Catholic bishops celebrate mass with more than 300 detainees at ICE detention center in Adelanto

ADELANTO, Calif. (KABC) -- Several bishops, clergy and other diocese leaders from across California celebrated mass Wednesday with more than 300 undocumented immigrants being held at a detention facility in Adelanto.

The visit is part of the California Catholic Conference's efforts to reach out to migrants, refugees and those facing immigration proceedings.

"This is just an opportunity for us as the Catholic Church to do what we always do," said Bishop Alberto Rojas of the Diocese of San Bernardino. "To feel compassion and mercy for those most vulnerable, people who are suffering and have no voice."

The mass occurred inside the ICE facility in Adelanto Wednesday afternoon.

The bishops were not allowed to speak individually with the detainees and were separated from them by a fence. Guards helped them serve communion, which one bishop described as an incredibly emotional time for everyone.

"[The detainees] came back to the fence, and holding onto the fence as they knelt," said Bishop Emeritus Gerald Barnes about the moment of the mass that was most poignant to him. "A couple of them were showing frustration, and they stayed there for minutes.

"It was so moving, and I can only imagine what was going on in their minds."

Diocese spokesperson John Andrews said the visit took about three weeks to be arranged with the cooperation of ICE.

At a news conference afterward, several of the bishops spoke out about the need for comprehensive immigration reform.

"I think something that both Democrats and Republicans can agree on is that the immigration system is broken," said Bishop Oscar Cantu of the Diocese of San Jose. "But they have failed time and time again to fix it."

Bishop Matt Elshoff of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles said controversy over immigration police highlights an important issue that he fears some have forgotten.

"The dignity of each human person; no matter who they are, no matter what their color is, no matter what language they speak, no matter what mistakes they may have been made, justice must always be tempered with mercy," he said. "And mercy must always be tempered with justice."