Amidst the undocumented arrests and waves of uncertainty for immigrants, the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles has announced plans to step up delivery of hot meals, food and prescription drugs to parishioners who live in fear of deportation amid continuing enforcement raids.
Funded by the Archdiocese’s donation, the Family Assistance Program seeks to support a portion of its 4 million congregations through 288 parishes in Los Angeles, Ventura and Santa Barbara counties.
Archbishop of Los Angeles Jose Gomez said in a statement that the migrants who are targeted in the US immigration customs raids “have a significant contribution to our economy” and “have a significant contribution to our economy.”
“Now they are afraid of going to work or being seen publicly, fearing they will be arrested and deported,” he said.
Money donated directly to the Family Support Program is poured into the parish along with vulnerable members. Donations can be made online or at a local church.
Catherine Fraser, chief development officer for the Archdiocese, said all the dollars that contributed would go directly to help families in need.
Most churches already have programs to serve senior and home congregations, according to Yanina Diaz, a spokesman for the Archdiocese.
“We’re taking advantage of what already exists and what already works,” Diaz said.
Diaz pointed out that St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in Southern La boasts a robust programme that helps deliver food, clothing and medicines for home-based individuals.
Msgr, pastor of that church. Timothy Dyer helped come up with a family support program.
At St. Agatha Catholic Church in Los Angeles, volunteer Azarini Crebery has established the hands of St. Agatha to reach a programme wherever or shared.
The ministry opened in 1980, serving hot meals on Christmas Day and serving around 2,000 people a year.
Share usually provides clients with 70-80 bags of groceries each month, including cereals, pancake mixes, canned items and pasta. So far, that number has already reached a maximum of 150 in July.
“There are real needs for this service and we are happy with the help,” Nickleberry said.
Approximately 2,800 undocumented immigrants have been arrested since Ice began launching widespread attacks in Los Angeles in early June.
These arrests include hundreds of undocumented immigrants with no criminal history. Some US citizens and immigrants with legal status are also in custody.
The Archdiocese is particularly exposed to the effects of the raids, as many members of the Greater Los Angeles Catholic community are immigrants or have families born outside the United States.
A survey by the Pew Research Center found that about 58% of people born overseas and living in the United States consider themselves Christians. Of these, 30% are identified as Catholic, making it the largest share of any denomination.
In Los Angeles, 28% of all Christians consider themselves Catholic, and the highest of all denominations.
The announcement of Gomez’s support program comes after Bishop Alberto Rojas of the Parish of San Bernardino issued a distribution that allows for distributions that are fearful of being at home rather than attending the public for fear of deportation.
Rojas’ decision followed a series of arrests against the church’s property, but the Department of Homeland Security claimed that the church was not targeted.
Diaz said he was unaware of the arrests made in the Archdiocese of Property in Los Angeles. She also said Gomez had not considered issuing distributions to the congregation.
She said it was uncertain whether the parish is offering communion to those who are too afraid to leave their homes.
In an open letter, Gomez wrote that he was “deeply disturbed” by detention and called on the government to reform the immigration process.
We have already received a share of donations for our family support program.
Former mayoral candidate businessman Rick Caruso has donated $50,000 and offered to coincide with the additional $50,000 donation.
“We need to help these families and we can work with the archdiocese to provide the relief we need when many are struggling to get through,” Caruso said in a statement.
Catholic Asun. Latinx leadership donated $10,000, while Vallarta supermarkets donated $10,000 with gift cards.
According to the Archdiocese, the Beverly Hills teddy bear company has donated a private amount along with stuffed animals for children to deal with the attack.
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