1. United States
2. N.J.
3. Letter

Pope Leo has appointed a new Catholic Bishop for the state of West Virginia. He is a former undocumented immigrant whose spirit and determination have raised him to a level of profound trust and responsibility- a spirit unrecognized by the U.S. government and vilified specifically by the Trump administration. There is a separation of church and state under U.S. constitutional law for good reason. We cannot allow specific religious doctrines to dictate how this nation functions- and usually this is due to the pitfalls of organized religions and their followers- the mass desire to control others via scriptures that are subjective to specific religions. However, in this case, we encourage the public to at least take a look at what is happening. A Christian religious leader has appointed a former undocumented immigrant to a position of great power. They’ve demonstrated the need for diversity and inclusion at all levels of authority. They’ve endorsed a man our government thinks should be deported. And they’ve placed him in charge of a conservative state that thinks they’re better than him because they were born here. It’s wild to see the conservative outrage- they simply don’t know what to think. Their belief systems tell them Jesus was white and that the U.S. is for white people. This placement, however, suggests that ALL people are humans and capable of loving their brothers- a concept that has conservative heads spinning. A formidable leader of Christianity has emerged from the undocumented community and been endorsed by the American Pope. Should this not set off alarm bells when the Catholic Church is more progressive than the American government? Do better! Demand an end to the persecution of immigrants! You never know who you’re deporting!