Study looks at foreign-born priests serving in U.S

A Polish religious priest and administrator told the authors that Polish priests don't get good training in English in Poland. "When they come here, they are rushed into the ministry because there's such a tremendous shortage. There's never time to do anything. There's never time for any advanced course. I think that causes lots of confusion."

Besides the barriers of language and accent, there is also the difference in style of American sermons from what these priests are accustomed to in their native lands. "I think they need to learn how to preach in the cultural context of the U.S., the same way we would need to learn how to preach if we were in Bogota, Colombia," a respondent said.

The book found a relationship between cultural misunderstandings and ecclesiology.

If a priest comes from a culture where men think themselves superior to women--Korea, the Philippines, India and Latin America are cited--he will often have trouble adjusting to the role of women in the parish and especially to women taking leadership posts that many foreign-born clerics think should best be held by a priest.

These priests may have problems handling marriage preparations, annulments and other areas of family life and sexuality, noted one director of an acculturation program.

Larger issues

Homosexuality is another topic that priests from some foreign lands seemed to be unfamiliar with. "When we talk about homosexuality, there'll be resistance from the priests. They'll say things like, 'It's these kinds of loose bishops who are writing these pastoral letters. Look at what just happened with this priest scandal here in the United States,'" said a priest teaching in an acculturation program.

The book also surfaces arguments that bringing in international priests "postpones a much-needed restructuring of parish leadership." One lay diocesan staff person said: "My God, we've committed a sin against imagination" when the church looks abroad to fill the priest shortage.

The layperson suggested first to invite back ordained men who have left to marry and to ask women to serve at the altar too. "As long as we can fill the holes with international priests, then we can put off addressing the larger issues. And then you can deny that it's a problem," said the respondent.

A bishop from the Midwest opposed bringing in more overseas priests, noting: "People have to take responsibility for the priest shortage. There are vocations out there if we nourish them."

A vicar for priests in California felt that if the clergy becomes totally foreign-born, there will be no impetus for homegrown vocations. "If three-quarters of the priests that you ever see are from other countries, you start believing that priests do grow on trees."

To survey international priests working in America since 1985, the authors mailed a three-page questionnaire to all 193 dioceses and to the 100 largest religious institutes in March 2004. After many reminder calls, they received 151 completions from dioceses and 58 from religious orders for a response total of 71 percent.