Bishops are urgent and pp a general regularization for half a million immigrants | Spain

Spanish bishops have returned to launch against antimigration policies and have demanded for the umpteenth time To « the two major political groups in the General Courts », the Popular Party and the PSOE, which promote an extraordinary regularization of half a million immigrants through the Popular Legislative Initiative (ILP) that was admitted for processing a year ago. « It is also a call to overcome sterile polarizations and address the serious common problems from legitimate differences, but looking for meeting points. We want to promote a social alliance that brings hope to those who are excluded from regularization and live in a land of anyone who does not lead to anything good. We are willing to offer a channel that facilitates the meeting and dialogue, » said the president of the Spanish Episcopal Conference (CEE) Archbishop Luis Argüello, during his inaugural speech of the first annual plenary of the Spanish Episcopate. Argüello has advanced that, in « upcoming dates », he will request an encounter with both political groups to « convey this initiative and suggest the possibility of a dialogue. »

The Spanish Church was one of the great promoters of the ILP, promoted by hundreds of organizations. Under the ecclesiastical umbrella were Caritas, the EEC and the confer, the latter is the collegiate entity that brings together the more than 300 orders and religious congregations of Spain. The project collected almost 612,000 firms validated by the Electoral Census Office. However, according to Argüello, the initiative was paralyzed in November after the modification of the Regulation of the Foreigners Law, « which serves as an argument to paralyze the already approved process of the ILP for being already unnecessary. »

The current regulations, the bishops say, leaves in a “legal and existential limbo” to thousands of people: “who do not meet the two -year requirement or people who cannot reliably demonstrate their stay during that period; undocumented people without the possibility of receiving documents from their country of origin; people with difficult employability by age, disability or chronic disease; those who are in the possibility of working ‘regularized’ nor can they ‘regularize’ not contribute a employment contract;

An agreement between PSOE and PP would be « a democratic regeneration exercise, » said Argüello. The archbishop recalled that the EEC recognizes « the right of the state to regulate migratory flows » – in collaboration with the countries of origin and fighting the mafias  » -, but always defending human dignity. » Given the situation of these thousands of people, especially children, sick, workers, what to do, expel them all or address how to regularize their situation? « 

The leader of the prelates has criticized the campaign of European rearme while « the terrible war continues in Gaza and other parts of the world » without intervening international law. « We attend, between amazed and indifferent, to the human suffering caused by the brute and blind force of smart weapons, » Argüello read. Given this problem, CEE warns: « The arms rearma is currently presented as essential for security. But if there is no ethical and spiritual rearmament that favors the encounter and dialogue and the search for a more just international order, armed security will not ensure peace. »

In the inaugural speech, with 40 pages of the quarter, the president of the conference has also defined the president of the USA, Donald Trump, as “a catalyst element to precipitate the bankruptcy of the international order” after World War II and how the recent events have disrupted relations between the US country, Europe, Russia and “the new poles of world power”, such as China, India and the Arab republics.

Despite the forcefulness of Argüello with the necessary reception and regulation of immigrants, he has not lashed out with the mass deportation policy that the Trump administration is executing. And instead of condemning the capitalist discourse of the Republican President – Argüello has always shown his animosity to economic neoliberalism, which he accuses of destroying “the values ​​of people” -, he has branded him as “singular” and the expulsions of migrants as a “debate” opened by the Catholic vice president JD Vance. On the other hand, totally opposite to what Pope Francis points out, he sent to US bishops last month.

In this international context, Argüello regrets that Europe continues to « display its secularism », while the rest of the powers strengthen « the religious phenomenon »: Russia and orthodox Christianity; the Arab states and Islam; China and Confucianism; India and Hinduism; or the US and the « mosaic of Christian denominations. The archbishop proposes to the Spanish and European Europeans to promote the contribution of Catholicism » for the permanent ethical and spiritual regeneration of our government systems and modes of political organization. « 

« Bishops, traitors, you are desecrating »

While the bishops of the 70 dioceses were gathered at Mass, at the gates of the ECE headquarters in Madrid, a hundred protesters has gathered to attack The recent agreement between the Vatican and the Government of deacralizing the Basilica of Cuelgamuros – previously valley of the fallen. Loaded with flags and banners, they have lashed out with phrases such as “bishops, traitors, you are desecrates,” according to present media as Digital religion.

The position of the Church before the controversy of the Valley of the Fallen – which began with the exhumation of the dictator Francisco Franco in October 2019 – has been ambiguous. There is a division between the ―vary bishops show without modesty certain nostalgia for Franco – and between the numerous Christian associations. Some how to hear or traditionalist Carlista communion They drive campaigns and concentrations in social networks For « the conversion of Spain », « the abolition of abortion » or, like this Monday, for « the defense of the Cross of the Valley » and support the « shepherds (bishops and priests related to ultra discourse) that are repressing the attack of the wolves. »