Foreign priests could be forced to leave US after recent visa law changes

Unless a recent change in US visa law is reversed, more than 15 priests from other countries serving in the Archdiocese of Baltimore may be forced to go home. This will uproot their ministries, leaving parishes, schools, and Catholic institutions scrambling.

“If this law does not get changed, we will be without the priests, and it will cause a lot of holes,” said Father James Proffitt, archdiocesan vicar for clergy.

“This will impact the church’s ability to minister, especially in other languages. Finding non-native speakers is a real challenge. Some ministries just won’t be able to happen if we don’t have priests to fill the void.”

Father Proffitt noted that countries represented among the foreign-born priests serving in the archdiocese include Cameroon, Nigeria, Mexico, Uganda, Korea, Pakistan, the Philippines, Colombia and Italy.

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