Most Rev. Michael J. Sis, Bishop of San Angelo
Editor's note: The following are prepared remarks delivered by San Angelo Bishop Michael J. Sis at an interfaith prayer vigil on the Tom Green County Courthose steps, January 31, 2017.
Good evening. I’d like to start with a prayer, and then share a few words.
Let us pray: “Lord God, we thank you for the chance to live in freedom in this beautiful country. Please guide this evening’s prayer vigil in a spirit of mutual respect. Lead our nation down the right path in this critical moment in our history. We depend completely on you, who live and reign forever and ever. Amen.”
One of the most controversial social issues of our day is the question of immigration. According to the United Nations, there are now more than 65 million people in the world who are forcibly displaced from their homes.
With the recent wave of unrest regarding the situation of immigrants and refugees, this provides us with an opportunity to examine our own attitudes toward migrants and to appreciate the many benefits that migrants bring to our communities.
Think about the fact that there is no one in our country who is not descended from people who at some point migrated here from another continent. Even the Native American tribes migrated here from Asia.
The United States of America is a better country because of the contributions of immigrants. Think about the people you know who are immigrants or children of immigrants: They are your neighbors, your co-workers, your relatives, and your friends.
This country was built by immigrants. We have the Statue of Liberty for good reason. We must never turn our backs on that heritage of integrating newcomers into our culture.
There are many places in the Bible that speak of the immigration experience: