A Bishop in Southern California allowed those who are afraid of “immigration enforcement actions” to be “dispensed” from the obligation of attending Mass, according to a decree issued by Alberto Rojas in California, the Bishop of San Bernardino.
“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,” the announcement, dated July 8, read. In the Catholic Church, attending Mass on Sundays and holy days of obligation — or specific feast days — is normally considered a serious obligation for all practicing Catholics.
Rojas issued the decision “in light of the pastoral needs of our diocese and the concerns expressed by many of our brothers and sisters regarding fears of attending Mass due to potential immigration enforcement actions by civil authorities,” he wrote.
The decision comes amid heightened immigration enforcement efforts by the Trump administration. In June, ICE authorities detained migrants on the church grounds of two churches in San Bernardino County, according to the National Catholic Reporter. In one case, a longtime parishioner was picked up on church property, the outlet reported.
According to an email from assistant secretary of Homeland Security Tricia McLaughlin to local outlet CalMatters, the agents didn’t enter a church to make an arrest.
“The accusation that ICE entered a church to make an arrest are FALSE,” according to an email cited by CalMatters. “ICE conducted a traffic stop on an illegal alien on June 20 in the general proximity of Our Lady of Lourdes Church, Montclair, California. The illegal alien chose to pull into the church parking lot. Officers then safely made the arrest.”
Also in June, a group of men believed to be ICE agents detained a man outside a church in Downey, a Los Angeles suburb, according to The New York Times.
In January, the Trump administration lifted longstanding restrictions on immigration arrests at sensitive locations such as churches, schools and hospitals. Previously, such actions were limited to cases involving public safety or national security threats. The change was part of the administration’s broader push to enforce stricter immigration policies.
Recent immigration raids across Los Angeles and beyond have led to a drop in attendance at Catholic and other churches, according to NCR, as many parishioners, including some who are U.S. citizens or have legal status, are avoiding public gatherings out of fear of being detained or targeted.
“Law enforcement strategies have inflicted a great deal of fear and anxiety on all communities, including the Catholic community, and have really been designed to create fear and inflict cruelty and cause a deep sense of anxiety,” Jennifer Koh, associate professor at Pepperdine Caruso School of Law, told NCR.
In his decree, Rojas noted that those “dispensed from attending Mass are encouraged to maintain their spiritual communion with Christ and His Church” through prayer, reading scripture and other Catholic religious practices. The dispensation applies to all within the geographical boundaries of the Diocese of San Bernardino.
Rojas wrote that he was “guided by the Church’s mission to care for the spiritual welfare of all entrusted to my care, particularly those who face fear of hardship.”
The Diocese of San Bernardino ranks as the sixth largest in the United States, serving approximately 1.6 million Catholics across San Bernardino and Riverside counties in Southern California. It encompasses 92 parishes and 12 missions, with Masses conducted in 12 different languages, including Polish, Portuguese and Vietnamese.