Twin Cities Archbishop Corrects Priest On Islam Immigration Words

TWIN CITIES, MN — The archbishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis has issued a public correction after a priest in southern Minnesota called Islam"the greatest threat in the world."

"Both as Americans and as Christians, we do not need to pretend that everyone who seeks to enter America should be treated the same," the Rev. Nick VanDenBroeke told parishioners in a Jan. 5 homily.

"I believe it is essential to consider the religion and worldview of the immigrants or refugees. More specifically, we should not be allowing large numbers of Muslims asylum or immigration into our country."

The comments were made on Immigration Sunday, a time for "Minnesota Catholics to show their commitment to welcoming migrants and refugees," per the Minnesota Catholic Conference.

On Thursday, Archbishop Bernard Hebda released a statement saying the priest's comments were incorrect.

"I have spoken with Father VanDenBroeke about his homily on immigration and he has expressed sorrow for his words and an openness to seeing more clearly the Church’s position on our relationship with Islam," Hebda wrote.

"The teaching of the Catholic Church is clear," he added. "As Pope Benedict XVI noted, 'The Catholic Church, in fidelity to the teachings of the Second Vatican Council, looks with esteem to Muslims, who worship God above all by prayer, almsgiving and fasting, revere Jesus as a prophet while not acknowledging his divinity, and honour Mary, his Virgin Mother.'"

Hebda noted that Benedict XVI "called upon the Church to persist in esteem for Muslims, who 'worship God who is one, living and subsistent; merciful and almighty, the creator of heaven and earth, who has also spoken to humanity.'"

"If all of us who believe in God desire to promote reconciliation, justice and peace, we must work together to banish every form of discrimination, intolerance and religious fundamentalism," Hebda added.

"I am grateful for the many examples of friendship that have been offered by the Muslim community in our region and we are committed to strengthening the relationship between the two communities."

Also in a statement released Thursday, VanDenBroeke apologized, stating that "my homily on immigration contained words that were hurtful to Muslims. I’m sorry for this. I realize now that my comments were not fully reflective of the Catholic Church’s teaching on Islam."