Denver, Colo., Apr 6, 2017 / 23:48 pm
Auxiliary Bishop Jorge Rodriguez of Denver didn't tell a group of Hispanic parishioners at St. Mary Parish in Greeley, Colo., that the Catholic Church would deny sanctuary to an individual who needed help, but he didn't want that question to be the sole focus of the community, either.
"What we are trying to do [as a Church] is work from now so that we never come to the point of being in the situation where a family is living in a church basement," he said. "We want to prevent that situation before it occurs."
The bishop said this Tuesday, Mar. 28, at the first of three meetings organized by Centro San Juan Diego, together with the Consuls General of Guatemala, Mexico and Peru, to inform the community of the current immigration policies, offer advice on what steps to take if they should find themselves in a crisis, and to confirm their solidarity with the immigrant community.
When asked about sanctuary, or sensitive locations, as immigration laws define it, the bishop said that it's a Christian duty to help someone in need, and that "we aren't going to close the door on anyone," adding that "the Church is your home."