Last week President Trump announced a refugee ban in the United States. If we are in fact going to live up to our claim to be “the Pro-Life Generation” we have to be pro-refugee-life, not just pro-unborn-life. As Catholics we look to our bishops to articulate what it means to proclaim the Gospel of Life. The US Council of Catholic Bishops and our own Archbishop Carlson have strongly stated that this ban goes against our Christian and American principles of welcoming those in need. Jesus was quite clear in Matthew 25:31-46 when he said that those who welcome strangers welcome Him, and those who reject strangers reject Him. The question is, “what are we going to do about it?”

How To Take Action

Catholic Relief Services has given us 7 Things You Can Do To Help. We recommend you do a couple right now and consider the others as well.

Pray

The executive order is currently being challenged in the courts. Pray that the will of God be done through the court’s decision and that all of our officials will uphold the dignity and infinite value of those who are most in need.

Donate

You can positively impact the lives of refugees right now by donating to aid organizations that are on the ground helping. There are many organizations doing great work. The button below will take to you CRS’s donation page. More than 90% of the money donated there goes directly to people in need.

DONATE

Learn

The details of the executive order and the hardship it puts people cannot be understood by watching a 2 minute news story or reading a blog. Find out what is really going on, so you can form a reasoned opinion and share the facts with others. One place to start is this Q&A, also from our friends at CRS.

READ MORE

Archbishop Carlson’s Statement

Below is the full text of Archbishop Carlson’s statement regarding the executive order to ban certain nationalities from entering our country. As young catholics who proclaim the Gospel of Life, it is very important that we read up on what the shepherds of our church have to say so that we can be a unified voice.

Conclusion

As pro-lifers, we understand the importance of standing up for all life. This can be difficult when the rest of society seems to oppose us. Although it is right for us to protect our country from violence and terrorism, we must fix the vetting process as opposed to creating a blanket ban that targets specific religions or nationalities. I encourage you to stay informed on this topic and have the courage to talk about it while taking action. Above all, pray for those who are seeking a better life as they escape violence and persecution.