FLASH
Shkruar nga Pamfleti
A former illegal immigrant is the bishop of West Virginia. The latest appointment of Pope Leo XIV also seems like a slap in the face to US President Donald Trump. In the place of relentless ICE raids, the American Pope has chosen to entrust, for West Virginia, Evelio Menjivar-Ayala, 55, who immigrated to the United States in 1990 and who in 2023 became the first Salvadoran bishop in the United States as an auxiliary to the Archdiocese of Washington.
Menjivar-Ayala arrived in the U.S. undocumented, hiding in the trunk of a car. And in recent months, he has publicly called on Catholics to speak out against Trump’s treatment of immigrants. When he was appointed an auxiliary bishop by Pope Francis, Menjivar described his three failed attempts as a teenager to escape violence and civil war to reach the United States, eventually making it to Los Angeles to be reunited with his sister. He worked as a cleaner, in construction and in other jobs before moving to Maryland and finally realizing his calling to the priesthood.
Naming Boxie III
The pope also elevated Howard University chaplain Robert Boxie III, 46, to the rank of bishop as auxiliary bishop in Washington, replacing Menjivar-Ayala. Boxie called the attacks on diversity “anti-American” and “anti-Christian.” Boxie spoke about racial progress and the Voting Rights Act — which the Supreme Court significantly weakened on Wednesday — and expressed concern about the Trump administration’s attacks on efforts to promote diversity, equality and inclusion, suggesting that the nation’s path toward racial progress is “regressive.”
The appointments underscore Leone's efforts to promote members of the American clergy who are outspoken in areas where the Church conflicts with Trump administration policies, the Washington Post reports.
Lini një Përgjigje