I am a Catholic and I attend mass in the Bishop's diocese.

Unfortunately Bishop Thomas is so detached from the real world that he doesn't know his backside from his elbow.

It is all very well for bishops and priests to pontificate from their fine priest's houses and bishop's palaces about Britain taking in more immigrants or granting illegal immigrants asylum, however Bishop Thomas clearly fails to understand and appreciate that Britain has already taken in more than her fair share of immigrants during the past 10 years.

As a result of these massive levels of immigration - social services such as schools, medical services and social housing are at breaking point.

The British people are being taxed to the eyeballs and since Labour’s abolition of the 10% tax rate; the poorest members of our society are struggling the most.

Food prices have gone through the roof, young couples cannot afford to buy a first home and the cost of petrol is now so high that many people can hardly afford to drive to work.

The British people already have the highest levels of personal debt in the Western Europe.

We cannot give any more, because we have nothing more to give. People are fed up, in debt and over taxed. The last thing that many British people want to hear is an out of touch Bishop urging us to take in more immigrants or grant amnesty to illegal immigrants who are undercutting already very low levels of pay particularly in farming areas such as East Anglia.

The country is simmering with civil unrest.

I suggest that Bishop Thomas should get out more to meet and listen to the fears of ordinary British people. He might get a better appreciation and understanding of what is happening in this country.

Some people reading this might suggest that I have been unkind and sharp in my comments towards the Bishop Thomas. I respect the man’s expertise as a Catholic Theologian but I believe he has spoken out on an area that he knows very little about i.e. the lives of ordinary every day people. This is my area of expertise and just as Bishop Thomas would slap me down if I spoke out incorrectly on a point of theology, I am pointing out the shortcoming of his argument on this issue of amnesty for illegal immigrants and the effects of such an amnesty on ordinary British people who cannot get on the housing ladder or even get social housing.

Finally please note that Spain has already given an amnesty to seven hundred thousand illegal immigrants. The amnesty failed because Spain became an even greater target for illegal immigrants who hoped that Spain would issue another amnesty.

The old line is – give someone an inch and they will take a mile.

I am a Catholic but I do not support Bishop Thomas on this issue. God Bless.

Isn't England already over populated?
Send them all back.
Sorry I'm not aloud to have that opinion am I, its politically incorrect of me.

Maybe the Bishop should set an example and take in a couple of dozen.

Makes a pleasant change to see someone taking a real Christian view of this issue.

Who would Jesus send back?

The farm workers in East Anglia (portuguese and poles) are actually legal migrants Thomas.

I agree with the very good points made by Thomas Paine.

On the basis of the Gazette article the Bishop doesn't have a clue what he is talking about.

With regard to Dave H's posting - "who would Jesus send back?"

Jesus wages aren't being undercut by immgrants and asylum seekers - who it is a hypothetcial point.

With regard to Dave's point East Anglian farmers cut the wage rates to such a level that only immigrants could afford to the job if they were living ten people to a broken down old caravan - so that argument doesn't hold up either.

Surely, the Bishop should be venting his anger on the Government which has allowed immigration, both legal and illegal, to get so utterly out of hand, to the point where in a number of wards in the recent local elections, the BNP polled more votes than Labour!!
Apparently, we are on course to be the most overcrowded nation in Europe and this will be an environmental and humanitarian tragedy if we destroy the environment by building houses because of a totally unnecessary and unwanted population explosion.
Still, there is joy in heaven, over one sinner that repenteth, and the government, no doubt at last and probably too late, waking up to the ticking time bomb that it has created, is at last starting to do something, but it is not enough.
THERE CAN BE NO FURTHER IMMIGRATION OF ANY KIND, WHETHER FROM EU OR OTHERWISE.

hi to everybody. i think everyone here is missing a crucial point and very easy to understand. the bishop is calling for an amnesty for people that are already here.He is not calling for other people to be brought in england.In one way or onother those people are here to stay but it will be very good moraly to legalise them so they can leave as anybody else in UK , they can leave like humans.I know that many people are fed up of immigrants but they evry easy forget that are immigrants that are building this country and doing the lowest jobs which english dont do.It is good to think more carefully rather rushing in cheap comments.The economy is not suffering cos of immigrants, neither the petrol prices are not their fault.this things are happening everywhere.I m sure that if you go to work and live to another country which you do, you would like to live as a human being and have an identitu, not just a statistic.it is normal to take everuthing for granted but you should take time and reflect on suffering and fear that all this illegal immigrants leave. they are not criminals as someone thinks. they have family, they work vary hard, they are honest and very friendly people but if you keep treating them like dogs and statisctics than something, somewhere it is normal will go wrong.They hate their situation but they dont have choice and i would imgaine that u will never want to be in their shoes.Bishop called for love between people but it seems that hate and frustation and materialistic things on this life have cover all your human senses.
regards.
what comes around goes around.

Let's clarify something, before we go any further - there's a vast difference between seeking Asylum and being an economic migrant, legal or otherwise.

Which therefore makes it ironic, if this government is indeed looking to deport hundreds of Zimbabwean Refugees - surely, it's self-evident that anyone going to that country from this, will automatically be in grave danger, whatever the reason?

Also, let not blame immigrants for the shocking levels of personal debt in Britain. Apart from greedy banks and credit card companies, who almost encourage their customers to get into debt, people only have themselves to blame if they're up to their necks in it.

But ultimately, increasing european-union is leading to increasing levels of economic migrants. What started as literally a 'Common Market' has led to this country gradually surrendering it's authority and soverignty, as we get subsumed into a euro 'Superstate'. It's inevitable that other european nationals will look to relocate to the richer parts of the EU. But why do we continue to give way to unelected, unaccountable bureaucrats? When will it stop?

Nigel wrote:
Surely, the Bishop should be venting his anger on the Government which has allowed immigration, both legal and illegal, to get so utterly out of hand, to the point where in a number of wards in the recent local elections, the BNP polled more votes than Labour!! Apparently, we are on course to be the most overcrowded nation in Europe and this will be an environmental and humanitarian tragedy if we destroy the environment by building houses because of a totally unnecessary and unwanted population explosion. Still, there is joy in heaven, over one sinner that repenteth, and the government, no doubt at last and probably too late, waking up to the ticking time bomb that it has created, is at last starting to do something, but it is not enough. THERE CAN BE NO FURTHER IMMIGRATION OF ANY KIND, WHETHER FROM EU OR OTHERWISE.

Does that mean that nobody is allowed to leave Britain either for fear of being sent to the British Gas chamber?

If not, who's going to feed the goldfish in my Monte Carlo apartment?

The Church's are like the Politians it is all well and good to preach love and understanding and compassion but I have become mighty tired of paying for and losing out on our services which we pay through the nose for. Wonder what the Bishops would say if we stopped all monies to them and sent it all to Africa and Asia etc, would that keep all the refugees at home?

No Name wrote:
<b> Isn't England already over populated?
Send them all back.
Sorry I'm not aloud to have that opinion am I, its politically incorrect of me.

</b>

You are allowed to have that opinion. However it really does display your ignorance of the facts.

Britain is not overcrowded, however the South East of England is, it is full of English people who migrate from other parts of the country for higher wages and better career prospects.

It also has a minority of foreign migrant workers who do the crap jobs that English people do not want for very little money!

Posted by: Snake "The Vicar" Plissken, Escape From New Britain on Today:
Does that mean that nobody is allowed to leave Britain either for fear of being sent to the British Gas chamber?

If not, who's going to feed the goldfish in my Monte Carlo apartment?


What, all your wealth and you keep lousy goldfish?

No wonder nobody has respect for the English any more! Get a school of KOI (I'd say pirhanah but haven't a clue how to spell it!) Still, love the comment Vicar (P.S. Try for the Bishop's job, you seem a lot clearer thinking than he!

I am a former catholic although and it was hypocrites and arrogant idiots like Bishop Thomas who turned me off organised religon.

I've got three grown up children. They are all working and on what would be considered good salaries - because the country has been flooded with legal and illegal immigrants who have pushed up demand for housing and consequently the cost of housing.

I agree with the previous poster about immigration causing massive pressure on social services. When I go to the doctor I am usually the only British person in the waiting everyone else is foreign.

I am p*88ed off with people like the bishop and politicans from the Lib Lab Con parties lecturing me on the benefits of immigration when all me and my family are getting is the negative aspects of it.

If the BNP have a candidate in my area at the next election I will be voting for them.

The Life of Brian turned me off organised religion.

"Stwike him, Centuwion, vewy woughly!"

refugjati wrote:
hi to everybody. i think everyone here is missing a crucial point and very easy to understand. the bishop is calling for an amnesty for people that are already here.He is not calling for other people to be brought in england.In one way or onother those people are here to stay but it will be very good moraly to legalise them so they can leave as anybody else in UK , they can leave like humans.I know that many people are fed up of immigrants but they evry easy forget that are immigrants that are building this country and doing the lowest jobs which english dont do.It is good to think more carefully rather rushing in cheap comments.The economy is not suffering cos of immigrants, neither the petrol prices are not their fault.this things are happening everywhere.I m sure that if you go to work and live to another country which you do, you would like to live as a human being and have an identitu, not just a statistic.it is normal to take everuthing for granted but you should take time and reflect on suffering and fear that all this illegal immigrants leave. they are not criminals as someone thinks. they have family, they work vary hard, they are honest and very friendly people but if you keep treating them like dogs and statisctics than something, somewhere it is normal will go wrong.They hate their situation but they dont have choice and i would imgaine that u will never want to be in their shoes.Bishop called for love between people but it seems that hate and frustation and materialistic things on this life have cover all your human senses. regards. what comes around goes around.

They only employ you because you are cheap labour, who do you think did the jobs before all these immigrants flooded into the country. As for building the country, how arrogant can you get, I think we managed quite well without you, if all these immigrants are such hard workers and work for a pittance, why don't you go and improve your own countries and make them better places to live in, we were quite hapy with Britain as it was, as for what come around goes around, you will soon find that to be true when this country runs out of money to support all these immigrants and this country will be as run down as the countries you have just left.

This is the selfsame Bishop of Brentwood that stood on the steps of an illegally built home on the Crays Hill site, pontificating to the residents of Crays Hill,via TV news, about racism and bigotry.

The selfsame Bishop who lives in a nice enclave near Stock, Chelmsford, surrounded by a nice bit of UNDESECRATED green belt.

And they wonder why people are turned off religion.

Charity is all very well and good if you are in a position to offer it. Offering it, on behalf of others - and without consultation, however, is quite another thing.

I thought we left this kind of atrocious behaviour to the faceless overpaid fatcats of unelected government quangoes.

With people not being able to get their children into any school of their choice, let alone one; overstretched NHS, with creaking doctors' surgeries and nonexistent NHS dentists for British citizens; and the creation of ghettos and enclaves, society in this country is becoming more segregated by the minute.

All the while, huffer puffers like the dear old Bish and his compatriots spout their "compassion" whilst blindly ignoring the calamity this country is hurtling towards. And which THEY are accelerating, along with the racism, bigotry and extremism they so despise - but are happy to create by their "stuff the majority and their rights" attitude.

I suppose he thinks we should continue to house, feed and clothe terrorists and their multi-wives whilst overlooking their "death to the infidels" banner-waving on our streets too.

Sorry but this is compassion overload and religion has nothing to do with it.

But common sense does - something that is sadly lacking in today's politicians and churchmen.

If we cannot trust either, then we are on the fast track to disaster.

I agree with everyone who has posted on here EXCEPT for 'refugjati'.

If people are genuine asylum seekers, like the Zimbabweans, there is an international rule that such a person should seek asylum in the first safe country he/she arrives in. We are a long way from Zimbabwe, and several 'safe' countries lie in between.

Illegal immigrants are something else. The discussion between Eddie Mair and the Home Office minister on Radio 4's PM today, about the re-classification of cannabis, did not mention the fact that since reclassification from 'B' to 'C' 4 years ago we've seen a mushrooming of cannabis farms in suburban flats and rented houses. The perpetrators of this are mainly Vietnamese or Chinese bosses, and the people who look after these cannabis farms are mainly illegal immigrants! Also young women in the sex trade, Chinese cockle-pickers in Morecambe Bay, on the streets selling pirated DVDs, the list is endless. Are these the people that are 'building this country' as refugjati thinks? Let me point out to him/her that this country was doing very nicely thank you before this influx started - we were just about up to maximum population levels that could comfortably be coped with. Anyone who has seen what the main roads are like now - the route from Southend to Birmingham for example - will know what I mean.

I am afraid that giving amnesties, as has been found in other countries, only encourages others to migrate here illegally. They arrive and expect US to accommodate their foreign 'culture', their religions, their languages, instead of trying to fit in.

My husband's grandparents arrived in London 100 years ago, and the first thing they did was to learn English so that they could earn a living. The more recent immigrants are completely different. Schools are now having to cope with children who speak NO English at all. I could go on, but it has all been said before.

REFUGAJATI I notice you say what comes around goes around, I believe it does and if I were you I would be praying you do not get what you appear to be wishing for. This is an easy going country who have put up with more than most Countries but if you have been at all alert you should have noticed as the LABOUR PARTY has that the populace has become shall we say less than amored with all the immigration and its problems, I would be watching the fallout when it Comes Around

IT IS TIME GOVERNMENT OBEY THE VOICE OF REASON AND OF GOD.GOVERMENT CLAIMED THE UK IS OVERPOPULATED AND THEY ALLOWED THOUSANDS OF EU'S IN THE COUNTRY EVERYDAY FORGETTING THE IMMIGRANT WHO HAVE BEEN BUILDING THE COUNTRY FOR AGES. IT IS HIGH TIME IMMIGRANTS ARE COMPENSATED BEFORE THE WRATH OF GOD ON US ALL. IF YOU THINK ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS ARE COMPLETELY BAD PLEASE HAVE A RETHINK

henry dave, what rubbish, and please do not SHOUT at me.

'The immigrant(s) who have been building the country for ages'? In addition to your colleague, refugjati, above, you appear to think that England was completely 'unbuilt' before your arrival. Who, pray, do you imagine built all the beautiful and historic buildings that there are up and down our land? Westminster Abbey, York Minster, Salisbury Cathedral, the London churches designed and built by Sir Christopher Wren and his pupils following the Great Fire? Or those magnificent public buildings of the Victorian era, Leeds Town Hall, St Pancras Station, to name but a few. We did not need you to immigrate here illegally to 'build' our country for us. We have qualified people in the building trades who can't find jobs because they can't live on the wages that you can live on. They're being squeezed out and they can't compete at your low rates. I am no friend of the present government, but I have to laugh when you start threatening me with the wrath of God. Have you got a direct line to God, do you talk directly to his ear, and hear what he has to say? We could all claim that, couldn't we!

IDIOT! Makes me so glad that I'm not Catholic!

Some peoples need to understand,the most part of the immigrants in this country do not want any benefit from the government.they want jast right to stay and work.I agree there are na lot of immigrants wich do not deserve to be in this country,because they are here just stealing money from the government,but also there a lot of peoples are is this country just to work.]
that`s my opinion

henry dave wrote:
IT IS TIME GOVERNMENT OBEY THE VOICE OF REASON AND OF GOD.GOVERMENT CLAIMED THE UK IS OVERPOPULATED AND THEY ALLOWED THOUSANDS OF EU'S IN THE COUNTRY EVERYDAY FORGETTING THE IMMIGRANT WHO HAVE BEEN BUILDING THE COUNTRY FOR AGES. IT IS HIGH TIME IMMIGRANTS ARE COMPENSATED BEFORE THE WRATH OF GOD ON US ALL. IF YOU THINK ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS ARE COMPLETELY BAD PLEASE HAVE A RETHINK

Do grow up.

henry dave wrote:
IT IS TIME GOVERNMENT OBEY THE VOICE OF REASON AND OF GOD.GOVERMENT CLAIMED THE UK IS OVERPOPULATED AND THEY ALLOWED THOUSANDS OF EU'S IN THE COUNTRY EVERYDAY FORGETTING THE IMMIGRANT WHO HAVE BEEN BUILDING THE COUNTRY FOR AGES. IT IS HIGH TIME IMMIGRANTS ARE COMPENSATED BEFORE THE WRATH OF GOD ON US ALL. IF YOU THINK ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS ARE COMPLETELY BAD PLEASE HAVE A RETHINK

Do grow up.

Did anyone see this, by chance?

http://news.scotsman
.com/immigrationandr
efugees/39Wedding-pl
anner39-to-be-deport
ed.4061345.jp

Makes a change from fake DVDs and cannabis farms, I suppose!

henry dave wrote:
IT IS TIME GOVERNMENT OBEY THE VOICE OF REASON AND OF GOD.GOVERMENT CLAIMED THE UK IS OVERPOPULATED AND THEY ALLOWED THOUSANDS OF EU'S IN THE COUNTRY EVERYDAY FORGETTING THE IMMIGRANT WHO HAVE BEEN BUILDING THE COUNTRY FOR AGES. IT IS HIGH TIME IMMIGRANTS ARE COMPENSATED BEFORE THE WRATH OF GOD ON US ALL. IF YOU THINK ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS ARE COMPLETELY BAD PLEASE HAVE A RETHINK

Examples please.

Bishop Thomas sees things through the same rose coloured spectacles as the priest from Wickford, both of whom pontificate about the travellers at Dale Farm as well as illegal immigrants. These clerics don't live in the real world and don't have to suffer as us lesser mortals do. It infuriates me that yet again the law abiding, hard working population is ignored and to a degree insulted by the clergy. If only they were as supportive of their regular congregation.

All i can say is that, may God show mercy to us all. The job of the man of
God is to preach the gospel of the good news which i believe this very
country took to other part of the world a decade ago. But remember that
if Jesus as we believe has to think about himself, he would have
refused to come and take our punishment for a sin that he has not
committed. But out of compassion Jesus shows mercy. What the man of God
was saying is that Great Britain should show mercy to some set of
people that are trapped in this country. We should not just preach but
we should also demonstrate what we preach. Thank God for mercy he has
shown to us by creating us in his image and by us
comking from Great Britain. I am sure
you will agree with me that it is not the wish of any immigrant to
leave their family and loved one in some thousands of miles away but
due to the fact that they could not change where God has created them
they have to look elsewhere to better their life. It is true that
people of this country have been pushed, but i would want to believe
that many factors contribute to that push and it is not just
immigration. In the time past, this country have been to another
country to better the life of their citizen so i guess what goes round
also comes round.
Above all the government has already or are beginning to put in place
tough measures on immigration control but for this measures to work,
those that are already here and are not easy to be removed should be
granted a one-off amnesty in order for the new tough measure to work.
After all they are already here and what i believe we can do is to make
sure the border control are tight and the problem for future
immigration will be eased.
Finally may i ask for forgiveness if i have through my opinion offended
anyone who may not agree with my statement about this subject.
God Bless all, God Bless Great Britain.

Samson wrote:
All i can say is that, may God show mercy to us all. The job of the man of God is to preach the gospel of the good news which i believe this very country took to other part of the world a decade ago. But remember that if Jesus as we believe has to think about himself, he would have refused to come and take our punishment for a sin that he has not committed. But out of compassion Jesus shows mercy. What the man of God was saying is that Great Britain should show mercy to some set of people that are trapped in this country. We should not just preach but we should also demonstrate what we preach. Thank God for mercy he has shown to us by creating us in his image and by us comking from Great Britain. I am sure you will agree with me that it is not the wish of any immigrant to leave their family and loved one in some thousands of miles away but due to the fact that they could not change where God has created them they have to look elsewhere to better their life. It is true that people of this country have been pushed, but i would want to believe that many factors contribute to that push and it is not just immigration. In the time past, this country have been to another country to better the life of their citizen so i guess what goes round also comes round. Above all the government has already or are beginning to put in place tough measures on immigration control but for this measures to work, those that are already here and are not easy to be removed should be granted a one-off amnesty in order for the new tough measure to work. After all they are already here and what i believe we can do is to make sure the border control are tight and the problem for future immigration will be eased. Finally may i ask for forgiveness if i have through my opinion offended anyone who may not agree with my statement about this subject. God Bless all, God Bless Great Britain.

Yeah, I know, I'm trapped in this country and I don't have the easy option of going back to my own country, I'm already in it.

I totally agree with the bishop, What people don't realise is that, the jobs being offered to migrants are jobs that the british people wont do, such jobs are care, cleaning and hospitality. I am 100% sure if illegal immigrant are deported there wont be anyone to do these jobs.