what makes us sisters and brothers, regardless of how we chose to divide ourselves."

The morning of the conference call, Archbishop Gomez presented a video message from Pope Francis on immigration during a Mass at the Dolores Mission Church in Boyle Heights, California, near Los Angeles. The clip was part of the pope's interview with a U.S. television journalist.

Bishop Vasquez dismissed the notion that nationwide immigration reform is virtually impossible.

"I don't know whether indeed working with the local level is sufficient. I think we as a church have to work with our local communities, with our local diocese and our state Catholic conferences," he said. "But it's important that we engage the current administration, to make known what is taking place in our countries. We have to work at the local level, but yes, we also have to work at the national level."

"There are many in Congress who think that immigration reform is a definite possibility," said Ashley Feasley, policy director for the USCCB's Migration and Refugee Services. "We need to show the need for the reform of our broken system."

Shortly after Trump's election, Archbishop Gomez had preached about children in his diocese going to bed afraid. Bishops, he said during the conference call, "can be present to the people and give that sense of peace that we are together. There is a democratic process in our country, and this happens every four years. ... We can address those situations and accomplish that in the specific area of immigration reform."

He added that in his archdiocese, people are "more open to see the future with more peace and understanding."

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Copyright © 2017 Catholic News Service/U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. www.catholicnews.com. All rights reserved. Republishing or redistributing of CNS content, including by framing or similar means without prior permission, is prohibited. You may link to stories on our public site. This copy is for your personal, non-commercial use only. To request permission for republishing or redistributing of CNS content, please contact permissions at cns@catholicnews.com.

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