Here’s a quick overview of what happened on the Register Radio show this weekend. It’s a quick write up because I’m taking a little vacation to spend time with family. So you’ll have to listen to the show to really enjoy the topics we discussed. 

In the first half of the show, I spoke with Kevin Appleby, director of Migration Policy and Public Affairs for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. In the past few weeks, the U.S. bishops have been encouraging parishes throughout the country to take up the issue of immigration reform.  Many parishes participated by providing info to parishioners about the need for immigration reform and the principles the bishops insist are necessary for any just policy of immigration. The campaign also included opportunities to send postcards to U.S. representatives urging them to pass immigration reform legislation.

These are the six principles of Catholic teaching related to immigration that the U.S. bishops conference says should be a part of immigration reform: a system for earned legalization; broadening of a future worker program allowing more people to enter legally; family-based immigration so that families can stay united; restoration of due process rights for immigrants without proper papers; policies to address the root causes of immigration; and enforcement of immigration laws and boarder security.

Kevin Appleby also addressed some of the key questions that some Americans have about immigration reform legislation—such as, why should there be a path for citizen for those who have broken the law to come here.  The U.S. bishops’ main point regarding immigration seems to be that the system of immigration is so bad right now that we can’t let nothing be done. Something must be done to fix the broken system and the current legislation that has passed the Senate and is on the way to House is the best proposal for bettering immigration.  Listen to the show to find out more.

 

Dangers to the Faith by Al Kresta

In the second half of the show, Dan Burke spoke with Ave Maria Radio’s Al Kresta about his new book Dangers to the Faith: Recognizing Catholicism’s 21st Century Opponents.

One point Kresta makes on the show is that “social reform movements have always appealed to Christianity;” for example the abolition of slavery and the civil rights movement in 1960s appealed to Christian faith legitimize the proposed social changes. But with the current same-sex “marriage,” Kresta says we have turned a corner “with the first social reform that did not have to appeal to Christianity for legitimization.”

He says now is the time for Catholics to “bear witness. We should regard ourselves as a very distinct minority. … Minorities have to represent themselves differently. If you’re no longer the dominant culture, you have to make your case in a different way. ... We must be prepared to endure ridicule.”  Kresta talks about the need to put Christ’s words in scripture about loving our enemies into practice.  He says we must “love without accommodating ourselves to worldly schemes.” 

Kresta also talked about the first two chapters of his book that deal with “New self-styled spirituality of Oprah” and the New Age movement.  To learn more about his book Dangers to Faith, listen to the show.