THE GLOBE
PO BOX 5079 (51102)
1825 JACKSON ST.
SIOUX CITY, IA (51105)
712.255.2550
800.352.9035
WWW.CATHOLICGLOBE.ORG

Sisters hold prayer service to raise awareness about immigration issue

By RENEE WEBB, Globe editor
(Email Renee)

A brief prayer service was held Dec. 15 at Mary Treglia Community Center in Sioux City to raise awareness about the Welcoming Communities statement and billboard released by Catholic Sisters in the Upper Mississippi River Valley and to pray for immigration reform.

About 50 people attended the service that was led by Sister Shirley Fineran and other Sisters of St. Francis.

“We are gathered today to show our support for welcoming immigrants to the diocese,” said Sister Shirley, who showed them a copy of the billboard that is up along I-29.

Scripture readings were read in English, Spanish and Vietnamese. The Welcoming Communities statement was also read.

“Today, we are witnessing the violation of human rights under our current immigration policies, particularly in the separation of families due to unjust deportations, and in the exploitation of immigrant workers,” said the sisters in the statement. “We are deeply grieved by the violence done to families through immigration raids and unjust detentions. We cannot in good conscience ignore such suffering and injustice.”

The sisters continued, “Failure on the part of the federal government to reform the present unworkable system has resulted in states passing legislation that is punitive and harmful to human rights and is based upon inaccurate information and assumptions.”

The prayer service concluded with a music program by some of the preschool children who attend Mary Treglia Community Center.

Corey Schink said he decided to attend the prayer service because he volunteers at Mary Treglia, working with English as a Second Language classes.

“I heard about the prayer service and decided it was a good cause,” he said.

Schink said the billboards “provide a very inspiring message to the people of Siouxland. It’s a message that unites.”

Christine Lewis of Le Mars who was originally from Germany attended the service. She pointed out that her Dad was in the United States Army for over 20 years, her mother is a German immigrant and Lewis herself has dual citizenship.

“I believe that immigration is extremely important for this country and people like my mother can be affected if something ever happens to my father,” she said. “Even though they have been married for over 20 years, there is still a chance that she could be removed from the country if something does happen to my father.”

For immigrants who are married to American citizens, Lewis said she would like to see them have more rights and freedoms. Her mother hasn’t given up her German citizenship because it is easier for her to go see her family over there, but this restricts her rights here.

Sister Shirley said the sisters wanted to be involved in a project like this because they are committed to building relationships with people and working for social justice.

“We view the present situation with immigration as so punitive for immigrants and migrants that are here,” she said. “There is not a good way for people to have a pathway to citizenship.”

The Catholic sisters are calling on President Barack Obama and Congress to work together to enact comprehensive immigration reform. To make their point, they have issued a statement on Welcoming Communities and placed the billboards in the Quad Cities, Des Moines, Dubuque, Cedar Rapids, Sioux City and Clinton, Iowa, this month in advance of the Iowa caucuses to make sure delegates, potential candidates and voters remember this critical issue.

While the 10 communities are calling for comprehensive immigration reform, Sister Shirley said that during the caucuses she will be asking people to look at and help pass the Dream Act.

“The Dream Act provides an opportunity for people who came here before the age 15, who have gone through our school system and have graduated – if they are undocumented they cannot get a job because they cannot get a work permit and they aren’t eligible for financial aid so they can’t go to college,” Sister Shirley said. “What are they supposed to do?”

She said some might tell them to go back from where they came, but many came here as small children and this now is their home and where their life is.

“To ask that these children go back to their country of origins is very naïve,” Sister Shirley said. “Let them continue their education and give back to society.”

It is her thought that if several states passed the Dream Act at the state level, then a national act would eventually be passed.

She said they are not seeking immediate citizenship for the undocumented, but merely pathways for achieving it. They would need to follow certain things to get it such as have strong moral character, pay taxes, no crime and so forth.

The following religious communities participated in the project: Dominican Sisters of Sinsinawa, Wisc.; Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Dubuque, Iowa; Sisters of the Humility of Mary of Davenport, Iowa; Sisters of the Presentation of Dubuque, Iowa; Sisters of St. Francis of Clinton, Iowa; Sisters of St. Francis of Dubuque, Iowa; Sisters of St. Benedict, Rock Island, Ill.; Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration, La Crosse, Wisc.; Sisters of the Visitation, Dubuque, Iowa and Sisters of Mercy, West Midwest Community, Omaha.