BATON ROUGE - The Roman Catholic Diocese of Baton Rouge announced that Catholics impacted by immigration agents are not required to go to weekly Mass on Sunday.

The diocese released a letter on Thursday in response to the federal immigration crackdown in New Orleans. 

"With the recent publicized arrival of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers into south Louisiana and greater Baton Rouge, and since many of the faithful genuinely fear immigration enforcement actions, thereby making it untenable for them to attend Mass... I hereby grant a dispensation from the obligation to attend Mass for those Catholics rightfully afraid to participate in Mass because of their fear," Bishop of Baton Rouge, Michael Duca wrote. 

Instead of attending mass, the bishop encouraged people affected by ICE to gather as a family and spend that time participating in an alternative spiritual practice like reading the daily Mass readings or praying the rosary.

"But for now, let us pray for those immediately affected, especially during this Advent season - a time in which we should be anticipating the joy of Christmas, surrounded by our family in celebration, instead of the experience of anxiety and fear."

Duca stated that the crackdown on immigration is not only affecting the Catholic Hispanic community but also refugees and immigrants of all denominations from other nations. 

The letter was read at Mass across the diocese on Sunday in light of the federal effort that began on Monday.