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Cardinal Cupich’s Statements

Statement of Cardinal Blase J. Cupich, Archbishop of Chicago, on the Tour of Heartland Alliance Facility

July 25, 2018

I want to thank the Heartland Alliance for allowing me access to their facility so I could visit with the children there.

Today I met children who have come from all over the world. We had a chance to talk with each other, to pray together and greet each other personally. The resiliency and courage of these young people was impressive and I will not forget our time together.

These young people are here without parents to protect them and are being sheltered and cared for at this facility. That fact brought home to me the reality that many children are left to fend for themselves in life, and are put at risk when adults who should be nurturing and protecting them cannot or will not do so. Yet, we should be grateful for the many dedicated people in society who care for them in these circumstances, which is, for the most part, an untold story. I stand in admiration of all care givers, social workers and counsellors.

The problem of unaccompanied children has been a longstanding challenge, and predates the recent tragic decision to intentionally separate parents and children. While steps have been taken to reunite families, starting with the reversal of this cruel policy, the sad fact is that some of these children will not be reunited with their loved ones any time soon. Swift action is now required to make sure reunification is no longer delayed. There should also be a full review of what took place and the establishment of procedures that will guarantee that the decisions which led to the present situation are never repeated.

For the Spanish version of the statement, please click here.