Dutch officials say immigration controls bar entry of foreign clergy

Published: 2004-01-21

WARSAW, Poland (CNS) -- Dutch church officials have warned that new immigration controls could damage Catholic life in the Netherlands by barring the entry of priests and nuns from abroad. "The number of foreigners coming here has had to be cut, since most were economic refugees," said Peter Kohnen, spokesman for the Dutch bishops' conference. "But like most new legislation, the current rules don't take account of special cases. Although we've been promised they'll be adjusted to allow religious workers to come in, we don't know when this will happen," he said. The Divine Word Society said several Indian and Brazilian nuns had been refused residency permits for temporary church teaching assignments in the western town of Venlo; they were forced to return home after being told it would take "many months" to obtain entry permits.

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