West African Province of the Holy Ghost Fathers (2 priests) who are serving in South Norwood.

xiii.

Those who come from overseas to serve in the Diocese have an important influence in a number of areas. They provide much-needed "man power", especially for those parishes where the presence of an assistant priest is necessary. They witness to the universal nature of the Church and enable people to widen their appreciation and understanding of the Church. They can also provide rôle models for those from the ethnic minority communities who may be considering a vocation to the Priesthood.

xiv.

It must be acknowledged that enabling priests from overseas to serve in the Diocese is not free from challenges. Some progress has been made in developing a programme for those coming to serve in the Diocese. This will continue, so that priests from overseas can be helped to have a positive experience of ministry here and serve the people of the Diocese effectively.

xv.

It might be helpful to further develop links with particular dioceses and Religious Congregations, such as has been taking place with the Congregations mentioned above. Such development will ensure continuity of clergy provision from overseas and help to ensure fruitful experience for both the priests coming from abroad and for the parishes in which they serve.

Deployment of Priests

xvi.

The primary call on priestly ministry will always be the parish community, in which the people of God are called together for the Eucharist, which is the focal point of parish life. With this in mind, it will always be the case that the majority of priests will serve parish communities. The present distribution of active priests in the Diocese reflects this: