SAN BERNARDINO, California (LifeSiteNews) — On June 8, Bishop Alberto Rojas of the Diocese of San Bernardino dispensed the faithful from the obligation to attend Sunday Mass, citing concerns that raids by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) could lead to their displacement.
“All members of the faithful in the Diocese of San Bernardino who, due to genuine fear of immigration enforcement actions, are unable to attend Sunday Mass or Masses on holy days of obligation are dispensed from this obligation, as provided for in Canon 1247, until such time as this decree is revoked or amended,” Bishop Rojas wrote in his Diocesan Decree.
The decree marks the first known instance in which Canon 1247 has been invoked to dispense Catholics from attending Sunday Mass in the absence of a natural disaster or major societal crisis.
LifeSiteNews reached out to the Diocese of San Bernardino for a statement on the decree but did not receive a response.
The bishop went on to encourage those who would not be attending Mass due to deportation fears to “maintain their spiritual communion with Christ and His Church through acts of personal prayer, reading of Sacred Scripture, or participation in devotions such as the Rosary or the Divine Mercy Chaplet.”
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The Diocese of San Bernardino is one of the largest dioceses in the Catholic Church, numbering more than 1.6 million in Southern California. Its website features the Embrace Ministry, a support group designed to assist LGBT-identifying individuals, along with their families, friends, and “allies,” on their faith journeys. It also highlights the diocese’s commitment to “building the diversity of cultures among the faithful and throughout society.”
The decree comes amid reports that ICE has been detaining illegal immigrants outside churches in California. Immigration enforcement agents were originally prohibited from entering schools, hospitals, and places of worship to detain migrants. However, this Biden-era protection was revoked when President Donald Trump signed Executive Order 14148 on his first day in office.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom took to X to voice his disapproval, marking another instance of his vociferous opposition to the president.
“Freedom of religion? Not in Donald Trump’s America,” Newsom wrote. “People now have to choose between their faith and their freedom.”
California has been the site of multiple ICE raids, which have also sparked incidents of violent opposition. The Department of Homeland Security has cited several reasons for the ICE raids, including efforts to deport undocumented immigrants with criminal records.
The bishop concluded the decree by stating that his decision was guided by divine inspiration.
“In issuing this decree, I am guided by the Church’s mission to care for the spiritual welfare of all entrusted to my care, particularly those who face fear or hardship,” he said.