Philadelphia Tribune - Index

Philadelphia Tribune - Sunday, September 07 2008 - Index

Sunday, September 7, 2008
R.I. bishop wants end to immigration sweeps
Ray Henry
PROVIDENCE, R.I. — The
motto of Roman Catholic
Bishop Thomas Tobin comes
from a Bible verse reminding
believers that God has given
them “no cowardly spirit.”
And he has not been timid
during three years as the most
prominent religious leader in
Rhode Island, the nation’s
most heavily Catholic state.
Tobin used his edgy humor
last year to publicly skewer former
New York Mayor Rudy
Giuliani, who is Catholic and
supports abortion rights. In
the diocesan newspaper, during
the Republican presidential
primary, Tobin addressed the
candidate by first name – “Hey
Rudy” – and called his stand
on abortion pathetic.
Tobin recently took on U.S.
immigration authorities and
Gov. Don Carcieri, himself a
atholic, by condemning mass
mmigration raids in the state.
n annoyed Carcieri pushed
ack, saying some priests don’t
gree with the bishop’s stand.
Tobin realizes his social proouncements
are unpopular
ith many people, perhaps the
ajority of his diocese, which
overs the entire state. He
oesn’t care.
“When we teach, we don’t
ake a public opinion poll first,”
obin said in a recent interiew.
“Jesus didn’t do surveys.”
A Catholic bishop wields
lout in Rhode Island, where
ome 60 percent of residents
dentify themselves as memers
of the faith. When Tobin
peaks, his message resonates
n local parishes, hospitals,
ocial ministries and a private
ducation system that runs
rom kindergarten to college.
Politicians pay him respect.
n the last Inauguration Day,
he state’s newly elected leadrs
– including the Protestant
ieutenant governor – started
heir morning with a special
ass celebrated by Tobin in
he Cathedral of Sts. Peter and
aul in Providence.
Tobin is among a new generation
of strictly orthodox Catholic
prelates who also – and very publicly
– emphasize Catholic social
justice teaching.
“He’s outspoken, he’ll deliver
a good line, a good sound bite,
but he’ll also confound those who
want to categorize him,” said
David Gibson, a former Vatican
radio newsman and author of
“The Rule of Benedict: Pope
Benedict XVI and His Battle with
the Modern World.”
Bethel AME Church, 50 S.
Merion Ave in Bryn Mawr, will
be holding a health fair on
Sept. 13. The fair will go on
from 10:30 a.m. until 3 p.m. A
walk to educate people on
health awareness will precede
the fair from 8 a.m. until 10
a.m. There will be speakers on
mportant health issues, like
ancer awareness, heart
ealth, diabetes and nutrition.
here will also be a free blood
ressure check at the fair.
here will also be healthy
nacks provided. For more
nformation, call (610) 527-
674.
Berean Presbyterian Church,
2101 N. Broad St., will be holding
a meeting to help develop a
community plan that makes it
easier for all Philadelphians to
eat healthy food on September
10. The meeting will begin at 6
p.m. and will last until 7:30
p.m. Refreshments will be
served before the meeting from
5:30 p.m. until 6 p.m. The proosed
agenda will finalize
isions and the mission, an
valuation update will be proided,
and action team updates
ill be provided as well. For
ore information call (215)
86-5211 ext. 108.
Grace Epiphany Church, 224
E. Gowen Ave., will be holding
its annual Grace Epiphany Day
on September 6. The event will
last from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m.
There will be time to fellowship
and to enjoy the conversation
of the people of God. There will
also be the “Blessing of the
Backpacks and Educators” and
the commissioning of the
Sunday School Teachers and
the Director of Music on
September 7 at the 10:30 a.m.
service. For more information
CHURCH AT WORK
A native of Pittsburgh, Tobin
studied at a high school seminary
and later at the Pontifical
North American College in
Rome, a prestigious training
ground for future church leaders.
He served under former
Pittsburgh Bishop Anthony
Bevilacqua, a strong church
conservative who later moved
to Philadelphia and was named
a cardinal under Pope John
Paul II. Tobin was installed in
1996 as the bishop of
Youngstown, Ohio, then was
named bishop of Providence on
March 31, 2005, days before
John Paul died.
He is a registered Democrat,
but doesn’t shy from admonishing
politicians in his own
party –and those of other political
leanings.
He targeted Attorney General
Patrick Lynch, a Democrat and
Catholic, in February 2007,
when the top prosecutor signed
an advisory opinion urging
state agencies to recognize
same-sex couples. Lynch
announced his decision on Ash
Wednesday, the start of a season
of repentance and fasting
for Catholics and other
Christians.
“His decision has given us
another reason to repent of our
sins and pray for forgiveness,”
Tobin said at the time.
Three months later, Tobin
lambasted Giuliani, who has
been married three times and
says he opposes abortion personally
but believes it should
remain legal.
The bishop’s public tangle
with Giuliani came after his
presidential campaign invited
Tobin to a fundraiser.
Tobin’s RSVP came in a column
written for the Rhode
Island Catholic newspaper.
Tobin denounced Giuliani’s
stance on abortion as confusing
and hypocritical. He compared
Giuliani to Pontius
Pilate, a Roman official who
approves Jesus’ crucifixion
despite misgivings.
No, Tobin wrote, he would
not pay $1,500 to mug for a
photo with Giuliani. Instead,
he invited the candidate to One
Cathedral Square in
Providence.
“We’ll talk about his position
on abortion,” Tobin said. “And
if he wants a photo it will cost
him $1,500 as a donation for
the pro-life work of the
Church.”
Just as Giuliani began responding
to a question about Tobin’s letter
during a debate the following
call (215) 248-2950. The Rev.
Thomas Eoyang, Jr. serves as
rector.
First AME Church, 1200 Hook
Road in Darby, will be holding
a Stop the Violence Health Fair
and Concert on September 20
from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. There
will be information available on
all health related issues, free
blood pressure checks, WIC, a
family support center, clothing
giveaways, and much more.
For more information call (610)
461-6577. The Rev. Glenn
Shepherd serves as pastor.
Holsey Temple Christian
Methodist Episcopal Church,
5305-12 Germantown Ave., will
be holding “The Miracle on
Germantown Avenue” from
September 25-27. Therer will
be music workshops conducted
by Dr. Ashley Keith Davis, vice
president of Stax Music
Academy and Museum of
American Soul Music of
Memphis. The social hour will
be from 6 p.m. until 7 p.m.
every night, while the workshops
will take place from 7
p.m. until 9 p.m. For more
information, including registration
cost, call (215) 848-2100.
The Rev. Dr. Raymond F.
Williams serves as pastor.
The Church of the Redeemer
Baptist Church, 2421
Dickinson St., will be the place
to sign up for the Redeemer
Institute for Christian Education
and its registration for its spring
semester every Sunday during
August. The registration will be
held after the 8 a.m. and 11 a.m.
services. Classes for the institute
will begin on Sept. 8. For more
information, call (215) 465-
1230. The Rev. Wayne E. Croft
serves as pastor.
month, a lightning strike disabled
the sound system.
Tobin threw himself back
into the public square last
month, urging the Boston
office of U.S. Immigration and
Customs Enforcement to stop
mass raids for illegal immigrants
in Rhode Island. In the
letterhe said federal agents
who refuse to participate in
such raids on moral grounds
should be treated as conscientious
objectors.
His request was an implicit
swipe at the state’s
Republican governor, who
signed an executive order in
March forcing state police and
prison officials to work with
immigration officials to identify
illegal immigrants for possible
deportation.
Carcieri said he has a
responsibility to enforce the law
and realizes Tobin has pastoral
duties, and responded, “There
are a lot of priests that I know
don’t agree with, you know, the
bishop’s stand on this.”
The nation’s bishops have
been increasingly vocal in
defending immigrants in the
fierce debate over how the U.S.
should fight illegal immigration.
The Rhode Island diocese
is overwhelmingly comprised of
immigrants from Italy,
Portugal and, most recently,
Latin America.
The 60-year-old cleric isn’t all
business. He flies a Pittsburgh
Steelers banner outside his
home, in a region where the New
England Patriots are heroes. He
also enjoys an occasional trip to
a casino.
But if critics want him to
tone down his remarks on public
issues, they will be disappointed.
Tobin’s letter to federal authorities
wasn’t the first time he faulted
the U.S. immigration system
and, he said, “it certainly won’t
be the last.” — (AP)
Page 5-D
Providence Bishop Thomas Tobin shows a photo of himself participating in an immigration rally in his office in Providence, R.I.,
on Aug. 21. Tobin has called on U.S. immigration authorities, in a letter, to stop arresting illegal immigrants in mass sweeps in
Rhode Island. — AP PHOTO/STEW MILNE