What expectations do bishops and the Catholic faithful have of African priests and religious who come to America as missionaries?
Each year a number of priests and religious come to the U.S. as graduate students residing in a parish and offering part-time assistance. My focus will be on the growing numbers who come to engage in full-time pastoral ministry. I cannot speak for every Bishop. However, I have discussed these issues with many bishops. When bishops or religious superiors release priests for missionary service, it is the expectation of most U.S. bishops that they have come to work, to commit themselves to the day-to-day pastoral ministry of the life of the Church. There should be no ambiguity about this. They have not come for a sabbatical, to raise money for family or religious communities back home, or to earn a degree on the side. Our expectation is that they are eager to “roll up their sleeves” as co-workers in ministry. Ordinarily, they should not come with any expectation of incardination, unless the receiving bishop has discussed this with their superiors. In my judgment, it is preferable for a mi
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