New Website Chronicles Church’s Role in American Catholic Immigration
A new educational website created by CUA and the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) chronicles the Church’s role since the early 20th century in providing social services and advocacy for immigrants challenged over the years by racial prejudice and entry quotas based on ethnic background.
Called “U.S. Catholic Bishops and Immigration,” the site features primary documents and historical photographs detailing the American Catholic immigration experience that aren’t available anywhere else on the Internet.
“The bishops have long been committed to helping immigrant communities, both through the provision of services and through tireless advocacy on their behalf.”
The new immigration site includes information about the founding in 1921 of the bishops’ Bureau of Immigration, which provided resources for immigrants struggling with the language barrier, variations in liturgical customs among different ethnic groups, and lack of access to baptismal and marriage records.
Documents on the site also highlight the bishops’ role in the immigration legislation of 1924, 1952 and 1965, and the Church’s voice in the immigration debate since 1965. The Church has been a strong advocate for immigrants in the debates over immigration policies that restricted entry into the United States based on ethnic background.