Wisdom of Jesus should be applied to immigration issue

Editor’s note: The following homily addresses the issue of immigration as a current and ever-challenging topic in our society and within the very life of the Church in Idaho. It was delivered by Father Tim Segert, parochial vicar at the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist in Boise, during the Mass for the Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time (Oct. 26, 2025). Drawing upon the day’s readings, Father Segert reflects on the call to justice, humility and the mercy of God as they relate to the moral and pastoral challenges surrounding immigration.

By Father Timothy Segert,

Parochial Vicar at the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist, Boise

It doesn’t take me to tell you that there is a major disagreement over immigration in our country right now. It’s not new, but it has definitely exploded recently. And, true to form, people immediately reach towards their favorite phrases or preferred political party to help express themselves. Tell me if any of these sound familiar: “Build the wall,” “America First,” and “Stop the invasion.” Or how about these: “No human being is illegal,” “Abolish ICE,” and “Build bridges, not walls.”

This issue has come to be perhaps the main dividing line in our society right now, although it is certainly not the only issue. So what are we as Catholics supposed to do with this?

The gut instinct is to reach for whatever is most natural for us. Some of us are immigrants, or know immigrants. Others have been affected by immigration in a negative way, perhaps by losing our jobs. So most of us already have a vested interest in how things go. But if we’ve learned anything from watching the news, acting purely on what our gut tells us isn’t always right. In fact, doing just that, without any kind of rational thought, has been exactly what has severely damaged our nation.

What if we appealed to external truth instead?

The Church has already given us a way of thinking about this matter, based on the wisdom of Jesus and His Church. Wouldn’t that be a better route?

To do that, I would like to recommend that you read the Catechism of the Catholic Church, paragraph 2241 on this matter. It is extremely balanced and well-written. It’s a bit long, but I’m going to include it here because it’s more important than usual to hear the entire thing quoted: “The more prosperous nations are obliged, to the extent they are able, to welcome the foreigner in search of the security and the means of livelihood which he cannot find in his country of origin. Public authorities should see to it that the natural right is respected that places a guest under the protection of those who receive him.

“Political authorities, for the sake of the common good for which they are responsible, may make the exercise of the right to immigrate subject to various juridical conditions, especially with regard to the immigrants’ duties toward their country of adoption. Immigrants are obliged to respect with gratitude the material and spiritual heritage of the country that receives them, to obey its laws and to assist in carrying civic burdens.”

To me, it boils down to two points:

● A person has the moral duty and responsibility to do everything necessary, sin excepted, to keep himself and his family alive. This may include taking drastic measures at certain times.

● At the same time, each national government has the responsibility to keep their respective nations safe and to preserve the integrity of their national sovereignty insofar as it is in line with the natural law.

Most of us are going to have an inclination to accept one of these principles over the other. But the Catholic way is the “both/and” way. As Catholics, we must hold these principles in tension, instead of collapsing one into the other.

On the one hand, there are people in absolutely desperate situations who do not have enough food, water or proper shelter to survive, or who are actively on the run from people who might harm them. These people actually have a moral obligation to protect themselves and their family, which can include relocating themselves across national boundaries if the need is that extreme.

Think of the Holy Family, for example. Immigrants’ basic human rights and human dignity are retained at all times and do not depend on government recognition. That means everyone, at all times, has the right to life, food, water, shelter, safety, private property, religious freedom and bodily integrity. As I mentioned before, these cannot be taken away even if a person illegally enters into another country which is not his own. This is part of Catholic Social Teaching.

But there is another part as well. We hear numerous times throughout the Old and New Testaments to respect our rulers in all things outside of sin. This includes the duty that each and every government on earth has to protect its citizens, preserve its own culture and language, and regulate who enters the country. To act contrary to this without grave cause - that is, only in cases of basic human rights - is sinful. This is part of Catholic teaching as well. Popes Francis and Leo have summarized it well by saying again and again that it is important “to welcome, to protect, to promote and to integrate.”

First, the host nation should welcome those she is legally able to receive. This is done so as to protect both the immigrants and citizens who already live in the host country. Next, immigrants should be promoted - that is, what is good and wholesome about their prior cultures can be retained and celebrated, especially in a nation like ours.

And finally (and very critically), it is a moral duty of the immigrant to follow the laws of the new country, learn and operate in its language and culture, and become legally recognized and productive members of society. In other words, to integrate.

As you can already see, these principles will sometimes clash with each other. In fact, they already have clashed with each other. But that doesn’t mean we let go of either one. Doing so can result in imbalances or abuses on either side. There have already been reports of mistreatment of people in detention centers who have illegally immigrated to this country - we have seen it on the news. Our bishops have criticized these situations.

There have also been problems from not regulating the common good of our nation - increased drug and sex trafficking, people who never integrate into the nation’s economy and culture, and even loss of faith due to lack of inculturation.

These are problems as well. We as Catholics are tasked with the messy goal of bringing these two principles together in a harmonious way. To let go of either side is dangerous.

I would like to end by referring us back to God’s word given to us in the book of Sirach. However we harmonize these principles, He is concerned with justice. Hear the first reading again in a new light: “The LORD is a God of justice, who knows no favorites.

Though not unduly partial toward the weak, yet he hears the cry of the oppressed.

“The Lord is not deaf to the wail of the orphan, nor to the widow when she pours out her complaint. The one who serves God willingly is heard; his petition reaches the heavens. The prayer of the lowly pierces the clouds; it does not rest till it reaches its goal, nor will it withdraw till the Most High responds, judges justly and affirms the right, and the Lord will not delay.”