"So many families are wondering how changes to immigration policy might impact them," said Archbishop Jose H. Gomez of Los Angeles.

The Jesuit presidents wrote they are called "to embrace the entire human family, regardless of their immigration status or religious allegiance.”

Archbishop Thomas G. Wenski remembered the former leader of Cuba and prayed for peace.

Dante, praised by Pope Francis as a "prophet of hope," beautifully conveys the spirit of the Year of Mercy.

"The act of prescribing a fatal, poisonous dose, moreover, undermines the very heart of medicine."

"The image of an island is a very beautiful one and is very significant. It is a place of refuge from waters that are turbulent, a refuge for those people who have the courage to approach it from any side."