United for Father David Boase
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Alton Telegraph weighs in on David's situation.
Our friend The Rev. David Boase is facing imminent deportation and needs our prayers, our voice, and our financial support. In 2004, David was called to serve as priest of The Episcopal Parish of Alton, Illinois. After a lifetime of serving God around the world, he had finally found his home. For the next 10 years, David ministered to the needs of his parish like few could imagine. His natural wit, engaging personality and boundless empathy revitalized the church. At the same time, he threw himself into the broader Alton community, touching lives and becoming involved in a variety of activities including Alton Little Theater.
His dream, like so many others, was to become an American citizen. So after his 2014 retirement from full-time priesthood (he continues to "fill-in" at other churches when needed), he began the process of naturalization. He took his test and shortly before his birthday (July 4th), David was notified that he had indeed passed and should be expecting a final date to take his Oath of Allegiance. That day never came. Instead, he received notice of removal due to a mistake he made several years ago. The mistake: David voted. One time, in 2006. A day he had wished had never happened, but it did.
Some context: The year before he voted, David had successfully passed another test — this one for his Illinois driver’s license. After showing his UK passport as proof of identification, David was asked by a well-meaning DMV agent if he would want to register to vote. It's an obvious flaw in the system. David recalls being surprised, but signed the card without thinking too much about it. Later, he received a post card alerting him of his polling place. A local referendum on the ballot that year inspired him to cast that fateful vote. It wasn’t until the next day while discussing the election with a parishioner that David learned of his mistake. He was embarrassed. He was angry at himself. And he never attempted to vote again.
Later this month, David will travel to Kansas City to appear before a federal judge. On legal advice, he will voluntarily agree to removal so as not to risk immediate deportation. Emotionally, this has been devastating to David. But through it all, his faith in God has not been dented in the least. And neither, it should be said, is his faith in America. David loves this country, even when the fairness of its actions fall short of perfection.
So what’s next? In part, that’s up to you. For David, deportation is not as simple as just returning to his native England. After a lifetime of serving God around the world, he has no home to return. He lives modestly on a combination of a small pension and social security. In Alton, that can be a comfortable — yet hardly extravagant — life. But with no social security, mounting legal bills and enormous moving cost, the future looks quite bleak. Especially with the prospect of living in a new country with no support system and no obvious way to earn a living.
We are asking for your help. Speak up. Let your representative in congress know. Tell your friends. For 14 years, David has been there for us — at baptisms and funerals and weddings, on Sunday morning and in the middle of the night. Your prayers and your support are what he needs now. Thank you, and God bless America.
Our friend The Rev. David Boase is facing imminent deportation and needs our prayers, our voice, and our financial support. In 2004, David was called to serve as priest of The Episcopal Parish of Alton, Illinois. After a lifetime of serving God around the world, he had finally found his home. For the next 10 years, David ministered to the needs of his parish like few could imagine. His natural wit, engaging personality and boundless empathy revitalized the church. At the same time, he threw himself into the broader Alton community, touching lives and becoming involved in a variety of activities including Alton Little Theater.
His dream, like so many others, was to become an American citizen. So after his 2014 retirement from full-time priesthood (he continues to "fill-in" at other churches when needed), he began the process of naturalization. He took his test and shortly before his birthday (July 4th), David was notified that he had indeed passed and should be expecting a final date to take his Oath of Allegiance. That day never came. Instead, he received notice of removal due to a mistake he made several years ago. The mistake: David voted. One time, in 2006. A day he had wished had never happened, but it did.
Some context: The year before he voted, David had successfully passed another test — this one for his Illinois driver’s license. After showing his UK passport as proof of identification, David was asked by a well-meaning DMV agent if he would want to register to vote. It's an obvious flaw in the system. David recalls being surprised, but signed the card without thinking too much about it. Later, he received a post card alerting him of his polling place. A local referendum on the ballot that year inspired him to cast that fateful vote. It wasn’t until the next day while discussing the election with a parishioner that David learned of his mistake. He was embarrassed. He was angry at himself. And he never attempted to vote again.
Later this month, David will travel to Kansas City to appear before a federal judge. On legal advice, he will voluntarily agree to removal so as not to risk immediate deportation. Emotionally, this has been devastating to David. But through it all, his faith in God has not been dented in the least. And neither, it should be said, is his faith in America. David loves this country, even when the fairness of its actions fall short of perfection.
So what’s next? In part, that’s up to you. For David, deportation is not as simple as just returning to his native England. After a lifetime of serving God around the world, he has no home to return. He lives modestly on a combination of a small pension and social security. In Alton, that can be a comfortable — yet hardly extravagant — life. But with no social security, mounting legal bills and enormous moving cost, the future looks quite bleak. Especially with the prospect of living in a new country with no support system and no obvious way to earn a living.
We are asking for your help. Speak up. Let your representative in congress know. Tell your friends. For 14 years, David has been there for us — at baptisms and funerals and weddings, on Sunday morning and in the middle of the night. Your prayers and your support are what he needs now. Thank you, and God bless America.
Organizer and beneficiary
Gordon Robertson
Organizer
Pittsburgh, PA
David Boase
Beneficiary
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