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US bishop tells clergy to prepare for 'new era of martyrdom' after ICE killing
Religious leaders have called on Christians to protect the vulnerable amid the rise in immigration enforcement under the Trump administration.
A New Hampshire bishop warned his clergy to finalise their wills and get their affairs in order, citing preparations for a “new era of martyrdom.” His comments came at a vigil honouring Renee Good, who was fatally shot by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent.
Bishop Rob Hirschfeld of the Episcopal Church of New Hampshire made his comments earlier this month at the vigil, Associated Press reported.
The bishop's speech mentioned several historical clergy members who had risked their lives to protect others, including New Hampshire seminary student Jonathan Daniels. Daniels was shot and killed by a sheriff's deputy in Alabama while shielding a young Black civil rights activist in 1965.
“I have told the clergy of the Episcopal diocese of New Hampshire that we may be entering into that same witness,” Hirschfeld was quoted as saying.
He also said that he has asked the clergy to get their affairs in order and make sure their wills are written. "It may be that now is no longer the time for statements, but for us with our bodies, to stand between the powers of this world and the most vulnerable,” the bishop said.
Also read: Was Renee Nicole Good a paid protestor? New Minneapolis doc reveals anti-ICE views
Without calling for violent measures, Hirschfeld said that the people of Christian faith should not fear death. They should be prepared to build a new world to live without fear, he reportedly said.
Religious leaders have called on Christians to protect the vulnerable amid the rise in immigration enforcement under the Trump administration. This also includes Most Rev. Sean W. Rowe, the presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church.
“We keep resisting, advocating, bearing witness and repairing the breach,” Rowe was quoted as saying during a prayer earlier this week. He also called for caring for immigrants and refugees, saying that they are beloved by God, and "without them, we cannot fully be the church.”
Renee Nicole Good was shot dead by an ICE agent last week. The 37-year-old was in her SUV when the ICE officer fired three shots.
Meanwhile, Trump has defended the actions of the ICE officer, saying he fired in self-defence while standing in front of Good’s vehicle as it began to move forward.
