Category: Diocese of Scranton News

ROME (CNS) – All Christians are called to invite everyone to trust in Christ, who enlightens and consoles, Pope Leo XIV said.

“Every authentic encounter with the Lord is, in fact, a transformative moment that grants a new vision and a new direction for the task of building up the Body of Christ,” the pope said as he closed the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity Jan. 25 during an ecumenical evening prayer service at Rome’s Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls.

Every year, the week “invites us to renew our commitment to this great mission, bearing in mind that the divisions among us — while they do not prevent the light of Christ from shining — nonetheless make the face which must reflect it to the world less radiant,” he said.

As the service began, Orthodox Metropolitan Polykarpos of Italy and Anglican Bishop Anthony Ball, the archbishop of Canterbury’s representative to the Holy See, joined Pope Leo in descending the stairs under the main altar to pray before the relics of St. Paul. Several leaders and representatives of numerous churches and Christian communions worldwide attended the prayer service, including Armenian Orthodox Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, the representative of the Armenian Apostolic Church to the Holy See,

The theme for the 2026 celebration of the week was inspired by St. Paul’s letter to the Ephesians (4:4), “There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope of your calling.”

“We are one! We already are! Let us recognize it, experience it and make it visible!” Pope Leo said in his homily.

The synodal journey of the Catholic Church, which is and must be ecumenical, he said, “is a path for growing together in mutual knowledge of our respective synodal structures and traditions.”

“As we look toward the 2,000th anniversary of the Passion, Death and Resurrection of the Lord Jesus in 2033, let us commit ourselves to further developing ecumenical synodal practices and to sharing with one another who we are, what we do and what we teach,” the pope said.

The mission of all Christians today is “to proclaim Christ and to invite everyone to place their trust in him,” he said. This shared task is to “say humbly and joyfully to the world: ‘Look to Christ! Come closer to him! Welcome his word that enlightens and consoles!'”

Pope Leo underlined the importance of celebrating the 1700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea in Iznik, Turkey, in November with representatives of so many Christian traditions.

“Reciting the Nicene Creed together in the very place where it was formulated was a profound and unforgettable testimony to our unity in Christ,” he said. “May the Holy Spirit find in us docile minds even today, so that we may proclaim the faith with one voice to the men and women of our time!”

Concluding his homily, Pope Leo prayed that “the seeds of the Gospel may continue to bear fruit on this continent in unity, justice and holiness, for the benefit of peace among the peoples and nations of the whole world.”

(OSV News) – Three U.S. bishops who chair committees of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops are applauding two pieces of legislation designed to support pregnant women through an array of resources, including continued access to higher education.

“We were grateful to see the U.S. House of Representatives pass the Pregnant Students’ Rights Act and the Supporting Pregnant and Parenting Women and Families Act,” said Archbishop Shelton J. Fabre of Louisville, Kentucky, Bishop David M. O’Connell of Trenton, New Jersey, and Bishop Daniel E. Thomas of Toledo, Ohio, in a Jan. 23 joint statement.

The three prelates respectively chair the USCCB’s committees on Domestic Justice and Human Development, Catholic Education and Pro-Life Activities.

The Pregnant Students’ Rights Act, introduced in December by Rep. Ashley Hinson, R-Iowa, in December, cleared the House in a 217-211 vote on Jan. 22. The legislation requires colleges and universities that participate in federal student aid programs to provide both prospective and current students with information on rights and resources for carrying a baby to term while enrolled.

The required information must include a list of community and campus resources, accommodations and information on filing a discrimination complaint regarding a student’s intention to carry a baby to term.

The act “is needed legislation that would simply ensure that colleges and universities at least provide information about the resources, services, rights, and accommodations available for pregnant and parenting students,” said the three bishops in their Jan. 23 statement.

Bishops O’Connell and Thomas had also sent a Jan. 22 letter to Congress urging approval of the act, saying that “society and too many colleges and universities can give the impression that having a baby while a student is not only a great challenge but an unsurmountable detriment to women’s lives.

“Young women who are pregnant may thus feel that they have to choose between their baby or their education and feel pressured to have an abortion,” wrote the two bishops in their letter. “Many college and university students are unaware of the support available to them if they are pregnant or parenting, and that support can make a difference.”

The U.S. Senate is expected to vote on its own version of the bill in the coming week, said the USCCB in its Jan. 23 announcement of the three bishops’ joint statement.

The Supporting Pregnant and Parenting Women and Families Act, introduced in early January by Rep. Michelle Fischbach, R-Minn., passed the House 215-209 on Jan. 21. The act would allow states to use TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) funds for pregnancy centers that support protecting the life of the mother and her unborn child, and that offer services such as pregnancy testing, prenatal and pregnancy education, counseling, diapers, baby clothes and other material resources.

The legislation “would help ensure that key public resources are available to pregnancy help centers, which compassionately accompany women in need with baby supplies, childcare assistance, health and parenting information, career services, and more,” said the three bishops in their statement. “Amid great uncertainty and difficulty, such support can make a life-saving difference.”

They added that “building a culture of life requires helping mothers to be able to welcome their new children.

“Too often, however, expectant and vulnerable women are essentially told that they have to choose either their child or their future,” they wrote. “No one should have to make this ultimately false choice.”

WASHINGTON (OSV News) – As thousands gathered in the cold, to stand for the unborn, March for Life president Jennie Bradley Lichter reminded the crowd that what has “saved so many lives and moved countless hearts” on the abortion issue over the years is the marchers’ “unfailing hope” their “love for the littlest ones and for moms who need a hand,” their joy and “the sheer number of you who are here year after year.”

The theme of the 53rd annual March for Life was “Life Is a Gift” and both the crowd and the speakers at the rally embraced their personal experience of the gift of life.

At the start of the event, Lichter introduced the “Friends of Club 21” choir, a group of teens and young adults with Down syndrome who sang the national anthem. She said the group embodied the theme of the march.

For Ariel Hartshorn, who traveled 17 hours to the march on a bus from Benedictine College in Kansas, her brother with Down syndrome was a big part of her reason for attending.

“I know that a lot of people with Down syndrome are aborted and that just breaks my heart,” she told OSV News, calling her brother “the most joyful” person who “brings so much joy to everybody’s life.” She said “it’s really important that we march for life and that we be that change” in society for people like her brother.

Vice President JD Vance, who recently announced that he and his wife, Usha, are expecting their fourth child, also felt the march’s theme in a personal way, telling the crowd, “Life is a gift and I know for me personally this year, there is so much to be thankful for. I’m grateful to my own family, for my beautiful wife, Usha, and that God has given us the miracle of new life again.”

One speaker at the march, Sarah Hurm, told those gathered that she was “living proof” that life is a gift through her journey of nearly aborting her son with the abortion pill regimen and being able to reverse that procedure through the help of a pro-life ministry.

She spoke about being a 26-year-old single mom who already had three children and was not receiving support from her baby’s father or the abortion clinic where she felt like a “transaction,” not a person.

The words of an abortion clinic worker stuck with her. The worker told her the baby had a “strong heartbeat” and she was “lucky the heartbeat bill hadn’t passed because if it had we wouldn’t be able to continue.”

“As soon as I walked out of the facility,” Hurm said, “it was as if the world went from dark gray to bright blue. The clinic had felt lifeless, outside I felt life again. That sharp contrast between darkness and light made me feel something I will never forget. I instantly began to regret my decision and I broke down in my car.”

Despite having taken the first pill in the regimen, Hurm was able to save her son through a hotline number that offered abortion pill reversal treatment. “Today,” she said, “my son is one of the greatest joys of my life.”

She encouraged the crowd to make efforts to help women facing unexpected pregnancies. “Saving a life can be as simple as answering a phone call, driving a friend to an ultrasound, or helping her pick out a car seat,” she emphasized. “Small sacrifices can become enormous victories that support moms like me and children like mine. You have that power. Be that person who connects a woman to hope.”

Benedictine College student Maria Draves felt the importance of supporting women facing unplanned pregnancies, saying she traveled to the march “for the innocent children who don’t have a voice for themselves” but that it was also important to “remember the mothers because a lot of these mothers are in really difficult situations, and so we have to keep them in our prayers as well and do everything we can to take care of them.”

Lily Doyle, a student at Franciscan University, saw defending the dignity of the unborn as connected to the dignity of all vulnerable people. “It’s important now more than ever to be sure that everyone, no matter who they are, what they feel, young, old, pre-born, know that their life is worth living,” she emphasized, “every person matters no matter what.”

Lichter noted the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence and its emphasis on the right to life, telling the crowd “never forget that the United States of America was built on the foundation of the right to life” and “you are standing in a great American tradition when you stand up for the right to life like you’re doing today.”

Bringing her husband and three children out on stage, Lichter celebrated past generations of marchers and noted that her kids “have grown up as marchers and they are thrilled to see you all here today.”

Amanda and Drew Ide from Minnesota were also a part of bringing the next generation of marchers as they went along the route with their young baby, Zoey, following the rally. Drew said he felt “like there’s a turn in our culture to be able to see people seeing the value in protecting even the youngest people of our society.”

“We are just out here representing the value of life and hoping that it can impact legislation,” Amanda said, adding that as evangelical Christians they wanted to be “walking the walk, not just talking the talk.”

(OSV News) – Amid the 2026 Week of Prayer for Christian Unity Jan. 18-25, OSV News spoke with Bishop Joseph C. Bambera of Scranton, Pennsylvania, who serves as chair of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee on Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs and the Catholic co-chair of the Holy See’s International Catholic-Pentecostal Dialogue committee, part of the Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

 

OSV News: How has the recent commemoration of the 1700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea impacted this year’s observance of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity?

Bishop Bambera: This year obviously is a very significant year to mark Christian unity, particularly in light of the council’s 1700th anniversary. It certainly is a very significant step forward (in Christian unity) this year.

Our Holy Father, Pope Leo XIV, has really established for his pontificate (a concern for Christian unity) in that incredible gesture of traveling to Nicaea to meet with Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, and to profess a desire, certainly between the Catholic community and the Orthodox community, to pursue – based on our shared appreciation for that creed – work for unity.

 

OSV News: Where would you say we’re currently at with Catholic-Orthodox efforts to reunite?

Bishop Bambera: It’s very difficult for me to actually spell out specifically where we stand in terms of that relationship. However, I think we see clearly a desire for us to start to move forward in the gesture of Pope Leo going to Nicaea.

And I think we see it also in the gestures of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, as the conference is now regularly inviting Orthodox observers to come to our plenary meeting in November, as we did this past year.

I also think (the move toward unity gains momentum) because of some of the upheaval that we see in our world and in various countries in which there is tremendous concern for the well-being of people. I’m thinking of Ukraine in particular, and obviously the Middle East.

I think that the need is for us as Christians – Orthodox, Catholics, Protestants – to give whatever evidence we can of our desire to fulfill that prayer of Jesus (for unity, in John 17:1-26). If Christian leaders can’t work together in harmony and peace, how would we ever expect there to be harmony and peace in our world?

Quite the contrary; we need to witness to that. We need to be a voice to those political and social entities that are disrupting peace. We need to call them to something more.

 

OSV News: So, would you say that these efforts for Christian unity really are, from the perspective of our responsibilities to the Lord, fundamental to creating world peace for all people?

Bishop Bambera: I certainly think they contribute to it.

 

OSV News: How do you think increased Christian unity might help with interreligious dialogue?

Bishop Bambera: Our ability to journey together as Christians can only impact our relationship with other religions in a positive way. … There’s a wonderful quote attributed to Mahatma Gandhi (the Indian political activist and nonviolence advocate), who had a great, great appreciation as a Hindu for Christ and for the message of the Gospel. He was asked if he would ever consider becoming a Christian, and his response was that he would become a Christian when Christians began to live the example and teaching of their Master.

Doesn’t that really speak very powerfully to the roots of this Week of Prayer for Christian Unity? We are responding to a prayer of Jesus. And so we have to get our house in order first.

I think for anybody to look at us in a way that sees our desire to journey together with them, be they Christians or of other religious traditions — before they’re going to trust us, they have to see that we’re willing to walk this talk.

 

OSV News: How can this week of prayer speak to the divisions that exist among Catholics themselves in the U.S.?

Bishop Bambera: We ought not set ecumenism to the side. It’s vital to our understanding of the Second Vatican Council. You can’t read the council without a lens towards Christian unity.

And it clearly, clearly is at the heart of the agenda of Pope Leo XIV, as it was with Pope Francis and recent pontiffs.

In the heart of that is this incredible prayer of Jesus (Jn 17:1-26) that establishes this invitation to all of us to work for unity. It’s not an add-on.

 

OSV News: The work of Christian unity seems to take place at two levels — expert theological dialogue, and the everyday encounters of fellow Christians with one another. How do these two levels intersect and interact?

Bishop Bambera: I think the easiest way to respond to that is to say it really goes back to Pope Francis, who put it in his own style very, very well (during ecumenical vespers for the close of the 2024 Week of Prayer for Christian Unity). He said that if we are focused on theological unity, and if we are looking at addressing all of the various theological factors that have led up to divisions within the churches, repairing those breaks in unity will take centuries. It took a long time for them to surface. It’s going to take a long time for them to be mended.

But there’s also, he said, a unity of life and love, whereby all of us, not just theologians, but more particularly the people in our pews — who are the visible presence and witness to faith and life and indeed unity — are going to embrace it much, much more readily and deeply and authentically. I can see that very, very well in my own life as a priest over the last 43 years in ordained ministry.

At times, from a theological perspective, perhaps we’ve lost our enthusiasm at times for unity. I think on the heels of the Council, many individuals thought that we would be able to move forward very quickly in terms of establishing unity. That’s not necessarily been the case.

But what I think you start to see on a very grassroots level is people walking together as brothers and sisters, almost to the point of not even recognizing our differences.

 

OSV News: Do you think one obstacle to Christian unity is a fear that oneness will mean compromising the tenets of a given Christian denomination, including Catholicism?

Bishop Bambera: I think so often people worry that we’re going to give away the store to simply achieve this level of unity that we commit ourselves to. And I think it’s so important that we don’t impose a false sense of unity.

The true and most authentic way for us to journey together as brothers and sisters is never to diminish who we are, and never to set up some false sense of unity that we haven’t yet established. It’s to acknowledge our differences.

It’s to recognize there’s a phenomenon called “receptive ecumenism,” whereby we look at really what is best in the other, and it’s not so much what we can give to you, but what we can learn from you and make a part of our lives.

We acknowledge our differences, we respect them, and we learn from one another ways in which we can grow together – recognizing that that full unity may be far, far in the future, but also recognizing that Jesus’ prayer is a prayer that is before us today, and whatever way we can walk together as brothers and sisters is what we’re called to do.

SCRANTON (Jan. 23, 2026) – Due to the significant winter storm forecast to impact northeastern Pennsylvania this weekend, Catholic Social Services of the Diocese of Scranton is extending hours at all of the emergency shelters it operates to ensure individuals experiencing homelessness have access to warmth, safety, and care during dangerous weather conditions.

The National Weather Service is predicting heavy snowfall throughout the day Sunday, with snowfall rates potentially reaching an inch or more per hour, along with frigid temperatures that pose a serious risk to those without adequate shelter.

“With prolonged snowfall and dangerously cold temperatures expected, this storm presents a real threat to individuals who are unsheltered,” Joe Mahoney, Chief Executive Officer of Catholic Social Services, said. “Our priority is simple: to ensure people are safe, warm, and out of harm’s way.”

SCRANTON
Saint Anthony’s Haven, 409 Olive Street, Scranton
Weston Field House, 982 Providence Road, Scranton

In Scranton, Catholic Social Services operates both Saint Anthony’s Haven and the City of Scranton’s Code Blue Shelter at Weston Field.

Both shelters will open as scheduled at 7 p.m. on Friday and Saturday evenings. While guests typically depart early the following morning, on Sunday, Jan. 25, 2026, both shelters will remain open throughout the entire day on Sunday, since snowfall is expected to begin early in the morning.

Food and beverages will be available, including meals provided by Saint Francis of Assisi Kitchen in Scranton. Guests will also have access to movies and games throughout the day.

Both the Code Blue Shelter and Saint Anthony’s Haven will operate normally Sunday night, with guests able to remain until 7:00 a.m. Monday, with flexibility on the departure time depending on weather conditions.

WILKES-BARRE
Mother Teresa’s Haven, 39 East Jackson Street, Wilkes-Barre

In Wilkes-Barre, Mother Teresa’s Haven, an emergency shelter for men operated by Catholic Social Services, will open early on Sunday evening, between the hours of 3-4 p.m. due to the storm.

Mother Teresa’s Haven, which can accommodate up to 20 men, is located directly above Saint Vincent de Paul Kitchen, and will serve as a vital resource for individuals seeking warmth and protection from the elements.

HAZLETON
Divine Providence Shelter, 214 West Walnut Street, Hazleton

Similarly in Hazleton, the Divine Providence Shelter will also open earlier on Sunday evening, between 3-4 p.m., due to weather conditions. Divine Providence Shelter is known for providing shelter, warmth, and safety during the severe weather.

Catholic Social Services urges anyone experiencing homelessness – or anyone concerned about someone who may need shelter – to take advantage of these extended hours. Members of the community are also encouraged to share this information with those who may benefit.

SCRANTON (Jan. 23, 2026) – In advance of a significant winter storm forecast to impact northeastern and north central Pennsylvania this weekend, the Diocese of Scranton is offering guidance to parishioners as they prepare for potentially hazardous conditions.

The National Weather Service is predicting significant snowfall, with total accumulations of one foot or more possible in some areas. The storm is expected to affect the region from late Saturday night through Monday morning, and officials warn that travel could become difficult to impossible at times.

The Diocese strongly encourages the faithful to exercise caution and prudent judgment when making travel decisions for Mass this weekend. Parishioners are strongly encouraged to attend a Saturday Vigil Mass in their parish if possible.

The Church teaches that participation in Sunday Mass is a serious obligation; however, canon law (church law) also recognizes that there are grave causes that might prevent participation in the celebration of the Eucharist.

Examples of grave causes can include unsafe travel conditions, in addition to personal sickness or care of the sick, being temporarily or permanently homebound, or lack of transportation.

If a person is prevented from attending Sunday Mass in person, they are strongly encouraged to view their parish livestream Mass or participate in the televised Mass from the Cathedral of Saint Peter in Scranton on CTV: Catholic Television of the Diocese of Scranton. The Mass is broadcast live every Saturday at 5:30 p.m., and is rebroadcast on Sunday at 10:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. The Mass is also available on the Diocese of Scranton website and the Diocese of Scranton YouTube channel.

Parishes make their own determinations regarding the celebration or cancellation of Masses, religious education classes, and parish activities based on local conditions. Parishioners are encouraged to check their parish social media page/website before heading out.

The Diocese of Scranton asks all parishioners to follow guidance from state and local emergency officials throughout the duration of the storm and expresses gratitude to our clergy and parish leaders for their pastoral care and dedication to the safety of all throughout the coming days.

SCRANTON – In advance of National Disability Awareness Month in March, the Diocese of Scranton will hold its annual Mass for Persons with Disabilities on Sunday, Feb. 8, 2026, at 12:15 p.m. at the Cathedral of Saint Peter in Scranton.

All people, including those with special abilities, have gifts to contribute to the life of the Church. The Diocese of Scranton embraces and welcomes the talents of all individuals in building up the Kingdom of God.

The Most Reverend Joseph C. Bambera, Bishop of Scranton, will serve as principal celebrant and homilist at this special Mass.

The Mass is open to everyone. It will be broadcast live on CTV: Catholic Television of the Diocese of Scranton. The Mass will also be livestream on the Diocese of Scranton website, YouTube channel and links will be provided on all Diocesan social media platforms.

Partners in the annual Mass for Persons with Disabilities include Saint Joseph’s Center in Scranton and the Order of the Alhambra.

SCRANTON – The Most Rev. Joseph C. Bambera, Bishop of Scranton, will be the principal celebrant for the Diocese of Scranton’s annual Mass for the World Day of the Sick on Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026, at 12:10 p.m. at the Cathedral of Saint Peter in Scranton.

Celebrated each year on the Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes, the World Day of the Sick invites the faithful to pray in a special way for those who are ill, the elderly, and all who suffer, while also honoring the compassionate service of caregivers, healthcare professionals, family members, and all who accompany the sick with love and dignity.

The World Day of the Sick Mass at the Cathedral of Saint Peter will feature the Liturgy of the Anointing. Any person who wishes to receive the Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick will be invited to approach the bishop/priest with their hands open and palms facing up. The bishop/priest will anoint both the forehead and hands of the sick person, accompanied by prayer for healing, strength, and peace.

CTV: Catholic Television of the Diocese of Scranton will provide a live broadcast of the Mass for those unable to attend. The Mass will also be livestream on the Diocese of Scranton website, YouTube channel and links will be provided on all Diocesan social media platforms.

The World Day of the Sick was established in 1992 by Saint John Paul II as a moment of prayer, reflection, and spiritual closeness for the entire Church, calling attention to the face of Christ present in those who are sick and vulnerable.

For the 2026 celebration, Pope Leo XIV has chosen the theme: “The compassion of the Samaritan: Loving by bearing the pain of the other.”

Explaining the pope’s choice of the theme, the Vatican’s Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development said the theme “highlights an aspect of love of neighbor: love needs concrete gestures of closeness, through which we enter into the suffering of others, those who are ill, especially those who at the same time experience poverty, isolation and loneliness.”

“Like the good Samaritan who bent down to help the injured man along the road, the Christian community is also called to stop and help those who suffer and be evangelical witnesses of closeness and service to the sick and most vulnerable,” the dicastery said.

Please plan to join us on Feb. 11!

WASHINGTON (OSV News) – A group including Catholic organizations announced Jan. 21 a new partnership — The Catholic Immigrant Prophetic Action Project — that aims to assist the Catholic Church in the U.S. in organizing a robust response on behalf of migrants and refugees in the country, including those with legal status, who are affected by mass deportation efforts.

The project — a partnership between the Hope Border Institute, a group that works to apply the perspective of Catholic social teaching in policy and practice to the U.S.-Mexico border region, and the Center for Migration Studies of New York — aims to assist the Catholic Church in the U.S. in offering a robust response on behalf of migrants and refugees through research, communications and other support. The project will directly support dioceses and archdioceses to strengthen the Catholic Church’s response to mass deportations, organizers said.

On a call announcing the partnership, Bishop Brendan J. Cahill of Victoria, Texas, who is chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee on Migration, pointed to the USCCB’s November “special pastoral message on immigration,” which voiced “our concern here for immigrants” at the bishops’ annual fall plenary assembly in Baltimore.

That statement, he said, “showed the unity of the bishops on the dignity, God-given, of every human person, and our almost unanimous desire to take that public. We oppose indiscriminate mass deportation, as the bishops are united in our statement.”

J. Kevin Appleby, senior fellow for policy at the Center for Migration Studies and the former director of migration policy for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, said the conference’s special pastoral message “really puts the wind at our backs in terms of doing this work.”

A key focus of the partnership, Appleby said, will be assisting dioceses in organizing events and communications related to migration issues.

“How can we amplify what the Church is doing, both in the print media, but also in social media?” he said.

The partnership will also develop response plans in the event immigration enforcement officers come to sensitive locations like schools, hospitals or churches, he said.

Dylan Corbett, executive director of the Hope Border Institute, said on the call, “Now, thinking about this current moment, our historic contribution as Catholics right now needs to be in the public square, in coordinated and collective action, promoting healthy tension, overcoming polarities, building peace, moving beyond the fracturing and the blame seeking and the side thinking.”

“This is what evangelization looks like in 2026: Productive tension is the pathway towards meaningful change,” he said.

Catholic social teaching on immigration balances three interrelated principles — the right of persons to migrate in order to sustain their lives and those of their families, the right of a country to regulate its borders and control immigration, and a nation’s duty to regulate its borders with justice and mercy.

Previously, Archbishop Bernard A. Hebda of St. Paul and Minneapolis — an area that has become a flashpoint in the nation’s immigration policy debate — wrote in a Jan. 20 opinion piece for The Wall Street Journal that what once was “a difficult policy discussion” has increased in urgency as it is “playing out on the streets here.”

“If recent events in Minnesota have clarified anything, it’s that we can no longer put off the hard work of immigration reform,” Archbishop Hebda wrote. “Each year of inaction has made the debate louder, angrier and less humane.”