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 WASHINGTON- The United States has a moral obligation to protect unaccompanied children and families from persecution in Central America, said Bishop Mark J. Seitz of El Paso, Texas, in testimony before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, October 21. Bishop Seitz is an advisor to the USCCB Committee on Migration and a member of the board of the Catholic Legal Immigration Network (CLINIC).

The humanitarian outflow, driven by organized crime in the northern triangle countries of Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras, continues, with nearly 40,000 unaccompanied children and an equal number of mothers with children having arrived in the United States in Fiscal Year 2015.

"If we do not respond justly and humanely to this challenge in our own backyard, then we will relinquish our moral leadership and moral influence globally," Bishop Seitz said.

Bishop Seitz pointed to the human consequences of U.S. policies which are designed to deter migration from the region, including U.S. support for Mexican interdiction efforts which are intercepting children and families in Mexico and sending them back to danger, in violation of international law.

Bishop Seitz recommended an end to these interdictions and the introduction of a regional system which would screen children and families for asylum in Mexico and other parts of the region. He also called for Congress to approve and increase a $1 billion aid package proposed by the Administration.

"If we export enforcement," Bishop Seitz said, "we also must export protection."

Bishop Seitz recalled the words of Pope Francis before Congress in September, when he invoked the golden rule in guiding our nation's actions toward those seeking safety in our land.

Quoting the Holy Father, Bishop Seitz repeated to the committee, "'The yardstick we use for others will be the yardstick which time will use for us.'"

"Mr. Chairman, I pray that time, and history, will conclude that we honored this rule in meeting this humanitarian challenge," Bishop Seitz concluded.

Bishop Seitz' testimony can be found at http://www.usccb.org//about/migration-policy/congressional-testimony/upload/seitz-ongoing-migration.pdf

Keywords: Bishop Mark J. Seitz, U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, USCCB, Congress, Senate, Committee on Migration, migration, unaccompanied children, violence, Pope Francis
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Vatican City, Dec 17, 2015 / 01:00 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- A chorus burst of 'Happy Birthday' and the smell of birthday cake filled the Vatican today as a crowd of young people from the Italian lay movement 'Azione Cattolica' gathered to festively wish Pope Francis a happy birthday as he turned 79 years old. 

After the Pope blew out his birthday candle, he addressed the young people who were gathered for their annual Christmas audience, thanking them for the birthday cake and well wishes. The Holy Father went on to bless the movement's commitment to the mission of welcoming migrants and encouraged them to become missionaries of Christ.

To “journey towards the Lord means to take the good road - not the evil one; it means to put oneself on the road of forgiveness, of peace, of solidarity,” Pope Francis told the youth.

“In this regard, your initiative in favor of Migrants in the Agrigento diocese is a very good one,” he continued.

'Azione Cattolica' is an association of Italian lay people who aim to proclaim the Gospel through their community and in education. One of their recent projects includes working with migrants, for which Pope Francis offered prayers and blessings.

“So many brothers and sisters of ours who arrive full of hope, but are also wounded and in desperate need of so much, including peace and bread,” the Holy Father noted, asking the movement to continue their contributions to their community and to migrants in need. 

Pope Francis encouraged the youth gathered to be charitable with their possessions, saying that they should share with those less fortunate than themselves. He also offered a blessing and greeting to the leaders of 'Azione Cattolica,' thanking them for their work for the Church. 

The movement 'Azione Cattolica' was only one among many well-wishers who expressed birthday greetings to the Pope on his birthday. 

Yesterday at the general audience in St. Peter’s Square, Mexican journalist Valentina Alazraki gave Pope Francis a birthday cake in the shape of a sombrero. Alazraki noted on Twitter that the cake was given “in the name of Mexico, who awaits you” - speaking of Pope Francis’ upcoming trip to Mexico in February.

In addition, thousands of users on Twitter, including various news stations and dioceses, wished the Holy Father a happy birthday under the hashtag #HappyBirthdayPopeFrancis.

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IMAGE: CNS photo/Georgetown University

By Mark Pattison

WASHINGTON (CNS) -- Even though he wasn't on the program, Vice President Joe Biden stole the show at a Georgetown University program promoting peace in wake of terrorist attacks in Paris and San Bernardino, California.

Laila Brothers, a Georgetown freshman, had just given a moving reflection about being Muslim and her hijab-wearing mother feeling as if she had "a target on her back" in the month following the terror attacks.

Brothers talked about how Republican presidential aspirant Donald Trump had suggested that Muslims wear a badge to identify them to others. She added how she wanted to spare her mother the stress that comes with wearing the hijab. Her mother's response: "If they're talking about Muslims wearing a badge, I already have a badge. My hijab is my badge."

While Brothers was receiving applause after her remarks, Biden walked up onto the stage and greeted some of the other participants at the Dec. 16 forum, billed as "Interfaith Gathering for Solidarity, Understanding and Peace," but gave Brothers a warm embrace.

Stepping to the microphone, he said, "My name's Joe Biden, and I align myself with the words of this courageous young woman."

Then, using only index cards as reference points, he spoke for nearly as long as the other speakers combined. Among those speakers was Cardinal Donald W. Wuerl of Washington, who was quoted by Biden at one point during his remarks.

The immigrants who came "in waves" to the United States, Biden said, told themselves, "We don't know the language. We're not sure if they want us, but let's go."

Those immigrants, Biden added, had "the greatest fortitude, the greatest courage, the greatest sense of optimism."

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-California, also attended the event but did not speak.

Cardinal Wuerl, in his remarks, reflected on the parable of the good Samaritan, which was read as part of the gathering.

While "e pluribus unum" -- out of many, one -- embodies the American idea in a legal framework, he said, when looking at the nation "through the eyes of faith," Cardinal Wuerl said, it is incumbent for each person who answer the question, "Who is my neighbor?"

"We are part of one great human family," Cardinal Wuerl added.

Imam Talib M. Shareef, president of the Nation's Mosque, Masjid Muhammad, in Washington said that when God created Adam, the first man, "Adam's own identity was not a racial identity. His identity was not a national identity. His identity was not an ethnic identity. The identity was human." From that, the imam added, "that has to be the most important identity" when governing relationships with all other people.

"The idea of Genesis," the first book of the Bible, "is that we are created in the image of God," said Rabbi M. Bruce Lustig, senior rabbi of the Washington Hebrew Congregation.

He acknowledged how some have used their faith's sacred scriptures to justify violence. But, he said, "if it can be used to teach hate, it can also be used to teach love."

The gathering was the idea of Georgetown's president. John DeGioia, who declared his intent to sponsor a forum exactly one week after the San Bernardino shootings. The event was held exactly one week after his announcement, as Christian, Jewish, Muslim and Sikh clergy quickly committed to participating.

DeGioia had declared beforehand, "We shouldn't let this moment go without an expression of solidarity by the university," said John Carr, director of Georgetown's Initiative on Catholic Social Thought & Public Life, before the event began. "Look at the turnout. You can see it's the A-team," he added, referring to the assembled clergy.

Despite the quick turnaround time, a 500-seat auditorium on the Georgetown campus was nearly filled, even though students -- a reliable source of bodies for many a school's events -- had been dismissed the week prior after final exams.

At the gathering, DeGioia remarked on how the event was imbued with "a spirit of unity and solidarity with all members of the global family." He said such a gathering was needed to enhance "the common good," adding that it was necessary for it to be a sign "of where we are" and "what we would expect of ourselves."

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Follow Pattison on Twitter: @MeMarkPattison.

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IMAGE: CNS/L'Osservatore Romano

By Junno Arocho Esteves

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- To follow a path toward Christ, one must follow the good path of forgiveness, peace and solidarity, and avoid following the evil path of vengeance, war and selfishness, Pope Francis told hundreds of Italian children.

The members of Catholic Action's children's section, parish-based groups of young people from 4 to 14 years of age, spent the year on various projects that aided migrants in the Italian diocese of Agrigento.

Upon the pope's arrival, the youth sang "Happy Birthday" and presented him with a cake for his 79th birthday Dec. 17 during his traditional pre-Christmas audience with them.

The pope blessed and thanked the youth for their work with migrants, saying that they welcome in an exemplary way "so many brothers and sisters who arrive full of hope, but are also wounded and in desperate need of so much, including peace and bread."

"You can offer a special contribution to this initiative with your enthusiasm and prayer, which I advise you to accompany with a small sacrifice, to share their essentials with others who do not have them," he said.

Departing from his prepared speech, the pope asked the youth what would they do if they had two candies and their friend had none. "I'll give him one," a child responded.

"And if you have one candy and your friend has none, what do you do?" he asked. "Half!" another child exclaimed.

"Yes, half. Very good! Go forward this way," the pope said.

After thanking the leaders of Catholic Action's Italian branch, Pope Francis led the group in praying the "Hail Mary" and thanked them for their "commitment and dedication to Christian education."

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Copyright © 2015 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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