Guide to Ongoing Formation for Priests (Ascension)

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Appendix C: Cultural Considerations in Ongoing Formation

as the sons of immigrants responded to the call. More recently, the numbers have shifted again, as the rise in local vocations has subsided and US dioceses have begun to turn again to missionary priests to fill their ranks or to provide ministry to immigrant communities. US immigration patterns have also shifted in the twentieth century away from largely European immigration toward Latin American, African, and Asian immigration. The cultural diversity of missionary priests has therefore grown ever broader to include priests from all over the world. THE POWER OF CULTURE 284 The cultural diversity of the Catholic Church in the United States, with its accompanying diversity of Catholic clergy, is a rich blessing to the life of the Church. Immigrant Catholics frequently bring renewal and new life to Catholic parishes, and the missionary clergy form a critical element of the pastoral care of US parishes and institutions. In addition, nonimmigrant members of the presbyterate reflect the varied background of the United States and add to the rich cultural expressions of the faith. 285 At the same time, we must acknowledge that this diversity also brings new challenges. Culture is a powerful force in human behavior and in the life of the Christian community. The nature of that power must be clarified, as the word “culture” is used to refer to several realities. In common use, it might evoke the particularities of dress, food, and custom among varied ethnic identities; or it might refer to the world of “high culture” such as museums, orchestras, and so on. This discussion does not focus specifically on these outward expressions of cultural identity. The concern here is with the basic underlying worldview and views that shape the perceptions and behavior of individuals. Social scientists frequently use the image

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