“We would not be able to serve our diverse flocks, which reflect the rich tapestry of our society overall, without the faithful men and women who come to serve through the Religious Workers Visa Programme”. This has been written by mgr. Timothy P. Broglio, President of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), and by mgr. Mark J. Seitz, Chairman of the Committee on Migration, in a letter to Congress in support of the Religious Workforce Protection Act. Such Act would allow holders of R-1 visas who are already in the United States to extend their stay through three-year renewals until they are granted permanent residency. “Beneficiaries of the Religious Worker Visa Program provide a range of services and play a pivotal role in advancing the religious exercise of everyday Americans”, the Bishops point out. “In the Catholic context, these workers include priests, men and women in religious orders and congregations, and other laypersons serving in a wide range of ministries. Some parishes, especially those in rural or isolated areas, would go without regular access to the sacraments, if not for these religious workers”. The Bishops warn: “an increasing number of American families will be unable to practice the basic tenets of their faith if this situation is not addressed soon. Likewise, hospitals will go without chaplains, schools will go without teachers, and seminaries will go without instructors”.