Cardinal Roger Mahoney pleads the views that Roman Catholic Church members feel in regards to the ongoing ethical debate regarding United States immigration in “Called by God to Help.” He first reveals decision to have the priests from his church to disobey a proposed anti-immigration law that would “subject to five years in prison anyone who ‘assists’ an undocumented immigrant.” Although this decision correlates to the values that they practice in the Catholic church, Cardinal Mahoney receives much criticism for implementing this.
Despite the criticism that the church receives for taking this stance, Cardinal Mahoney makes it clear that he is not going to change his mind on this decision. He notes that the church does not defend immigration, but the organization refuses to follow this proposed bill because it goes against their “Gospel mandate” of helping all people in need. He
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Although this fact is not well known, he reveals how there are undocumented workers who positively contribute to the economy. He explains how “we gladly accept their taxes and sweat,” ultimately supporting the theory that undocumented workers do contribute towards the country’s tax system and labor force. Because Cardinal Mahoney recognizes their help, his tone embodies disappointment towards the way “we scapegoat them for our social ills and label them as security threats.” To conclude, Cardinal Mahoney’s final reflection on the immigration catastrophe justifies it as a “moral and ethical issue,” which is exactly why he and the other members of the church have decided to get involved with it. They feel a sense of obligation to help the immigrants, especially because they believe their mandate will move the nation towards overall improvement. His last wish is that members of Congress choose to handle this situation and modify the bill in ways that preserve regular