The head of a Louisiana diocese has become the fourth Roman Catholic bishop to allow illegal migrants fearing deportation to skip their weekly obligation to attend Mass.
Bishop Michael Duca of the Diocese of Baton Rouge granted a dispensation from Sunday and holy day Mass attendance for immigrants who are "rightfully afraid" to go to church because of immigration enforcement concerns.
He said the climate of "fear and anxiety" has made attendance "untenable" for some faithful.
In a pastoral letter dated Dec. 4, Duca cited the "publicized arrival" of Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers in south Louisiana and the greater Baton Rouge area.
The bishop said the dispensation will remain in effect until an individual Catholic believes it is safe to return to Mass or until the policy is revoked or amended.
Those staying home still should keep Sunday holy, Duca wrote, urging families to gather in prayer, read daily Mass readings, pray the rosary, or offer a novena for protection.
Catholic News Agency reported the Baton Rouge diocese is the fourth in the U.S. to issue such a dispensation in 2025, joining San Bernardino, California; Nashville, Tennessee; and Charlotte, North Carolina.
CNA said the move comes amid heightened ICE activity in Louisiana tied to the Trump administration's reported "Swamp Sweep," including additional Border Patrol deployments and plans for thousands of arrests across Louisiana and Mississippi.
Duca stressed that "national security and the protection of human dignity are not incompatible," while calling for "a just solution" to immigration challenges.
He said deportation efforts have affected not only Hispanic Catholics but also refugees and immigrants of other denominations, describing them as "neighbors, co-workers, and parishioners."
Last month, U.S. Catholic bishops launched their first coordinated effort since President Donald Trump returned to office to assist people affected by his administration's stricter immigration enforcement policies.
El Paso Bishop Mark Seitz, who chairs the bishops' committee on migration, said fear among immigrant communities has grown.
"Our immigrant brothers and sisters are living in a deep state of fear," Seitz said at the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ annual meeting.
"As pastors devoted to the Gospel, we know statements are not enough."
Newsmax Wires contributed to this report.
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