BEARING & RENEWING OUR PUBLIC WITNESS

written by Susan Brown Snook | January 26, 2026

Dear People of the Episcopal Diocese of San Diego, 

Thank you all for your prayers and tender care. Some of you know that I had surgery this past Thursday, and it went very well. I have just been released from the hospital and am resting at home.  Your prayers, your ministries, and your support mean more to me than words can express. 

I write now to you about a matter that deeply wounds our national conscience and calls forth our faithful response. 

In recent weeks across our country, there has been a shocking escalation of violence involving U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials. In Minneapolis, multiple people—including U.S. citizens and bystanders—have been shot and killed during federal immigration enforcement actions and protests. Most recently, 37-year-old Alex Pretti, a Veteran’s Administration ICU nurse devoted to serving others, was killed by federal agents —the second fatal shooting in that city within weeks. Prior to that, Renee Good, another U.S. citizen, was fatally shot by an ICE agent during a raid, sparking widespread outrage and grief. These incidents are occurring within a pattern of aggressive enforcement actions that have seen federal agents open fire on civilians and detain U.S. citizens and others in troubling circumstances.  

We hold these realities before God with sorrow and righteous indignation. Scripture reminds us that the measure of our humanity is found in how we treat the “stranger”—the foreigner, the vulnerable, the powerless (Leviticus 19:33–34; Matthew 25:35). When national policy and public practice risk dehumanizing our neighbors—especially those already living in fear—the Church must speak, pray, and act with clarity and compassion. 

I know that within our Diocese, many are already living out this calling in concrete ways: 

  • Walking with Vulnerable Neighbors. Through EDSD’s Migration Ministry, congregations and volunteers offer accompaniment, legal support connections, pastoral care, and hospitality to migrants and their families as they navigate complex systems and fearsome uncertainties. 
  • Advocacy for Just Policy. We have prayed with and supported those advocating for humane immigration policy at local, state, and federal levels, reminding our civic leaders that human dignity must never be sacrificed for fear or political expediency. 
  • Clergy and Lay Formation. Our ongoing formation efforts help equip the faithful to address immigration realities in their communities with theological grounding and compassionate presence.

You can learn more about these ministries and how to get involved at the EDSD’s Migration Ministry page: https://edsd.org/migration-ministry/. 

Due to my current health issues, I cannot be present at vigils and marches, but know that I am with those of you who are standing for justice in prayer. In this moment, I invite us all—individuals, congregations, and ministries—to renew our commitment to: 

  1. Prayerful Presence—Join in sustained intercession for victims of violence and their families, for law enforcement charged with public safety, and for policymakers entrusted with governing with justice and mercy. 
  2. Nonviolent Witness—Uphold and participate in peaceful, faith-rooted public witness calling for accountability, restraint, and structural reform that honors human life. 
  3. Pastoral Support—Reach out to immigrant communities fearful of enforcement actions with pastoral care, practical support, hospitality, and accompaniment. 
  4. Civic Engagement—Advocate for policies that protect the dignity and rights of all — immigrants, citizens, and residents alike—and that seek justice through accountability, transparency, and respect for human life. 
  5. Financial Aid—Bishop of Minnesota, the Rt. Rev. Craig Loya, has asked for donations to Casa Maria, an Episcopal nonprofit that is organizing groceries and other aid to immigrant families in Minneapolis. 

In the coming days, my office will be announcing new opportunities to learn how best to engage in these ways. Until then, be reminded that our faith calls us not merely to lament suffering but to be agents of God’s peace and justice in a troubled world. As followers of Christ, we are called to stand with the vulnerable, to speak truth to power, and to embody the reconciling love of Jesus in every place where fear threatens to eclipse compassion. 

May the God of mercy and justice uphold you, strengthen you, and guide our shared witness in the days ahead. 

Blessings, 

Bishop Susan Brown Snook