Pastoral Letter from the CACINA
January 10, 2026
Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,
At the Jordan River, as Jesus entered the waters of baptism, Matthew tells us
that the heavens opened and a voice declared: “This is my beloved Son, with
whom I am well pleased.” (Matthew 3:17). In this moment, God affirmed not
only Jesus’s identity but also the divine truth that every human life is precious,
beloved, and made in the image of the Creator (cf. Genesis 1:27). Baptism
reveals a God who stands with humanity—especially with those who suffer,
those who are overlooked, and those who bear the weight of injustice.
It is from this place of faith and conviction that we, the College of Bishops of
The Catholic Apostolic Church in North America, write to you with grief,
compassion, and righteous anger.
Our hearts are heavy as we mourn the killing of Renee Nicole Good, a 37-
year-old mother, poet, and beloved member of her community who was shot
by an ICE agent during an enforcement operation in Minneapolis. We lament
her death and the many wounds that follow: wounds to her children, to her
family, to her friends, and to all who must watch the traumatic images of her
final moments circulate across our screens and public discourse.
We assure Renee’s children and family of our prayers and our solidarity. We
mourn alongside them. The Lord is near to the brokenhearted, the psalmist
tells us, “and saves those crushed in spirit.” (Psalm 34:18). Our Church
carries their sorrow in its own heart.
The killing of Renee Nicole Good unfolds within a broader context that we
must not ignore. We live in a time when national rhetoric, immigration policy,
and political strategy have inflamed hostility, normalized fear, and justified
acts of aggression against the most vulnerable. Forces at the highest levels of
our federal government—both past and present—continue to exploit division
as a tool of power. As shepherds of the Church, we cannot remain silent when
such forces threaten the dignity God has bestowed upon every person.
The Gospel compels us to name injustice when it is before us. The prophets
cried out in times of violence; Jesus wept over the city; the early Church
proclaimed good news to the poor, release to the captive, and liberty to the
oppressed (cf. Luke 4:18). There is, therefore, a place for righteous anger—
not anger born of hatred or vengeance, but anger rooted in love for the
vulnerable and in fidelity to the God of justice. Such anger refuses to treat
human beings as expendable or disposable. It refuses to accept violence
against the marginalized as the cost of national order.
Yet our anger must always be accompanied by compassion. The One who
overturned the tables in the Temple is the same One who forgave his
persecutors from the cross. The Gospel calls us to a justice that does not
dehumanize even those with whom we vehemently disagree. While we
advocate for transparency, accountability, and reform within our civil
structures, we must also uphold the dignity of all persons—including those
whose actions we condemn.
As your bishops, we call upon the faithful of our Church to respond to this
moment with the fullness of Christian discipleship:
1. To pray without ceasing—for Renee Nicole Good’s family, for her
children, and for all who mourn;
2. To stand boldly for justice, including due process of law—so that no
person is treated as less than beloved in the eyes of God;
3. To embody compassion in our communities—offering welcome,
advocacy, and accompaniment to those who live in fear;
4. To resist every form of dehumanization—whether in speech, policy, or
practice;
5. To labor for peace—the peace that rests not on force, but on
reconciliation and human dignity.
We conclude with the words of St. Paul, who reminded the Church in
Corinth that “If one member suffers, all suffer together.” (1 Corinthians
12:26). May we, as the Body of Christ, suffer together with Renee’s family,
advocate together for justice, and hope together for a world where every
person—immigrant and citizen, neighbor and stranger—is treated as beloved
in the sight of God.
May the Holy Spirit, who descended upon Jesus at the Jordan, bestow upon
us courage for the work of justice, tenderness for the work of healing, and
steadfastness for the work of peace.
In Christ’s abiding love,
The College of Bishops
The Catholic Apostolic Church in North Americ