Bishop leads prayers for fasting immigration-reform advocates

[Episcopal Diocese of Washington press release] Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde of the Episcopal Diocese of Washington led a prayer service on the evening of Dec. 1 on the National Mall for Fast For Families, a campaign to persuade Speaker John Boehner to bring comprehensive immigration reform legislation to a vote in the House of Representatives.

The service was held near the U. S. Capitol.

“In June, the U.S. Senate passed a comprehensive, bipartisan immigration bill (S.744),” Bishop Budde said. “To date, Speaker John Boehner has refused to bring a similar bill to the House floor, saying that it is not yet time. A majority of Americans respectfully and urgently disagree. I am one of them. The time for immigration reform is now.”

Bishop Budde will also participating in the National Days of Fasting, December 1-3, and has invited members of her diocese and others to join her.

Thousands of people are expected to fast and pray for one day during the National Days of Fasting to support Cristian Avila of Mi Familia Vota, Eliseo Medina of the Service Employees International Union, and Dae Joong Yoong of the National Korean American Service and Education Consortium, who have been on a water-only fast since November 12.

“By their witness and prayers, the fasters remind us that each day our elected leaders don’t vote on pending legislation, more than one thousand families are divided by deportations, millions of students remain trapped in limbo and anxiety for their futures, and workers are subject to exploitation unseen by the rest of our society,” the bishop said.

The fast is supported by an extensive network of faith-based and immigrants rights organizations.