Work hard in school and at your job first, then sacrifice your
time to make a statement in support of immigration reform
We applaud the decision by the Catholic Diocese of San Jose and the Interfaith Council in organizing May 1 events that call for immigration reform. Instead of calling for work stoppages and skipping school, our local organizers are hosting a prayer vigil on Sunday and rally on Monday that will occur after work and school hours.
May 1 is the Catholic Feast of St. Joseph the Worker and is a time of prayer and blessings for working people – not a time to call in sick or skip school. As the memo from the diocese office states: “In the spirit of Saint Joseph the Worker, we encourage employees to celebrate the feast day by remaining in their workplace. We invite all workers to join us in a special Blessing of Workers and Tools after work.”
Another section of the memo encourages students to stay in school on May 1 and use the day to learn. Many resources about immigration reform are available through the Catholic Church, Interfaith Council, labor organizations and Chamber of Commerce.
While other organizations in other parts of the country are urging truancy and absence from work to demonstrate the important roles immigrants fill, our local organizers have taken the higher ground in urging people to work and study in the appropriate times, then pray, rally and demonstrate on their own time.
Cardinal Mahony of Los Angeles and other church leaders note that the church must not encourage truancy, but rather, should organize events at times that students can attend without damage to their schooling and offer resources to study the issue during school.
We can understand the desire to demonstrate the role of immigrants by not filling those roles, but we hear a much more positive message when folks do their jobs and then rally. Through big numbers, peaceful assembly, prayers and speeches, the message comes through loud and clear. We hope the students take the church’s advice. We hope the workers do their jobs. We hope those who wish to demonstrate their support for immigration reform attend the vigil and the rally in great numbers.
