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G-10 | Reception and Orientation
the receiving community needs to understand the
cultural differences. The responsibility lies with both
parties to this mutual relationship.
Q6. If a minister is recruited to work with immi-
grants from his or her own culture, would that
individual need orientation?
A6. Even if an international minister is recruited to
work in his or her own language with a community
from the same culture, reception and orientation are
still necessary. Even if the arriving minister goes to
a parish where the majority of the people share cul-
tural affinity, he or she will be a minister of a dio-
cese or community that is larger and more diverse.
And, it is difficult to imagine a truly monocultural
community anywhere in the United States. When
arriving from another country, furthermore, cultural
affinity may not remove the challenge of cultural dis-
location. A community of Peruvian immigrants liv-
ing in the United States will differ in their attitude
toward authority, clergy, Church, etc. from that of
their home culture. The fact of the affinity, in this
case, might increase instances of misunderstanding.
Q7. Why are there so many complaints involv-
ing language and accent?
A7. It is true that many complaints regarding inter-
national ministers focus on the quality of their lan-
guage skills or accent. In the US context where overt
expressions of prejudice are socially unacceptable,
these complaints may sometimes be covert ways of
expressing hostility to the “other.” It is curious to
note that in instances where individual interna-
tional ministers have made a connection with a local
community, the complaints about language diminish
even if the accent does not. At the same time, lan-
guage and accent are very real concerns. The com-
prehensibility of a preacher or teacher is essential to
his or her effectiveness and to the bonding between
minister and community. As this chapter indicates,
strategies exist for reducing this barrier. In those
instances where an individual cannot overcome seri-
ous language deficiencies, it may be best to return to
the home culture and language setting.