Chaput foresees nervous immigrants

Archbishop cautions that new laws should not disrupt family life

Jean Torkelson, Rocky Mountain News

Published July 18, 2006 at midnight

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GREELEY - Archbishop Charles Chaput said Monday the impact of recent immigration legislation will likely be negative on immigrants because it puts their lives under such a strong microscope in their communities.

"I don't know what to say about the new laws, but I think it will make them nervous about their status and how they will be treated by their community," Chaput told an audience of about 400 gathered for a town hall meeting at Our Lady of Peace Catholic Church in Greeley.

In the first of two scheduled town hall meetings with his Catholic flock, the archbishop fielded a torrent of questions about immigration, which were translated from both English and Spanish and reflected the frustrations of both immigrants and settled citizens.

"We've been here 15 years and pay taxes. Have we just become a zero?" began one question, translated from Spanish.

Another questioner noted that her Russian family strived to learn English immediately, and she challenged Chaput to support the importance of learning English.

"It's important that we be patient," Chaput said. "I struggle to speak Spanish. It takes a generation or two to change, but I don't know anybody who doesn't want to learn English. Do you?"

Another questioner asked about amnesty, which Chaput said he had a personal opinion about because amnesty issues directly affect families. Because many immigrant families have been here for decades and now have children who are Americans, he said public policy should never be to separate them.

"There can be some kind of penalties, but the consequence should not be the disruption of family life," Chaput said. "I think people should be given a chance - and I don't call that amnesty."

The town halls are arranged by the Colorado Catholic Conference throughout Colorado to present the Catholic view of immigration. Bishop Michael Sheridan has held a number in the Colorado Springs diocese and Pueblo Bishop Arthur Tafoya plans future presentations.

The next town hall meeting is Monday at the largely anglo St. Thomas More parish in Centennial.

Ron and Joy Brewer, who run a Protestant ministry in Greeley for the homeless and poor, including immigrants, said Greeley has always welcomed immigrant labor. But they said the growing flood of illegals is now overtaxing the city.

"The hospital's in trouble - it's exhausted," said Joy Brewer. "And the school district's bad. People are coming in extreme amounts now. We came tonight to see what's going on, because it's the Catholic Church that supports the illegals."

Chaput reiterated Catholic principles that immigrants deserve dignity and the right to immigrate, while nations also have a right to create safe borders and stable laws.

He said the numbers of immigrants from Catholic Mexico means "in a very special way this is a Catholic issue. Some parishes have great divisions between those who speak Spanish and those who don't."

He suggested Catholic parishes should become the model for the wider society on how to behave.

The mostly solemn crowd erupted in laughter and applause when Chaput was asked if the government would listen to his church.

He replied, "I don't think the government should listen to the church - the government should listen to the people and the people should listen to the church."

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