Amid unrest in LA over ICE raids, faithful urged to pray for peace in streets, city

LOS ANGELES (OSV News) -- Amid ongoing unrest in Los Angeles over immigration raids by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, "we bring our cares and anxieties to Jesus today, and to his Mother, Our Lady of the Angels," Archbishop José H. Gomez said June 11.

"Today we are united with parishes throughout the Archdiocese of Los Angeles in praying for peace in our streets and in our city," Archbishop Gomez said in his homily during noon Mass at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels. "We are facing a challenging moment in our city and many of our neighbors are frightened.

"There is too much tension, too much uncertainty and violence. So, we bring our cares and anxieties to Jesus today, and to his Mother, Our Lady of the Angels."

Archbishop Gomez had called for a day of prayer for peace and unity in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles in response to protests that began June 6 over immigration raids by ICE and followed by President Donald Trump's activation of the National Guard, and later Marines, in the city.

Parishes across the Los Angeles Archdiocese were invited to commit to prayer in the days ahead for peace, unity and healing, echoing Archbishop Gomez's June 6 statement calling for prayer, while urging “restraint and calm.”

Parishes were given special prayers of intention and asked to observe the call through the celebration of daily Mass as well as other prayerful observances such as a family rosary, Liturgy of the Hours and Eucharistic adoration.

"We pray for our neighbors who are hurting, good-hardworking men and women, people of faith," Archbishop Gomez said in his homily. "We pray for the police and for all those who put their lives on the line to keep our communities safe. And we pray for civic leaders."

Archbishop Gomez called on the faithful to follow the example of St. Barnabas, an early church missionary.

"My dear brothers and sisters, this is who we want to be, as Catholics, especially in this moment. We want to be good people; loving and understanding; men and women of faith and virtue," he said. "Like St. Barnabas, we want to go out and console our neighbors and strengthen their hearts and encourage them to keep the faith. Through our love and compassion, we want to let them know: Jesus is with them. Always."

The raids -- part of Trump's promised crackdown on illegal immigration -- took place in predominantly Latino areas of Los Angeles, with demonstrations forming in several locations, including at the Federal Building in the city's downtown and on Highway 101.

Amid pushback from California officials, including Gov. Gavin Newsom and LA Mayor Karen Bass, Trump said in a June 7 memorandum that federal troops were needed in Los Angeles "temporarily" to protect ICE "and other United States Government personnel who are performing Federal functions."

"Violent mobs have attacked ICE Officers and Federal Law Enforcement Agents carrying out basic deportation operations in Los Angeles," he said.

Invoking a law that allows for placing National Guard troops -- who operate under both federal and state authority -- under federal command, Trump said in his memo that "incidents and credible threats of continued violence" justified his measure.

Late June 10 Mayor Bass imposed an 8 p.m.-6 a.m. (Pacific time) curfew to quell the protests. The curfew was expected to last several days, with police authorized to arrest anyone who defied the order.

AP reported June 12 that The Los Angeles Police Department has made nearly 400 arrests and detentions since Saturday in connection with immigration protests. Most arrests have been for failing to disperse, but some face more serious charges, including for assaulting police and possession of a Molotov cocktail.

Similar protests against the Trump administration's immigration policies broke out in cities across the U.S., including San Francisco, New York, Dallas and Austin, Texas, Atlanta, Boston and Philadelphia. Officers have arrested hundreds nationwide during the protests.

Archbishop Gomez also took part in an interfaith vigil in downtown LA the evening of June 10, offering words of encouragement.

"Our country was founded on the belief that every man and woman is created with human dignity and human rights … and this beautiful belief is what makes America great," Archbishop Gomez told the thousands gathered at Grand Park.

By 6 p.m., a large crowd had gathered around a stage at the park, where faith leaders stood and delivered two-minute speeches. Several families could be seen standing together holding candles of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Young adults carried flags representing their heritage.

"Being a (first generation) myself, I see my family’s faces in my brothers and sisters," said Karen Luna, director of Faith and Justice at Verbum Dei Jesuit High School.

The school serves the majority of the Latino population in Watts. Luna was at the vigil accompanying Verbum Dei’s principal, Dr. Jesse Rodriguez.

"For me, living my faith in action as a Catholic woman," said Luna, who previously worked as coordinator of Young Adult Ministry for the Archdiocese of Los Angeles. "In this year’s Jubilee of Hope, we’re building that hope by being here physically" in solidarity with immigrants, she said.

Jesuit Father Greg Boyle, founder of LA-based Homeboy Industries, attended the vigil with 40-50 people from the Homeboy community, largely made up of formerly gang-involved and previously incarcerated adults and youth.

"This is a community that’s familiar with the demonized, because they (the Homeboy community) have been demonized," Boyle said. "And the disposable, the people who are used to being thrown away, we stand with them.

"We want to return to the Gospel values of inclusion and nonviolence, unconditional love, kindness, and compassionate acceptance."

In his remarks, Archbishop Gomez prayed that "our leaders in Washington will find a way to come together for the good of our nation and finally fix our broken immigration system."

At the same time, the archbishop emphasized, "immigration is about more than politics. It is about us, it is about what kind of people we want to be, about what kind of country America is meant to be."

Beyond the stage, some Catholics brought physical items representing what they were praying for that evening.

"I brought an image that my mother-in-law gave me of St. Oscar Romero," said Hannah Peterson, who is a part of the LA Catholic Worker. "For me, (Romero) is the patron saint of the working person, of the poor, and the forgotten."

After the vigil ended, peaceful protesters -- joined by faith leaders -- gathered for a prayer walk through the federal buildings. They walked past the place "where immigrants check in for court every day," aware that "in this very building, families are being torn apart," said Joseph McKellar, executive director for PICO California, a faith-based community organizing network.

He had stopped for a few minutes in front of the National Guard and soaked it all in.

In an interview with Angelus, the archdiocesan online news outlet, McKellar said, "I got overwhelmed by just the gravity that so many families in our communities are experiencing, the fear, the isolation, the pain of mothers, not having their husbands come home, children, not having their mothers."