DETROIT (LifeSiteNews) — Archbishop Edward J. Weisenburger, who was installed in March as head of the Archdiocese of Detroit, joined a march this past Monday to protest the recent deportations of illegal immigrants in his diocese.
The protest was joined by Protestant and Jewish leaders and included hymns from other faith denominations.
In a post on X, Archbishop Weisenburger celebrated the march and explained his motivation to join it.
“Today I joined hundreds walking to the ICE field office in Detroit, motivated by a truth that flows from the Gospel: Everyone has inherent dignity,” the archbishop wrote.
“We recognize this dignity above all else and seek to bring our nation back to its roots of charity, accompaniment, and welcome.”
Weisenburger was interviewed during the protest by WXYZ, referencing the “Judeo-Christian” belief system as the basis for defending illegal migrants.
“Immigrants and migrants are a suffering people, and because we recognize Christ and the dignity of our God in every human being, our goal today is to give a voice to those who have no voice,” the archbishop said.
Some of the signs carried in the march bore phrases like “No one is illegal.” As protestors arrived at the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) headquarters, the crowd started to sing a song written by “transgender” Jewish hymn writer Batya Levine, including the words, “in hope, in prayer, we’re right here.”
The protest comes just a month after Weisenburger issued restrictions on the celebration of the Traditional Latin Mass, including a ban on the ad orientem posture.
In a letter released on June 13, Weisenburger acknowledged the spiritual value of the Latin Mass yet restricted its practice in the name of “pastoral care.”
“As there are a number of the faithful in our local Church who have found spiritual richness in this form of the Mass, I am permitting it to continue in accord with the Holy See’s parameters,” the archbishop wrote.
He went on to limit its celebration to only four non-parish churches within the archdiocese, including St. Joseph’s Shrine, which is managed by the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest (ICKSP).
