Archbishop Charles Thompson issued a Sept. 4 decree allowing people who fear immigration detention to skip Sunday Mass and holy days of obligation through Sept. 30, with guidance on spiritual practices and pastoral care.
The archbishop asked pastors to provide sacramental support when possible — Penance, Anointing of the Sick, and Communion to the homebound — and framed the action around family unity and human dignity.
The decree was issued amid a nationwide rise in immigration detentions and reports of rights abuses in detention settings cited by investigations and congressional inquiry.
Who the dispensation covers and how long it lasts
Practical spiritual guidance offered
Thompson directed those using the dispensation to watch a livestreamed or televised Mass, to contemplate the Sunday Scripture readings, and to pray the rosary to supplement their Sunday and holy day spiritual practices. He asked pastors and ministers "to attend to the spiritual needs of those who must avail themselves of this dispensation — to the extent possible — especially regarding the sacraments of Penance and the Anointing of the Sick, or the distribution of holy Communion to the homebound."
In his bilingual statement accompanying the decree, Thompson cited an "increase in immigration enforcement measures in the Archdiocese of Indianapolis" that has created "a significant increase in fear and anxiety among our immigrant communities." He noted a "recent surge in immigration enforcement activity in Indiana" that has produced fear and uncertainty, particularly when detention leads to sudden separations of parents and children.
Thompson framed the pastoral decision in moral terms: "While recognizing the need for law enforcement to protect and defend, it is gravely concerning to witness families being torn apart," and affirmed that "the inherent dignity of being created in the image of God demands that every person be treated with dignity, compassion, and respect."
Broader reporting and related developments
The decree follows similar dispensations and guidance issued in other U.S. dioceses as enforcement activity increased. National reporting cited ICE data showing over 43,000 apprehensions in June, the highest monthly total since the start of the second Trump administration. That reporting said ICE faced pressure to meet a daily arrest figure of 2,000, though the Department of Homeland Security told the outlet ICE has not been assigned arrest quotas.
Other church leaders have publicly criticized conditions in detention. Two Texas bishops issued a joint statement after deadly encounters tied to enforcement operations. Archbishop Gustavo García-Siller of San Antonio reported witnessing alleged violations of human dignity during visits to detention centers and cited a congressional investigation that found more than 1,000 credible reports of abuse in immigration detention since January 2025, including medical neglect and separation of breastfeeding mothers.
Investigations by media outlets documented alleged forced medical procedures and force-feeding in detention. Separately, data noted that as of July 11, 70.6% of the 65,765 people held in detention lacked any criminal conviction, according to Syracuse University's Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse.
The decree gives parishioners and pastors clear, specific alternatives for Sunday and holy day observance while asking clergy to prioritize sacramental access for those affected by enforcement. It is a time-limited pastoral measure tied to local enforcement activity and may be extended or ended by further diocesan decree.
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