Guide to Ongoing Formation for Priests (Ascension)

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Appendix C: Cultural Considerations in Ongoing Formation

upon the Church’s biblically and theologically based anthropology. In that setting, the context is reverence for, and interest in, the other. This aspect of formation has an element of conversion, as individuals are asked to examine their presumptions and listen carefully to the experience of the other. The goal is to deepen understanding and empathy and to allow the insights that flow from that understanding to influence and modify behavior. Mindful of the above distinctions, a diocese may wish to draw upon some of the numerous resources and programs for intercultural competency in the United States. 292 Intercultural competency is a skill set essential to the ministry of all priests ministering in the US context, whether they are ordained for the local diocese or arrive from other countries. The US population (even more so the US Catholic population) is itself diverse. It includes immigrants from many countries, descendants of immigrants with ongoing subcultures, and distinct cultural identities that predate the establishment of the United States, such as Native populations, African American communities, and Hispanic/Latino communities. 293 Intercultural competency is also essential to the unity and fraternity of a presbyterate. Given this Guide’s clear emphasis on the critical role of fraternity in the ongoing formation of priests, efforts need to be cognizant of, and responsive to, the gifts and challenges of culture. Understandably, people are often drawn to others with similar language and cultural viewpoints. On the other hand, healthy fraternity requires efforts to bridge those differences and provide settings where priests of different cultures learn and engage together.

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