Pastor's Page:  Pastor’s Page: “‘The U.S. Catholic Church and Foreign-born Priests”

Sociologist Dean R. Hoge and Dominican priest and African, Aniedi P. Okure, collaborated on a research project, studying the subject of foreign-born priests and their ministry in our country since 1985. They interviewed foreign-born priests, laity, and native priests.

The international priests they interviewed made three recommendations:

First, dioceses need to assist arriving priests in their adjustment to this country by offering programs about our culture, language, society and the American ethos. Those interviewed who opposed bringing in priests from foreign lands believed that problems with spoken English and cultural differences caused problems in parish ministry. Collaborating with women as equals was difficult for many of these priests.
Misunderstandings occurred with some frequency. The foreign priests understanding of the church
was often pre-Vatican II.

Second, international priests felt isolated from U.S. priests and wanted more gatherings of priests and priest support groups.

Third, some priests from other lands serving here expressed a frustration from being treated by the diocesan office as second-class priests with difficult assignments and no opportunity to become a pastor.

Opponents of foreign-born priests being brought to the U.S. argued that this policy by dioceses is unjust to their home dioceses and nations. In spite of our gradual and steady decrease in ordinations, Western Europe and North America still have a better ratio of priests to
people than poorer nations. India is the one exception.

Peace,
Father Bruce