Catholic leaders expressed their concerns with the decree from Bishop Alberto Roja, of San Bernardino County, for excusing his flock from attending Sunday Mass due to fear of ICE raids.
By Catholics for Catholics
Several faithful Catholics leaders across the nation are expressing their concerns about the decision of a Southern California Bishop, who has issued a decree excusing the faithful from attending Mass for fears of immigration raids.
Alberto Rojas, Bishop of the Diocese of San Bernardino, announced Tuesday via a decree that “all members of the Faithful in the Diocese of San Bernardino who, due to genuine fear of immigration enforcement actions, are unable to attend Sunday Mass or Masses on holy days of obligation are dispensed from this obligation.”
At issue are the recent ICE raids in Southern California prompted by President Donald Trump. The raids were met with street protests and violent riots caused by paid instigators, according to some federal investigators.
But some Catholic leaders like Veronica Flamenco, Media Director of Catholics for Catholics, who has worked closely with migrant Hispanics in Southern California, said that Rojas’ fears were unfounded.
The Diocese of San Bernardino, California has issued a decree of dispensation so that the community of such diocese is exempt from the obligation to attend Mass and holy days of obligation – if they have fear, anxiety, stress, about what is happening with “la migra”
— Veronica, la Católica ❤️🔥 (@Veroflamencos) July 9, 2025
Legal or… pic.twitter.com/KLpc8fPOKT
“Meanwhile, many of those same people continue going to work, doing grocery shopping, attending soccer games, protesting in the streets, etc.,” Flamenco posted on X. “I am in California and I assure you that immigration never enters to arrest “illegal” people in the church, much less during Mass”
Flamenco went on: “Currently, there are thousands of Christians living in Muslim countries where they are literally gunned down during Mass… but in the West, you can skip Mass if you have fear or anxiety. Incredible. We have built a community of cowards….The same happened with the whole covid circus.”
Eric Sammons, Editor-in-Chief of Crisis Magazine, voiced a similar opinion: “While American bishops dispense Catholics from the Sunday obligation due to the potential of being (legitimately) arrested, African Catholics in our day are attending Mass in spite of the potential of being killed by Muslims.”
While American bishops dispense Catholics from the Sunday obligation due to the potential of being (legitimately) arrested, African Catholics in our day are attending Mass in spite of the potential of being killed by Muslims. pic.twitter.com/gnrUl5OMxC
— Eric Sammons (@EricRSammons) July 9, 2025
Michael Hichborn, from the Lepanto Institute posted on X: “I don’t think a single bishop ever dispensed a Christian from their Sunday obligations during the Roman persecutions – and Trump ain’t no Diocletian!”
Meanwhile Gavin Newsom, the Governor of California, criticized President Trump for the immigration raids and supported Bishop Rojas’ decision to dispense San Bernardino County Catholics from going to Sunday Mass, when he posted on X, “Freedom of religion? Not in Donald Trump’s America. People now have to choose between their faith and their freedom.?
In response to his remark, a White House spokesperson noted to Fox News that Newsom closed churches during the COVID-19 pandemic, leaving many churchgoers without a place to worship.
Freedom of religion? Not in Donald Trump’s America.
— Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) July 9, 2025
People now have to choose between their faith and their freedom. https://t.co/I3hN3RdX9A
“This is rich coming from Gavin Newsom who shuttered churches during the COVID-19 pandemic but reopened the movie industry, marijuana dispensaries, and other secular gathering places,” the spokesperson told Fox News Digital. “Religious Americans were locked out of their places of worship because of him. Newscum doesn’t care about religious liberty, he cares about flip-flopping around to try and exploit everything he can for perceived political gain.”
Flamenco said: “Lord, have mercy on us. Enlighten the bishops so that they help us to be Christians who love You above ALL things and who trust in you.”
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