This could become a huge problem for immigrant Priests ministering in the United States

 

US changes to religious worker visas

could affect priests ministering in Arkansas,

other dioceses

By

Katie Zakrzewski

Father Raj Nalazala celebrates Palm Sunday Mass at Blessed Sacrament Church in Jonesboro, Ark., March 24, 2024. He is one of six priests in Arkansas that could be impacted by changes in visa allocations. (OSV News photo/courtesy Father Raj Nalazala)

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (OSV News) — Unexpected changes in the federal government’s allocation of EB-4 visas could negatively impact six priests from other countries serving the Diocese of Little Rock.

Two types of visas are available to religious workers from the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services.

— The EB-4 (employment-based category 4) visa includes special immigrant religious workers. It allows qualified workers to stay in the U.S. on a permanent basis and potentially become U.S. citizens.

— The R-1 nonimmigrant visa only allows religious workers to stay in the country for up to five years.

Concerns came about following the State Department’s unexpected decision in March 2023 regarding the allocation of EB-4 visas. At that time, the EB-4 visa category, which includes religious workers, was flooded with additional applicants from Central and South American countries, predominantly unaccompanied minors and refugees.

This change lengthened the timeline for qualifying and receiving an EB-4 visa. Religious workers, like international priests, seeking to switch from the temporary R-1 visa to the permanent EB-4 visa will have to leave the United States when their R-1 status expires, before they are eligible to apply for an EB-4 visa.

Deacon Matt Glover, chancellor for canonical affairs for the Diocese of Little Rock, told Arkansas Catholic, the diocesan news outlet, that the immigration slowdown could impact the state.

“All of a sudden, those people also got dumped into this category of EB-4 visas for green cards, which dramatically increased the number of people then automatically who were seeking what was already a limited pool of available green card visas,” Glover said.

“Every year there’s only a certain amount of visas within all of these different categories,” he said. “And so for religious workers, there was already a backlog in processing. And then all of a sudden, kind of arbitrarily, the U.S. State Department decided that this other group had been miscategorized and really needed to be categorized this other way. And that impacted the priority dates that determine when someone is eligible to get their green card.”

The priority date for individuals seeking this type of visa — including priests from international dioceses — became backdated by several years. Once a religious worker’s priority date becomes current, they can file for the second step of the green card process, which is the I-485 and the I-765, which allows for employment authorization while waiting for the green card to be processed.

The Diocese of Little Rock has been dealing with this predicament since 2022 where several priests affected by the visa delays had to leave the country for a year. But the situation has worsened.

Unfortunately, for newer R-1 religious workers, the backlog is so long that they are unlikely to be able to apply for the second step of the green card process within the five-year period. The Diocese of Little Rock isn’t the only diocese that will be affected by the change — nearly 90% of U.S. dioceses rely on international clergy.

In a lawsuit filed Aug. 16 against the State Department, the Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, along with their directors, the Diocese of Paterson, New Jersey, said the unexpected change could lead to five priests “abandoning their congregations” when the visas expire.

The diocese alleged in the lawsuit that the federal government’s policy change is discriminatory against religious employers and favors nonreligious ones.

“The Patterson lawsuit, which I’ve reviewed, is a creative and interesting effort at trying to force some change. … It’s anybody’s guess as to whether it’ll be successful,” Glover said. “I hate to speculate on the likelihood of it succeeding, but I’m hopeful that it will succeed.”

If the lawsuit is unsuccessful, Glover said that in order to fix this issue in time, it would fall to internal administrative changes at the USCIS or Congress to increase the number of visas available within this category.

Glover said the shortage of priests resulting from immigration issues will put a strain on many parishes.

“And the problem then becomes — especially for guys that are pastors at the time that that five years hits — because then that throws the administration of that parish into turmoil,” he said.

“We have to find a different pastor or at least find a temporary pastor … but it’s still really problematic, because a parish has gotten used to that particular priest,” he continued. “It takes a while, especially for guys that have never been to the United States before, for them to get acclimated and used to things and for the parishes to get used to them. And so by the time they get the ground underneath their feet, all of a sudden they’re having to leave after just five years.

“It’ll be constant turnover in certain parishes, and we already have enough constant turnover just because of low vocations.”

Several priests in the diocese will be affected if the lawsuit is not successful, if the USCIS does not make internal changes or if Congress does not pass legislation.

Father Joel Ibebuike, a priest from the Diocese of Orlu in Nigeria and associate pastor at St. Peter the Fisherman in Mountain Home, began serving in Arkansas this year. His R-1 visa will run out in 2029, at which point he will have to leave the U.S. for one year before returning here on a new R-1.

He told Arkansas Catholic in an email that it should be easier for foreign citizens to immigrate to the United States, a process that he has seen become increasingly more challenging in recent years.

“Foreign citizens ought to be welcome in any country when there is a need for their presence to enhance the lives of the citizens of the host country,” he wrote. “The coming of such foreign citizens ought to be legal and seamless. An immigrant who comes to another country ought to be welcome and allowed to stay. The person ought to be allowed to render his or her services so long as the citizens need the services.”

“There is a genuine need for my services because of the insufficient number of priests ministering to the people of God in the Diocese of Little Rock,” he added. “More so, the people of God have expressly shown that the diversity I bring to the table positively impacts their faith and broadens their understanding of the universality of the Catholic Church. The immigration concern puts a lot of pressure on me in terms of having long-term planning. It affects my mental health.”

Father Raj Nalazala, administrator of St. Norbert Church in Marked Tree and associate pastor of Blessed Sacrament Church in Jonesboro, came in 2023, so his five-year R-1 period will run out sometime in 2028..

“It makes me sad,” said Father Nalazala, who is from the Diocese of Nellore, India. “I have to leave in 2028. … That is my year of returning back to India, staying in India for one year, getting a new visa and coming back. I’m not at all happy regarding that situation.”

Father Kiran Ingilela, associate pastor of Sacred Heart Church in Morrilton and St. Elizabeth Church in Oppelo, will be affected too. Also from the Nellore Diocese, he arrived this year, so his R-1 time period will expire in 2029.

“Coming to Arkansas all the way from India, after living in my home country for 42 years, and serving there for 12 years in the priesthood … is really a different perspective on life for us, learning about the people and culture and language,” he said. “And it takes time for us to get adjusted to this field of service here. There’s a lot of things to learn — learning about driving and living your own life here.

“It’s a very good thing, but it’s like receiving all of this training, and when you’re ready for employment, you’re asked to leave the country.”

Katie Zakrzewski is associate editor of Arkansas Catholic, the news outlet of the Diocese of Little Rock.

Every Deacon should read these words from Bishop Anthony Taylor, Little Rock; thank you Bishop Taylor

Deacon Recommitment Mass

Every year we have a special Mass to give me the opportunity to thank you deacons and wives for your faithful service year in and year out--in your parishes and in the other apostolates to which I have assigned you. I thank you in my own name and in the name of the people you serve. You serve so generously and without looking for special recognition, which is what makes your service so heartfelt and inspiring. You make a real difference in the lives of your parishioners—I hope you know this, because I know that sometimes people take you for granted.

But of course, in addition to giving me an opportunity to thank you, this Mass is also for the purpose of giving you the opportunity to renew your commitment as a deacon--sort of like priests do at the Chrism Mass, putting you back in touch with the Lord's call in your life and your generous response to that call. A response that involved setting out on a journey with the Lord that would change your life, your marriage and your family forever. When we respond to the Lord's invitation to share in his ministry, our hearts are filled with new meaning and purpose. We dream of the good we will be able to do and how our lives spent in his service can have such a positive impact on the lives of so many. And all of this is true--you've experienced it!

However, faithful diaconal service also involves embracing the cross. Otherwise the love you invest in your ministry would not be sacrificial. I'm sure many of you can list a series of moments in ministry when your share in the cross of Jesus Christ became very real. Times when your efforts were misunderstood, misconstrued or even made fun of. Times when you preached a truth that angered some of the congregation. Moments when you and your pastor didn't see eye to eye. Times when you had to deal with some unpleasantness or tragedy in your own family, and needed to allow others to minister to you as you bore a cross that was personal rather than ministerial. And of course these crosses can become very discouraging if we lose sight of the Lord and his presence right there by our side.

So I'd like to take this opportunity to remind you that Jesus often works most powerfully through us in our moments of weakness and our times of trouble--that was certainly the case in his life! That's the mystery of the cross. Jesus didn't just say, "Follow me", he said, "Take up your cross and follow me"...and it is by so doing that we have a share in his victory. And therefore, it is by so doing that our efforts will bear lasting fruit. Sometimes fruit that we will never live to see. Just like you and I owe a debt of gratitude to those who served us in the past, but never lived to see the kind of person we would later become.
So I thank you for your service. I pray for you especially when you face challenges in your ministry and in your personal life. And together we lift up our prayers for our retired deacons and wives, and especially for those who have already gone to their eternal reward. May God give them--and you--the reward of your goodness!

The right move by the Bishop of Little Rock: disclosing the name and the assignments of every Priest with a credible accusation of abuse; THANK YOU Bishop Taylor

Bishop discloses credibly accused clergy

Published: September 10, 2018

Clergy Disclosure List

Click the red button above to see the list of those clergy credibly accused of sexual abuse of minors. If you are aware of abuse or have been abused by clerics, Church staff or volunteers, please click here and then follow the steps listed. 

En Español

Bishop Anthony B. Taylor released the following statement, Sept. 10, 2018, disclosing the names of clergy who at some time served in Arkansas and who have been credibly accused of child sexual abuse.

"To the people of the Diocese of Little Rock:

"In the wake of the recent scandals in the Church, I have decided to provide an accounting of cases here in Arkansas and how these allegations have been handled locally — because it is simply the right thing to do. This list is being published in the interest of transparency and to bring the truth into the light. It is my hope that these disclosures might bring healing to the victims and their families and encourage as-yet unknown victims to come forward.

"In my own name and in the name of the Church, I would like to apologize to all victims for the abuse you have suffered and for the way that Church leadership has sometimes failed you in the past. I am committed to doing everything in my power to ensure that this never happens again.

"The Diocese is continuing to examine its files and conduct additional investigations. We have also reached out to the Attorney General, and we plan to cooperate fully with any investigation that she might request. So that we will know going forward that all clergy abuse cases have been identified and objectively reviewed, I have also arranged for an independent review of all the clergy personnel files and other relevant files by Kinsale Management Consulting, an independent investigative firm that specializes in this kind of work. This review will also examine how the bishops and other religious superiors at the time handled any allegations of sexual abuse that they received. It is my hope that this independent review will be completed and the findings ready to be shared with the public in December.

"As we consider this list of names and experience the shock of knowing that these priests preyed on so many victims, we need also to honor the courage of those who have come forward to share the most painful experiences of their entire life. My heart goes out to all who carry deep wounds of this sort. It often takes years for victims of trauma to come to terms with the abuse they have suffered and ask for help. It takes much courage to make this admission and it takes trust. And trust is something that gets twisted and manipulated by the abuser, as well as by the institutions that helped protect the abuser. So stepping forward is that much more difficult and will not occur until the victim feels safe and is confident that he or she will be heard. And that is the task before the Church today. Safe environment means not only a place where no one will be abused going forward, it also means creating a safe place where those who have been abused in the past can find understanding, healing and hope.

"The following list is the product of our own initial internal review of clergy personnel files as well as consultation with the Diocesan Review Board. Despite our best efforts, we know there may be some inaccuracies at this time. This list will be posted on our website (www.dolr.org/clergy-disclosure-list) along with additional information regarding the cleric, and it will be updated upon the conclusion of Kinsale Management Consulting’s independent investigation of our files:

"1. Priests against whom credible allegations have been substantiated, either through their own admission or proven by means of a thorough investigation by the Diocese of Little Rock. None of these men have been in active ministry since the implementation of our safe environment policies in 2002. We are offering or have offered assistance to their known victims.

• Donald Althoff — Left ministry in 1995. Served 1982-1995. 1 known victim.
• Joseph Correnti — Served 1972-2002. 2 known victims. Admitted guilt in a general way in response to a question in 2002 the day before his suicide, though in the absence of any specific allegation and without revealing the names of any of his victims. Direct allegations against him were not received until 2014.
• Nicholas Fuhrmann, OSB — Removed and barred from active ministry and retired to Subiaco Abbey in 2002. Served in Arkansas 1980-1981 and 1994-2002. 8 known victims.
• Paul Haas — Died 1978. Served in Arkansas 1964-1965. No known victims in Arkansas, but multiple victims in Tennessee.
• Anthony McKay, CSSp — Dismissed from the priesthood and religious life in 2004. Died 2015. Served in Arkansas 1991-2001. No known victims in Arkansas, multiple victims elsewhere.
• Timothy Sugrue, SM — Dismissed from the priesthood and religious life in 2005. Military chaplain in Blytheville, 1978-1979. 1 known victim.
• Robert Torres — Removed from ministry in 1994. Served 1966-1994. 5 known victims.
• Patrick Walsh, MSC — Died 2011. Removed from ministry in 2004. Served 1976-1987. 1 known victim.

"2. Priests about whom unsubstantiated though credible allegations of abuse of a minor have been received. These may be unsubstantiated because the accused was deceased at the time that the allegation was made, or because there is not enough information on file to substantiate the allegation — but, nonetheless, the Diocese considers the allegations to be credible and is offering or has offered assistance to their known victims.

• Robert Dagwell — Died 1997. Removed from ministry in 1986. Served in Arkansas 1954-1986. Specific number of victims unknown.
• John McDaniel — Died 1974. Served 1955-1974. 3 known victims.
• Edward Mooney — Died 2009, left ministry in 1971. Served 1949-1971. 2 known victims.
• Francis Zimmerer, OSB — Died 1984, from Subiaco Abbey. Served 1932-1983. No known victims in Arkansas, 3 known victims in Texas.

"As context for what we currently know: Over the course of the last 70 years, approximately 700 priests have served for varying lengths of time in Arkansas. Of those, 12 have been credibly accused of the sexual abuse of minors, and 9 of those abused minors while serving in Arkansas. The vast majority of these cases appear to have involved fondling, but a few case involved more than that. While it is no excuse, it is important for our faithful to know that none of these offenses occurred later than the implementation of the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People in 2002. I should add that during these last 70 years there have been other priests who have left ministry for personal reasons or have been dismissed from ministry for reasons having nothing to do with the abuse of minors — for instance, misconduct with adults — and should not be treated as such. Moreover, over the course of these years we have investigated complaints of other imprudent acts which, at least based on what we currently know, did not rise to the level of sexual abuse.

"If you or anyone you know has been sexually abused by a priest, deacon, or other representative of the Church, know that we want you to come forward, and we want to help. Please contact the civil authorities first by calling the Arkansas Child Abuse Hotline (800-482-5964). And then please call or email our diocesan contacts: Dc. Matthew Glover, Chancellor for Canonical Affairs, (501-664-0340, ext. 361; mglover@dolr.org) or Dr. George Simon or Dr. Sherry Simon, Victims Assistance Coordinators (501-664-0340, ext. 425). This reporting information is also on our website and posted at all of our parishes and schools. I am deeply concerned to see to it that we offer whatever assistance we can provide.

"Let us all pray for one another during these most trying times in our Church. But let us pray most especially for the victims and their families — they are the ones who are hurting the most.

"Sincerely in Christ,
+Anthony B. Taylor
Bishop of Little Rock"