The Diocese of San Bernardino is the first in the nation to formally lift the obligation for Catholics to attend Mass in response to immigration detentions on church property.
Catholics are usually obligated to go to Mass on Sundays and other holy days. But Bishop Alberto Rojas has paused that requirement in San Bernardino for people who may fear immigration raids.
The San Bernardino diocese told the National Catholic Reporter that immigration agents carried out detentions on two of its properties in June.
In a letter to his diocese after the detentions, Rojas said such actions are "creating a tremendous amount of fear, confusion and anxiety."
"We have seen a change and an increase in immigration enforcement in our region and specifically in our diocese," Rojas said. "Authorities are now seizing brothers and sisters indiscriminately, without respect for their right to due process and their dignity as children of God."
Rojas called on public official to "please reconsider and cease these tactics immediately, in favor of an approach that respects human rights and human dignity and builds toward a more lasting, comprehensive reform of our immigration system."
Catholic leaders across the country say they're witnessing steep decreases in Mass attendance in response to immigration actions taken by the Trump administration.
The Diocese of Nashville said in May that Catholics aren't obligated to go to Mass if it puts their safety at risk. San Bernardino — a diocese of over a million Catholics — is the first to issue a special dispensation.
This story was produced through a collaboration between NPR and Religion News Service.
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