After a big rise in ICE activity, Indiana archbishop gave dispensation from Mass attendance for those affected for the rest of September.
After Indianapolis and central Indiana saw a large increase in activity from the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in the week before Labor Day, the region’s Catholic archbishop gave a dispensation from Mass attendance for those affected for the rest of September.
Archbishop Charles C. Thompson issued a statement on the recent surge in immigration enforcement, writing:
The recent surge in immigration enforcement activity in Indiana has caused fear and uncertainty for many families, particularly when detention results in the sudden separation of parents and children.
While recognizing the need for law enforcement to protect and defend, it is gravely concerning to witness families being torn apart. The family, the fabric of stability in our society, must be cherished and defended. The inherent dignity of being created in the image of God demands that every person be treated with dignity, compassion, and respect.
Along with this statement, he issued a formal decree of dispensation, which read in part:
Whereas recent days have seen an increase in immigration enforcement in the Archdiocese of Indianapolis, causing a significant rise in fear and anxiety amongst our immigrant communities, and
Whereas the Christian faithful have an obligation to participate in Mass on Sundays and Holy Days of Obligation, and the fear and anxiety caused by the recent immigration enforcement activity may deter some of the Christian faithful from fulfilling their obligation to attend Mass, which would be detrimental to their spiritual welfare…
I hereby dispense from the obligation to participate in Mass on Sundays and Holy Days of Obligation all those persons living within the Archdiocese of Indianapolis who reasonably fear being detained, separated from their families, or experience intimidation due to the increased immigration enforcement. This applies even to those with proper legal documentation.
Nearly one-tenth of Indiana residents are Hispanic, and many are Catholic. The Archdiocese of Indianapolis maintains a robust Hispanic ministry, and Archbishop Thompson issued this dispensation in his capacity and understanding as pastor to a large Hispanic flock.
A choice made by several bishops
Local news reports detailed how the unexpected ICE activity caused disruption to local communities, as several businesses closed their doors and the decision was made to cancel a Latino festival.
Archbishop Thompson is far from the first U.S. bishop to issue a dispensation from Mass attendance owing to increased ICE activity.
Bishop Alberto Rojas of the Diocese of San Bernardino, California, issued the first formal dispensation of this kind in July 2025, and Bishop J. Mark Spalding of the Diocese of Nashville, Tennessee, advised Catholics that Sunday Mass attendance shouldn’t come at the cost of their safety. Bishop Earl K. Fernandes of the Diocese of Columbus, Ohio, issued a comparable decree at the end of 2025, running through the Christmas season into January 2026.
Historically, these kinds of broad dispensations have been issued during severe natural disasters, public health crises like the COVID-19 pandemic, and other occasions when a bishop’s pastoral care deems it necessary.
The decree noted that the dispensation, which took effect on September 4, would be in place until September 30, 2026, unless the archbishop chooses to extend it by further decree.
At the same time, the archbishop encouraged those making use of the dispensation “to supplement spiritual practices on Sunday and Holy Days of Obligation with practices such as praying with the Sunday readings of the Lectionary, praying the rosary or other sacramentals, and/or watching a live-streamed Mass on television or the internet.”
