AMRI in dialogue with Govt over Minister of Religion visa difficulties

The Association of Leaders of Missionaries and Religious Ireland (AMRI) is engaged in “ongoing dialogue” with the Department of Justice over issues regarding the Minister of Religion visa.

Justice

A working group was established by AMRI to dialogue with the Department of Justice “over the difficulties associated with acquiring Minister of Religion visas, and this is ongoing”, general secretary David Rose wrote in AMRI’s annual report for 2020.

The working group has attended a number of zoom meetings to present “our members’ concerns with officials as the Department is reviewing the Minister of Religion scheme”, Mr Rose continued.

Speaking to The Irish Catholic, Mr Rose says AMRI’s members have reported “hiccups in the process” required for acquiring a Minster of Religion visa.

“What seems straightforward and common sense [to the Justice Department] can be difficult depending on an individual circumstance,” Mr Rose stated.

“I think the issue is more about the department understanding the needs and requirements of the religious congregations involved and some of the difficulties.”

Mr Rose gave the example of the changing demographics of congregational leadership.

Religious orders

“Increasingly for Irish religious orders, their congregational headquarters are in Ireland, but increasingly the international leadership includes people from Africa, Asia,” he explained. “It’s that whole multicultural face of the Church.

“Having access to visa for a good period of time is really important for religious congregations.”

Speaking about the dialogue between AMRI and the department, Mr Rose said “they’re quite open, quite receptive, and willing to try and understand the issues that the religious congregations have”.

One of AMRI’s members, the provincial of the Irish province of the Missionary Sisters of Our Lady of Apostles Sr Kathleen McGarvey, told this paper that while she has had nobody completely refused, “the visa process does take a long time. You need good advice on what is required, and that seems to change regularly to me”.

She added that she is “grateful to the Government for facilitating her sisters to come” to Ireland.