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‘God’s Law’ Backed After 2 Masses

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Times Staff Writers

At St. Anne Catholic Church in Santa Monica on Sunday, Father Michael Gutierrez clearly relished the chance to declare that his church would welcome immigrants regardless of any laws Congress may pass.

“This is not our law,” he said. “We follow God’s law.”

A mile away at St. Monica Catholic Church, the topic of immigration did not come up during the sermon, but parishioners revealed after services that they are divided over the issue.

“This parish has people from the very right and very left,” said Ken Serra, a 47-year-old phone technician with Verizon and a Eucharistic minister at St. Monica.

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Last week, Cardinal Roger M. Mahony made headlines around the world by calling for priests in the Los Angeles Archdiocese to defy proposed laws that would require churches to ask for documentation before giving immigrants help. Mahony’s comments are part of a larger campaign by Roman Catholic Church leaders to influence immigration policy.

On the first Sunday after Mahony spoke out, parishioners at the Santa Monica Catholic churches offered different reactions to his outcry against what he termed “hysterical” anti-immigrant sentiment sweeping the state and the country.

“It’s good to be a good Samaritan, but there’s a limit,” said Charles Miller, 81, who has attended services at St. Monica, one of the largest and wealthiest of the 288 parishes in the archdiocese, for more than 40 years.

Standing a few feet away on the church’s shaded patio, Mary King, 30, offered a different view.

“We’re really excited and thankful that he spoke in favor of foreigners,” she said. “I think Jesus is a great example of one who rebels against authority.”

St. Monica’s Msgr. Lloyd Torgerson did not mention immigration except in a brief announcement at the beginning of services directing parishioners to pamphlets titled “Justice for Immigrants.” The pamphlets detail U.S. Catholic bishops’ call for comprehensive immigration reform, including more visas for family unification, legalization for illegal immigrants already here and reform of the system for asylum seekers.

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Parishioners there include such high-profile Republicans as Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and former Los Angeles Mayor Richard Riordan, along with 2002 conservative gubernatorial candidate Bill Simon, who was at Torgerson’s Mass on Sunday.

Differences over immigration do not trouble some at the church.

“People disagree with the Catholic Church about a lot of issues,” Serra said. “They still come to church.”

At St. Anne, where the congregation has traditionally included many immigrants, Gutierrez was outspoken.

“God believes all people live in harmony, right, kids?” Gutierrez said, directing his attention to the dozens of children who sat with their parents.

“Right,” came the response from many small voices.

“Then why do people in Washington want to say that’s not true?” he asked.

A little voice piped up: “Because they are prejudiced?”

Gutierrez did not disagree.

“You can put Minutemen at the border. You can put Border Patrol at the border,” he said. But “God is the one who protects us.”

After the service, many parishioners said they agreed.

“As somebody who was an illegal immigrant myself, I think it’s vital that we’re a country of inclusion,” said Michael Browning, 38, the principal of St. Anne School. He spoke in the rolling brogue of his native Scotland.

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Nearby, Mauricio Arias, 39, agreed. Holding his 18-month-old son, Alex, Arias said he, too, had come to the U.S. illegally, as a 14-year-old from El Salvador.

“The immigrants are the ones that built this country,” he said. “It’s about time somebody stands up for immigrants.”

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