Welcoming overseas priests to the Archdiocese
L-R: Fr Xavier Francis IVDei and Fr Rofin Raphael IVDei from the Institute Voluntas Dei (India) to the Archdiocese with Fr Richard Thompson VG
Many parishioners across the Archdiocese will notice a new face on the sanctuary in several of our churches this Easter. New accents will test our listening abilities, and new names will be challenging to pronounce. I know I do.
It is undoubtedly true that the face of our local Church is changing.
This is not a new experience for our Church. Older parishioners will still remember trying to understand the heavy Irish accent of the priests who built many of our local churches.
Today, every Catholic diocese in Australia and much of the Western world is ministered to by priests and deacons who are not native to their current Catholic communities. This signifies that the Universal (Catholic) Church is truly alive. We are, after all, missionaries and evangelists.
In our Eastern Deanery, from Bateman’s Bay to Pambula, not one of our appointed priests was born in Australia. In the West, from Tumut to Lake Cargelligo, just one of our priests was born in Australia. Of the 16 priests in the Northern Deanery, ten were born overseas. It is only the Southern Deanery where the figures are reversed. Just over 50% of our clergy and seminarians come to us from overseas. In some dioceses in Australia, the figure is as high as 75% plus.
These priests do not just land on our shores. The initial engagement process always begins with Archbishop Christopher responding to requests from overseas bishops or Religious Superiors. The Archbishop does not entertain lone requests from random overseas priests, and there are many.
The Archbishop, the Vicar General, the Chancellor, and the Professional Standards Manager interview prospective candidates. Our stringent processes, combined with the mandatory government visa requirements, like language tests and medical checks, mean that it can take some time from initial engagement to acceptance and entry to Australia.
Once a priest from overseas arrives in our Archdiocese, we welcome them and attempt to place them with a good mentor priest to walk with them as they encounter our rural and city Church, our culture… and the kangaroos! We also support our new priests by getting them to participate in an acculturation programme and undergo a local psychological assessment. These tools enable us to offer greater assistance to the new priest.
So, if you encounter a priest from overseas exercising his valuable ministry this Easter and beyond, remember that he went through much to come to us. He probably has no family here but us; he struggles to understand us and may even find Vegemite revolting. Be gentle, be patient, and most of all, welcome him as you would welcome Jesus himself. This is a great ‘encounter, discipleship, mission’ opportunity for our local Church.
So true, these young migrant priests have given up so much to come here – family connections, faith communities and cultural life. The expectations set by Australian Bishops to be “evangelists” in small rural and Coastal towns is, at times, difficult, and sometimes a very lonely transition for the new immigrants. These “new” missionaries and shepherds bring many gifts to the Australian Church but they also inevitably change church dynamics by bringing with them their own cultures, politics and theologies. Acculturation and rigorous processes do not always translate into a success story.
For too long now the Australian Church has lost its own identity with the decline in participation of Anglo-Celtic Catholics , and priests. Our Church has become increasingly diverse and complex, our culture and traditions have become but a shadow for many people who remain faithful, while our church leaders continue their mission to mirror the International ( Catholic) Church.
Great response. Thank you.