Guidelines for Receiving Pastoral Ministers in the USA

• Linguistically competent as a result of possess ing appropriate language skills or making use of a good translator (assessments should be con ducted in the primary language of the interna tional pastoral minister, if possible) • Interculturally competent, that is, assessors who: 0 Know their own cultural heritage and also appreciate its impact when working with oth ers from different cultures 0 Are aware of how cultural prejudices and biases can distort the assessment process and can learn to compensate for such distortions with appropriate norms of interpretation 0 Seek consultation and/or supervision in puzzling or difficult situations It is important to have such qualified persons identified. In some cases, it may be advisable that a list of qualified assessors be developed on a regional basis to help smaller dioceses, eparchies, institutes, and societies administer a culturally and linguisti cally sensitive assessment. Criteria for Selecting Appropriate Psychological Assessments Some culturally and linguistically appropriate psy chological instruments are available that do not depend on the cultural context of the international pastoral minister being assessed. It is advisable that whatever assessment instruments are utilized that they be effective in evaluating the following quali ties in international pastoral ministers: • A mature level of personal and emotional inte gration. A psycho-social history interview can examine and identify key moments in lifespan development. If, in the course of the interview, specific concerns about sexual integration and maturation emerge, then a fuller exploration of that important dimension of development is warranted. • Personal flexibility. Potential candidates should have the requisite personal flexibility to meet and deal with new and unfamiliar situations with serenity and a positive outlook. Candidates should also demonstrate a willingness and an ability to adjust and to adapt to new circumstances. • Empathy. International pastoral ministers should have the capacity for empathy. An

empathic response to people and situations gives assurance that the pastoral ministers would not be exploitative, callous, or manip ulative in their interactions with others. Minors and vulnerable adults may be at risk when interacting with international pastoral ministers who lack empathy and compassion. It should be kept in mind that sometimes an apparent lack of empathy may be caused by anxiety or deference. All factors need to be considered in this assessment. • Cultural intelligence. The presumption for ordained and professed pastoral ministers is that they will demonstrate an acceptable level of cog nitive functioning and intelligence to acquire and understand academic material and to serve effectively in complex ministerial and pastoral settings. Similarly, they ought to possess cultural intelligence or the capability to function effec tively in situations characterized by cultural diversity. For example, cultural intelligence will enable potential international pastoral minis ters to cope with and flourish in culturally dif ferent settings, engage in healthy intercultural interactions, and perform effectively in ethni cally diverse pastoral, ministerial, and educa tional situations. Potential international pasto ral ministers should be able to acknowledge that behaviors vary according to culture and should have the flexibility to adapt verbal and nonver bal behavior so that it is appropriate for differ ent cultures. • Sufficient psychological health. Potential inter national pastoral ministers should be free of any major pathological conditions that would either severely compromise or entirely impede their pastoral effectiveness. Some form of basic screening for gross pathology is in order. With appropriate instruments for religiously-minded people who come from a different culture, it is possible to accomplish this screening. • Adequate stress management. Given the inev itable stress points that occur when serving in a different cultural context, it is important that international pastoral ministers be able to man age personal and pastoral stress effectively. • Healthy maintenance of social boundaries. Identifying how potential pastoral ministers maintain social boundaries is a good predic tor of their ability to be effective in ministry. If

E-2 | Psychological Considerations