Cleveland Bishop Nelson Perez delivered the annual Frank J. Battisti Memorial Lecture on Feb. 7 at Case Western Reserve University’s Linsalata Alumni Center. His topic was “Immigration and the Dignity of the Human Person.”
The bishop spoke for nearly an hour, setting the stage for his presentation by sharing his family’s immigration story. He talked about how in 1960 his father, a prominent banker in Cuba, his mother and older brother left everything behind on the premise of going on vacation. His mother was pregnant with him when the family fled. “I was packaged in Cuba and unwrapped in Miami,” the bishop quipped.
They were among the early Cuban immigrants and went to Miami, Florida, where they sought political asylum as Fidel Castro’s stronghold tightened on Cuba. “We were welcomed by Catholic Charities,” he said.
“They never expected to be here so long,” Bishop Perez said, explaining they thought the Castro regime would be toppled and his family could return home. But that never happened.
His mother had 12 siblings and most of them spent time -- anywhere from a month to 18 years – as political prisoners in Cuba. Even his aunt, who is a religious sister and his godmother, briefly was a political prisoner.
The Perez family spent some time in the Miami area – where the bishop was born -- until his father got a job and the family moved to New Jersey. His father learned English and started his banking career once again as a teller, eventually rising to an executive vice president position before retiring.
“They didn’t want to come here,” he said of his parents, “but circumstances pushed them out.” He said Cuban immigrants were not treated well in Miami at that time.
He asked the group to think about why or how their families came to the United States, reminding them that unless they are Native Americans they are immigrants.
“Most immigrants are looking for something better or running away from something bad. It’s good to remember where you come from and why you came here, he added.
Although many at the lecture, presented by the CWRU School of Law, were attorneys, Bishop Perez said he is not a lawyer or a canon lawyer. “I’m here to speak as a shepherd.”
Catholics have a deep connection to immigration, he said, noting that Mary and Joseph were immigrants, seeking safety after Jesus’ birth. Today, 67 million people are away from home due to disasters, poverty and war, while 23 million are away because of exigent circumstances, with many in dire situations.
“This (immigration) is not political for the Church – it is a human story,” he said. He urged the group to look at immigration from a human perspective. He said it’s a polarizing issue but he listens to the heart and the ministry of the Church regarding immigration.
During history, the people of Israel frequently lived as homeless aliens and endured difficult circumstances. Bishop Perez recalled a passage from Leviticus 19: 33-34: "When an alien lives with you in your land, do not mistreat him. The alien living with you must be treated as one of your native-born. Love him as yourself, for you were aliens in Egypt.”
He said we all are just passing through and the older we get, the more we realize how fragile life is. “We’re all migrants, whether we understand it or not. For Christians, the migration story starts with Mary and Joseph, who were on the move constantly,” the bishop said. Even the disciples travelled frequently throughout the world.
Those who came to the United States brought people of faith with them, he said, including missionaries. Many cities in California have Christian names – Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco, etc. – and reflect the Christian influence of those early immigrants.
At the U.S. southern border, Bishop Perez said people of faith, including Catholic Charities, are assisting immigrants by providing food, clothing and other forms of aid. “It’s not for political reasons -- it’s at the heart of Christianity – that’s why we do it.”
The bishop said several popes have addressed immigration, including Pope Leo XIII in 1891when he wrote about the rights of immigrants in his encyclical “Rerum Novarum.” Pope Pius XII in 1952 said everyone has the right to a life with dignity and the right to migrate to that end. Pope John XXIII in 1963 spoke about dignity for people and the right to freedom of movement and Pope Benedict XVI also spoke about human dignity.
Immigration poses a predicament, Bishop Perez said, explaining it is important to find a way to protect the rights and dignity of the immigrants, yet states have the right to protect their sovereign borders. Treating people with respect is at the heart of the issue.
He said the U.S. Catholic bishops have long advocated for immigration reform, yet it hasn’t happened. Soon after coming to Cleveland, Bishop Perez said he went to support a man who was being deported and leaving behind his family, including a severely disabled child.
“I was there when he had to say goodbye to his wife and children. I felt powerless; it broke my heart,” he said.
There are about 15,000 undocumented people in Cleveland, Bishop Perez said, and contrary to what many believe, the majority are Asians.
“We have a lot of work to do as we navigate the complexity of this,” he said. “Our human rights come with us – they’re not given by the state, they are innate – and the role of the state is to protect them.”
The Battisti Memorial Lecture is named after the late federal judge and presented by his former law clerks. Battisti, a devout Catholic, attended daily Mass at the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist.