Guidelines for Receiving Pastoral Ministers in the USA

Parish or Community Support Groups The supervisor of the international pastoral ministers (for example, the pastor or major superior) may wish to provide some members of the community to serve as a support group for the newly arrived ministers. The group will allow ministers to interact informally with members of the community and provide them with insights into the expectations of the receiving community. The parish or community support group might also serve to provide the ministers with feed back on their preaching, the comprehensibility of their speech, and their cultural style. Mentoring International pastoral ministers need trained, com petent mentors to guide them in the first years of ministry. The mentor should be a priest, deacon, or a member of the institute or society but should not be the immediate supervisor to the minister. Local com munities may wish to define the nature of such mento ring. Meeting four to six times each year coupled with availability at other times can be reasonably expected of the mentor. The mentor’s purpose is not primar ily supervisory, although should significant problems emerge, the mentor ought to inform the designated supervisors. The purpose of the mentor is to provide ongoing support by reviewing experiences, suggesting resources, and providing guidance. Ongoing Formation All international pastoral ministers need good ongo ing formation. It should be noted that ongoing for mation is a canonical obligation for all clergy (CIC c. 279, CCEO c. 372.) Dioceses, eparchies, institutes, or societies that welcome international pastoral min isters should take their needs into account in the development of ongoing formation. Those who are responsible ought to offer opportunities for ongoing formation for the general needs of international pas toral ministers. Occasionally, those responsible for ongoing formation should offer opportunities directed to a particular language or ethnic group. Programs of ongoing formation also need to be examined for cul tural sensitivity. In general, programs of ongoing for mation can help colleagues of international pastoral ministers develop their own intercultural competence.

Psychological Services It is important to note that it is a very human and understandable need to require professional psycho logical assistance in given circumstances. Dioceses, eparchies, institutes, or societies need to have psy chological resources available for their international ministers. In practical terms, this may mean that those responsible will seek to find or foster psychological experts, who are fluent in the languages and cultures of the international pastoral ministers. They also need to be sensitive to the various cultural attitudes regard ing the purpose and efficacy of psychological therapy. Psychological evaluations and consultations can be helpful tools for ongoing formation. Those responsible may also need to take into account that some arriving ministers may have experienced significant trauma in their home settings as a result of war, the effects of pov erty, sexual or physical abuse, or endemic corruption. Further Transitions The question of other transitions in the new US set ting requires some attention. International pastoral ministers may experience changes in assignment or residence. These changes can present new chal lenges for those ministering and the new receiving communities. Those responsible along with mentors need to be especially attentive to changes in work or living settings. They may make recommendations for the preparation of a new community. They also need to be attentive to the stresses on the interna tional pastoral ministers in their transition. In most cases, international ministers serve in the United States for a defined period. Good order, char ity, and justice require that the receiving communities make some provision to assist ministers in the process of return to their home culture. Returning ministers need assistance to consider the issues surrounding their transition. These include: understanding the transition; the integration of the personal transforma tion that has happened while in the United States; changes that may have taken place in their family, diocese, eparchy, institute, or society or culture while they were away; the expectations of the receiving community; and, the reverse “shock” they can experi ence. So often, there is no preparation for this transi tion, and the receiving community is unaware of the profound impact of going home. Preparing for this transition home is essential. While a full orientation process may not be necessary, emotional support and practical assistance with moving are recommended.

G-8 | Reception and Orientation