U.S. religious orders recruit from vocations-rich African countries

Published: 2004-06-24

WASHINGTON (CNS) -- Two U.S. religious orders have turned to African countries to recruit new priests. The Cincinnati-based Glenmary Home Missioners and the Baltimore-based Josephite Fathers and Brothers are recruiting seminarians from vocations-rich Nigeria. Glenmary also recruits in Kenya. Father Steve Pawelk, vocations director for Glenmary, which serves primarily rural Southern parishes, said the order currently has three Nigerian and three Kenyan seminarians studying in the United States. Father Edward Chiffriller, superior general of the Josephites, who minister to African-Americans, said his order has four Nigerians studying in the United States. He said in mid-June that he was hoping to get visas for nine more students and for four denied visas last year. "What we're experiencing because of 9-11 -- our biggest challenge at this point is getting visas for seminarians to come and study in the United States," said Father Chiffriller in a telephone interview with Catholic News Service.

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