VATICAN CITY (CNS): Concerned about the growing number of native clergy emigrating out of missionary dioceses, the Vatican has issued stricter rules to govern how long priests may be gone and to make sure they return home.
The Vatican said study and training abroad could be useful for priests from mission territories, but their own dioceses should ultimately benefit. Too often, it said, clergy from developing countries spent many years in Europe or North America because of better living conditions and because they were needed to serve in First World dioceses.
It called on bishops to set conditions and a time limit for each case of clergy exchange and to take immediate steps for the return of priests in “irregular” situations.
The norms were part of a 14-page instruction issued on June 12 by the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples.
