AMNA NAWAZ: Pope Leo spoke out today# about the Trump administration's## approach to mass deportation and the# treatment of some immigrants.

The pope## was asked about Catholic bishops who# have been critical of those policies.

In a so-called special pastoral message,# the U.S.

Conference of Catholic Bishops## decried the -- quote -- "indiscriminate# deportation campaign" and said they## are -- quote -- "praying for an end to# the dehumanizing rhetoric and violence."

The pope offered his support# for that message this evening.

POPE LEO XIV, Leader of Catholic Church: I# appreciate very much what the bishops have## said.

I think it's a very important statement.# I would invite especially all Catholics,## but people of good will, to listen carefully# to what they said.

I think we have to look for## ways of treating people humanely, treating# people with the dignity that they have.

If people are in the United States illegally,## there are ways to treat that.

There are# courts.

There's a system of justice.

AMNA NAWAZ: Before the pope's remarks, I# spoke with one of the bishops behind that## immigration message.

That's Bishop Mark Seitz of# El Paso, Texas, who met with the pope this fall.

Bishop Seitz, welcome to the "News# Hour."

Thanks for joining us.

REV.

MARK SEITZ, Catholic Diocese of El# Paso: It's great to be with you, Amna.

AMNA NAWAZ: So, as we noted there, this# kind of message is very rare.

What did## you and other bishops see that said to you it's# necessary to deliver this message and right now?

REV.

MARK SEITZ: Well, I think# probably there were a lot of## people that would have liked to have# heard from us as a body even sooner.

But it's a complicated matter with 300-plus# bishops in the United States to come together## around a statement.

Even though there is a high# deal of unanimity in terms of the issue itself,## to come together on the words is challenging and# we undertook that process at our last meeting.

AMNA NAWAZ: Now, I should note that# President Trump is not mentioned by## name anywhere in the statement, but this is# in response to his policies and his approach.

And his border czar, Tom Homan, responded to your## message by saying the Catholic Church# is wrong.

What's your response to that?

REV.

MARK SEITZ: Yes.

Well, he has a right to his## opinion, but he needs to realize he's# disagreeing with the Catholic Church.

Our role in the church is that we are to speak# according to the Gospel and the teachings of## the church.

And certainly when you find this# degree of unanimity between the Holy Father## and the entire body of bishops of the United# States, there ought to be something that causes## people to look up and say, wow, this must# have something to do with church teaching.

AMNA NAWAZ: You also say in the statement,# you're grateful for the chance to dialogue## with public and elected officials.

Have you had# that chance?

Are you or any of your colleagues## speaking to the White House or to DHS?

And what# is it specifically you would like to see change?

REV.

MARK SEITZ: Well, we're constantly seeking# to be in communication with the government.

And## we see ourselves as having a role of# conscience formation, you might say,## just speaking the basic principles that# we believe that we have gotten from the## Gospel and through the history of the# church's reflection on these issues.

We believe we have something to offer to# the polity, to the state.

And we do that## wherever we are.

So we have been in contact,# but we haven't had the level of contact to## this point that we would like, that we have seen# in the past with the leadership of our country.

AMNA NAWAZ: If you had a chance to speak directly## with someone in the White# House, what would you say?

REV.

MARK SEITZ: Well, I'd certainly want# to have a conversation with them.

But we## would express our great concern about# some of the rhetoric that's been using,## characterizing whole large groups of people, and# giving the impression that they're criminals,## that they're rapists and all of these# kinds of things that have come along.

We would also want to remind them that# this country has signed on to a law that is## our own in this country, but also# according to international law,## that says that we will accept people into this# country who are fleeing for their lives.

And the## law establishes a way to do that that recognizes# the urgency of that acceptance in some cases.

So we would remind them about that.

We would# ask that they be very careful when they consider## actions that could result in the division# of families and the separation of families## or sending people, individuals or families# into situations that are really threatening## to their very life in some of the countries# that we're considering sending people to.

AMNA NAWAZ: Bishop, I have to ask you.

At the same Baltimore conference where# you approve this immigration messag.. I know bishops also agreed on a# statement and a decision around## the treatment of transgender people# by the church, made the decision to## officially bar Catholic hospitals from providing# gender-affirming care for transgender people.

Can you explain why, what's behind that decision?

REV.

MARK SEITZ: Well, first of all, let# me say that we believe that we should## love and care for every human being,# and that is the goal of the church.

But, sometimes, actions that a person might# request might not be in their best interest, from## our understanding of the human person, according# to what we have received from Scripture, from## the teaching of the church.

And so we couldn't# go along with doing something that we believe## would be harmful to a person and in fact would# not -- would harm them for life in many cases.

AMNA NAWAZ: I should note that the# gender-affirming care is backed by## medical professionals and by years of study.

But I will also note we heard from other faith# leaders this week saying -- from Episcopalian## faith, from Presbyterians, Reform Jews# saying they feel their faiths compel## them to treat transgender, intersex# and nonbinary people with respect,## love and equal rights.

They're reading from the# same holy text here, right, so why the divide?

REV.

MARK SEITZ: Well, there's always been# differences based on the interpretation of## the Scriptures, and I don't think# that's going to end right away,## although we would love to see it happen.

But we read it differently than they do.

And,# again, we have tremendous respect and care for## people who are going through this struggle.# We want to support them, walk with them,## but we wouldn't want to do anything# that we would believe would hurt them.

AMNA NAWAZ: Bishop Mark Seitz of El Paso, Texas,## we thank you so much for your time, for making# the time to speak with us.

Appreciate it.

REV.

MARK SEITZ: You're welcome.# God bless you and your listeners.