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By TRISHA THOMAS
CASTEL GANDOLFO, Italy (AP) — Pope Leo XIV on Tuesday strongly backed U.S. bishops who condemned the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown, as he urged the American individuals to take heed to them and deal with migrants humanely.
Historical past’s first American pope was requested in regards to the “particular message” the U.S. Convention of Catholic Bishops adopted through the bishops’ basic meeting final week. The textual content criticized the Trump administration’s mass deportation of migrants and the “vilification” of them within the present migration debate. It lamented the worry and nervousness immigration raids have sown in communities, and the denial of pastoral care to migrants in detention facilities.
Leo, who has beforehand urged native bishops to take the lead on talking out on issues of social justice, stated he appreciated the U.S. bishops’ assertion and urged Catholics and all individuals of goodwill to take heed to what they stated.
“I believe we have now to search for methods of treating individuals humanely, treating individuals with the dignity that they’ve,” stated the Chicago-born Leo. “If persons are in the US illegally, there are methods to deal with that. There are courts, there’s a system of justice.”
Talking to reporters as he left the papal nation home south of Rome, Leo acknowledged there are issues within the U.S. migration system. However he confused that nobody has stated the U.S. ought to have open borders, and that each nation has the appropriate to find out who can enter and the way.
“However when persons are dwelling good lives, and plenty of of them for 10, 15, 20 years, to deal with them in a method that’s extraordinarily disrespectful to say the least — and there’s been some violence sadly — I believe that the bishops have been very clear in what they stated,” he stated.
“I’d simply invite all individuals in the US to take heed to them.”
The bishops’ “particular message” was uncommon, the primary time since 2013 the bishops had penned such a single-issue assertion at one in every of their conferences. It was accompanied by an Instagram video of particular person bishops studying the textual content on digital camera, to hammer dwelling its message.
Upcoming journey plans
Leo spoke to reporters gathered outdoors his villa in Castel Gandolfo, the place he normally spends Monday afternoons and Tuesdays stress-free, taking part in tennis and swimming within the property’s indoor pool.
He steered that he’s planning extra journey beginning in 2026, after his Rome commitments ease up with the finish of the Holy Yr.
Requested if he would return to Peru, the place he spent some 20 years as a missionary, Leo stated “in fact.”
However he additionally hinted at different attainable locations, together with the Fatima shrine in Portugal, the Guadalupe shrine in Mexico, and visits to Argentina and Uruguay.
“I like to journey, the issue is scheduling with all of the commitments,” he stated.
Leo subsequent week will embark on his first international journey as pope, to Turkey and Lebanon.
Nicole Winfield in Rome contributed.
Related Press faith protection receives help by means of the AP’s collaboration with The Dialog US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely liable for this content material.
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