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Diocese of La Crosse, Wisconsin
(USA), OFFICE OF VOCATIONS
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By Patrick Slattery
Staff writer
LA CROSSE – Priests who have come from overseas to serve the faithful are nothing new in the Diocese of La Crosse. But what’s different today is that instead of coming from Europe, the majority of international priests serving today are from Africa and Asia. Their presence reflects where vocations to the priesthood are on an upward swing.
At present 20 international priests are doing pastoral work in the Diocese. Their presence constitutes about 10 percent of the total number of priests. More than half of the international priests are from Africa, with the others from Poland, India, and the Philippines. Father Lawrence Dunklee heads up the effort to help them adjust to the differences of ministry in a foreign land.
As priests from lands where vocations are plentiful, these foreign-born priests are sharp observers of the cultural differences that make prospects for priestly vocations feast or famine.
Catholics in the U.S. seem to treat the Church as a thing of secondary importance compared to people in his homeland in Nigeria, believes Father Godwin Amah, pastor of St. Bridget Church, Melrose, and St. Kevin Church, Melrose.
“So many things are abridged and liberalized here, and a priest is not expected to give long sermons,” he said, adding that in Nigeria people do much of their socializing at church, whereas in the U.S. people seem more interested in other things, such as going out to eat in restaurants.
“It’s up to parents to give children the training that puts religion in their hearts instead of materialism,” he said. Father Amah is opposed to indiscriminate television viewing, and suggests parents select inspiring videos for the entire family to view together.
In Father Janusz Kowalski’s home Diocese of Rzeszow in southern Poland, there are about 500 priests and 100 seminarians, allowing this Diocese to share liberally the services of its clergy with dioceses in need elsewhere in the world. Father Kowalski is pastor of St. Therese Parish in Schofield.
“Priests in Poland interact much more with boys, especially teenage altar servers, than we do in the U.S., and this gives them a much clearer vision of the work of a priest,” he said. As a scout chaplain in Poland, Father Kowalski and his scouts traveled and camped together often. In his present duties at St. Therese, the pastor said he embraces all opportunities to interact more with young people, but added that given the prevailing legal climate, he makes sure that parents are included in these gatherings.
“If a Polish son decides to become a priest, it’s a great honor for his family, and they are usually very happy and supportive,” he said.
Poland has produced by far the most priests of all European countries recently. In contrast Ireland, which formerly was Europe’s hotbed for priests, currently has one operating seminary.
“The number of newly ordained priests in Poland is not going to last, because the change in living standards due to being part of the European Economic Community will do them in,” predicts Father Marcin Mankowski, OP, pastor of Sacred Heart Church, Polonia, and St. Adalbert Church, Rosholt and another international priest from Poland.
“The Church has to be very devout and God-oriented, and teach everything that Jesus said,” he added. “Modernism and liberalism are dead ends, and we have to show people how to live in different ways. If we show our obedience to the teachings of Christ, our faithfulness will be rewarded and vocations will come back.”
Father Charles Nabwana, pastor of St. Charles in Genoa, taught psychology in a seminary in Uganda prior to coming to the Diocese of La Crosse. He, like many other Ugandan priests, entered a minor seminary at around age 14. He said his parents and fellow villagers were very proud of him, and sought in many little ways to encourage his vocation.
“Seminary life in Uganda is very strict, and the smallest things can lead to your dismissal,” he said. “This training leads to priests who are capable of leading very disciplined and self-sacrificing lives.”
“Sports and big money stand in the way of vocations in this country,” said Father Chester Arthur, pastor of St. Paul’s, Bloomer, and St. John’s, Cooks Valley, one of the three priests from Ghana working in the Diocese of La Crosse.
While the faith in the U.S. is not in bad shape, parents and priests have to talk more about vocations, believes Father Arthur. He added that Bishop Raymond L. Burke and Father Joseph Hirsch, Director of the Office of Vocations for the Diocese, have taken the lead in showing what can be done.
“In the U.S. families are involved in too many activities, and it’s not good when families don’t eat or pray together,” said Father Francis Thadathil, associate pastor at Blessed Sacrament Parish in La Crosse.
In his home in the Indian state of Kerela, Father Thadathil can’t remember a day when his family didn’t pray the rosary together before the evening meal. Kerela, India’s most Catholic region, has a long history of many vocations, but Father Thadathil noted that today’s smaller-sized families in Kerela are not producing the volume of vocations of times past.
Published in the Catholic Times, January 13, 2004
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2002-2004. Office of Vocations, Diocese of La Crosse, Wisconsin (USA). Questions and Comments? Contact The Administrator.