The head of the Catholic Church in England and Wales said he was "dismayed" that immigration was becoming a major issue in May’s General Election.
But Cardinal Vincent Nichols, the Archbishop of Westminster, said that voters should question all the parties on their immigration policies.
Interviewed on BBC TV’s Andrew Marr Show yesterday he said: "I think every party has to be tested on its approach to immigration. No government in the last three decades has solved the problem of immigration, so this is a really difficult issue.”
“These are people we're talking about – the people who drown in the Mediterranean trying to get into Europe, the people caged in Calais because they're desperate. We have to somehow keep the human person at the front of all these issues.”
A letter from the English and Welsh bishops released at Masses yesterday, asked Catholics to consider the stance of candidates in their constituency on issues including marriage, abortion and assisted suicide. It urged them to reflect on what kind of society they want "here and abroad".
In his BBC interview Cardinal Nichols stressed that he endorsed no individual party, but wanted people to engage with politics and ask questions. He believed people had disconnected from politics, but he insisted it was "everybody's business".
He added: "We don't want that to drift away. Nor do we want it to get into criticism of individuals. In a sporting term, let's play the ball, not the man. Let's keep an eye on the issues."
Last week The Tablet revealed that the bishop with responsibility for migrants, Patrick Lynch, would meet with candidates from the leading parties including UKIP to quiz them on immigration ahead of the general election.
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