On the occasion of the recent visit of President Felipe Calderon of Mexico to the United States, Bishop John Wester, Chair of Immigration Issues, USCCB,  and Archbishop Rafael Munos from Mexico issued a joint statement on immigration: "While we respect the obligation of both countries to ensure the integrity of their borders and the security of their peoples, we believe they can achieve these goals without sacrificing the basic human dignity and rights of the migrant."

Reflecting on the immigration struggles ahead, I cannot but remember my own family's immigrant past and reflect on now long-gone Sisters of Irish decent who recalled seeing many "Irish Need Not Apply" signs in their Boston neighborhood. The Italians, who followed, suffered poverty and discrimination in their turn. Here on the West Coast, Chinese and other Asians have felt the sting of discrimination.

Now we are faced with the dilemma of millions from the South here "illegally." As Christians we have a responsibility to respect all people as made in the "image of God." We are to love our neighbor as ourselves, to welcome and show compassion for the stranger among us.

Your family probably has similar stories to mine. What can we learn from reflection on our own stories? Let us imagine ourselves in the shoes of these present-day immigrants seeking a decent life, like our forbears.