Faith leaders challenge Alabama's immigration law
(RNS) Leaders of the Episcopal, Methodist and Roman Catholic churches in
Alabama filed a federal lawsuit on Monday (Aug. 1) to stop enforcement
of the state's new immigration law, which they say could strike at the
core of their ability to worship.
The lawsuit was filed by: the Rt. Rev. Henry N. Parsley Jr., bishop
of the Episcopal Diocese of Alabama; Rev. William H. Willimon, bishop of
the North Alabama Conference of the United Methodist Church; the Most
Rev. Thomas J. Rodi, Roman Catholic archbishop of Mobile; and the Most
Rev. Robert J. Baker, Roman Catholic bishop of Birmingham.
According to the lawsuit, "the bishops have reason to fear that
administering of religious sacraments, which are central to the
Christian faith, to known undocumented persons may be criminalized under
this law."
