Canadians and "private associations of the faithful"?

[DominicanMouse]

Hi Phatmass!

I'm a young woman in Canada who has lurked on the Phorum for a while, but never had a reason to post until now. I've been discerning religious life for just short of two years. I've written to about 13 communities in that time. Most have decided that I would not be a good fit after reading  the words "mild physical disability" at the beginning of the letter I send. Yesterday, I received a very different response from the Order of the Sacred & Immaculate Hearts...they would love to have me visit! However, we've noticed one other problem. 

In the past, it has been difficult for women from outside the United States who are interested in their life to obtain visas. We're both sure that it's because the congregation is relatively new. (They've been a Private Association of the Faithful since 2001.) If the US government is concerned that the order is not fully established, it seems quite reasonable for officials to ask "What happens if they close down? Where will this person stay?" In my case, differences in our two countries' health care systems may also scare them a bit. But I don't want to give up now.  

Sr. Maria was open to talking about immigration roadblocks, so I told her that I'd be happy to do some research. Now, I'll put the question to the brilliant minds here. Has anyone else had this issue? Can something be done to get around it? Even though I personally can't do anything about the status of the community, what might persuade the local bishop to move the order to the next step? Is there a reasonable hope that it might happen in the next few years?

Thanks for your help.

Mouse
 

[TheresaThoma]

Maybe @Sr Mary Catharine OP might have some wisdom to share here about immigration and religious orders. I know they have had a few Sisters join them from overseas.

I know we have a few Canadians on here that might have some other insights to share.

I will pray for the situation.

[Sr Mary Catharine OP]

If the Sisters are filing for a R1 status for candidates that might be the case. It seems that the "onus" for the visa is on the community making the request not the candidate.

Can you come in another way? Can you attend school and do it as a student? Or come for 6 months and go back and come back?

[Amppax]

10 hours ago, DominicanMouse said:

Hi Phatmass!

I'm a young woman in Canada who has lurked on the Phorum for a while, but never had a reason to post until now. I've been discerning religious life for just short of two years. I've written to about 13 communities in that time. Most have decided that I would not be a good fit after reading  the words "mild physical disability" at the beginning of the letter I send. Yesterday, I received a very different response from the Order of the Sacred & Immaculate Hearts...they would love to have me visit! However, we've noticed one other problem. 

In the past, it has been difficult for women from outside the United States who are interested in their life to obtain visas. We're both sure that it's because the congregation is relatively new. (They've been a Private Association of the Faithful since 2001.) If the US government is concerned that the order is not fully established, it seems quite reasonable for officials to ask "What happens if they close down? Where will this person stay?" In my case, differences in our two countries' health care systems may also scare them a bit. But I don't want to give up now.  

Sr. Maria was open to talking about immigration roadblocks, so I told her that I'd be happy to do some research. Now, I'll put the question to the brilliant minds here. Has anyone else had this issue? Can something be done to get around it? Even though I personally can't do anything about the status of the community, what might persuade the local bishop to move the order to the next step? Is there a reasonable hope that it might happen in the next few years?

Thanks for your help.

Mouse
 

They are very close to me! I haven't had a chance to go out and visit them, but I know some people who have, and they say they are wonderful. Sorry, I know that's not helpful, but I got really excited when I saw someone discerning with them, because they seem like such a wonderful community. 

Though I may be able to contribute some knowledge, I know someone who works in immigration law, and though this is outside of what he normally does, he may be able to tell me something that might be helpful. I'll see if I can talk to him about it. 

[DominicanMouse]

@TheresaThoma - thanks so much for the prayers

@Sr Mary Catharine OP - a few things...

Forgive my ignorance, but what's R1?

I'm actually finishing up my undergrad in two months, and I hope to have my loans fully paid back by the end of August. I don't think I could go the student route. Going away and returning is probably doable, though I've heard of people in other Canadian dioceses having trouble getting back into the States. (A seminarian who knows a friend of mine got sent to ROME instead because of this ) Would you know how long the "break" in spent in Canada might last, or any other pitfalls I should know of?

Finally, are you with the sisters in Summit, NJ? If so, we exchanged emails briefly in the fall. Great to chat with you again :D 

22 hours ago, Amppax said:

They are very close to me! I haven't had a chance to go out and visit them, but I know some people who have, and they say they are wonderful. Sorry, I know that's not helpful, but I got really excited when I saw someone discerning with them, because they seem like such a wonderful community. 

Though I may be able to contribute some knowledge, I know someone who works in immigration law, and though this is outside of what he normally does, he may be able to tell me something that might be helpful. I'll see if I can talk to him about it. 

Amppax - sorry, I couldn't tag you in my previous post for some reason. I would really appreciate it if you could talk to your contact. That would be really helpful. But just the fact that you're close to the sisters is exciting enough :D 

[Amppax]

16 hours ago, DominicanMouse said:

@TheresaThoma - thanks so much for the prayers

@Sr Mary Catharine OP - a few things...

Forgive my ignorance, but what's R1?

I'm actually finishing up my undergrad in two months, and I hope to have my loans fully paid back by the end of August. I don't think I could go the student route. Going away and returning is probably doable, though I've heard of people in other Canadian dioceses having trouble getting back into the States. (A seminarian who knows a friend of mine got sent to ROME instead because of this ) Would you know how long the "break" in spent in Canada might last, or any other pitfalls I should know of?

Finally, are you with the sisters in Summit, NJ? If so, we exchanged emails briefly in the fall. Great to chat with you again :D 

Amppax - sorry, I couldn't tag you in my previous post for some reason. I would really appreciate it if you could talk to your contact. That would be really helpful. But just the fact that you're close to the sisters is exciting enough :D 

I'll do my best to get you some information. They also have brothers too, which is how I know them. 

[Starets]

R1 is Religious Workers Visa. That is teh visa I initially came down to the states with. Standards have tightened since my arrival and I would not have qualified under the new rules. I now have my Green Card so I can stay in the country

[Egeria]

I realize this is something of a tangent, and don't mean to distract you, but have you considered (or contacted) the Benedictines of Jesus Crucified, who explicitly state that they include "sisters in good health and sisters in fragile health or with a physical handicap"?   

Of course, there'd still be visa issues but they seem more established.

[DominicanMouse]

2 hours ago, Starets said:

R1 is Religious Workers Visa. That is teh visa I initially came down to the states with. Standards have tightened since my arrival and I would not have qualified under the new rules. I now have my Green Card so I can stay in the country

Thanks for the info!

[Sr Mary Catharine OP]

On 2/22/2016, 8:22:39, DominicanMouse said:

@TheresaThoma - thanks so much for the prayers

@Sr Mary Catharine OP - a few things...

Forgive my ignorance, but what's R1?

I'm actually finishing up my undergrad in two months, and I hope to have my loans fully paid back by the end of August. I don't think I could go the student route. Going away and returning is probably doable, though I've heard of people in other Canadian dioceses having trouble getting back into the States. (A seminarian who knows a friend of mine got sent to ROME instead because of this ) Would you know how long the "break" in spent in Canada might last, or any other pitfalls I should know of?

Finally, are you with the sisters in Summit, NJ? If so, we exchanged emails briefly in the fall. Great to chat with you again :D 

Amppax - sorry, I couldn't tag you in my previous post for some reason. I would really appreciate it if you could talk to your contact. That would be really helpful. But just the fact that you're close to the sisters is exciting enough :D 

Yes, I'm from Summit and I think I know who you are :-)
An R1 is a religious worker's status. It isn't a visa. For countries that we require a visa that would be applied for as well. Canadians don't need a visa.

We have a postulant just WAITING for her R1 and last I checked it seems they are behind. I know things are tightening on a lot so would you PLEASE PRAY? She is from Singapore.

I found out that if you are an actress, athlete or "exceptional person" you can get a immigration status in 2 weeks or less! :-(

[DominicanMouse]

1 hour ago, Sr Mary Catharine OP said:

Yes, I'm from Summit and I think I know who you are :-)
An R1 is a religious worker's status. It isn't a visa. For countries that we require a visa that would be applied for as well. Canadians don't need a visa.

We have a postulant just WAITING for her R1 and last I checked it seems they are behind. I know things are tightening on a lot so would you PLEASE PRAY? She is from Singapore.

I found out that if you are an actress, athlete or "exceptional person" you can get a immigration status in 2 weeks or less! :-(

Yeah...not many young ladies who are discerning have a situation as specific as mine. I thought you might remember :D

Good to know. 

I will definitely pray for the postulant. The wait must be agonizing at this point!

2 weeks...no fair  Maybe the sisters and I should make a movie?

[Sponsa-Christi]

1 hour ago, Sr Mary Catharine OP said:

4 minutes ago, DominicanMouse said:

Yeah...not many young ladies who are discerning have a situation as specific as mine. I thought you might remember :D
 

I found out that if you are an actress, athlete or "exceptional person" you can get a immigration status in 2 weeks or less! :-(

So...doesn't this make you an "exceptional person"?

I remember the stress of trying to work out immigration things when I was studying in Italy. (I have some interesting stories!) So my sympathies there.

[Gabriela]

I'm not an expert on this, but I have known a lot of immigrants and was an immigrant myself (to another country, not the US), so I'll say what I know just in case others can add to it.

First, unless the sisters you wrote to explicitly mentioned that they don't receive aspirants with disabilities, then actually, your Canadian-ness may have been more of the problem. I have known communities that won't even consider an aspirant from outside the US for precisely this reason. The visa thing is such a nightmare—and it's EXPENSIVE for the community.

Second, when I was looking to immigrate a Norwegian fiance into the country (long story, don't ask), we found that I could do it if I had enough money in the bank to cover a certain amount of care and expenses for him should he not find a job. Now, that may be what the community is already offering to do: Be that "person" (entity) with the money in the bank, to "sponsor" you, basically, or "vouch for you", if you will, in the eyes of the federal government. If that's not the position they're taking, though, then I wonder if a wealthy benefactor of the community might be able to do that for you so that you could just stay in the community.

As regards the second point: My experience with this was years ago (but post-9/11), so all this may have changed by now.

As regards the first point: This was not long ago, so don't assume that an American community rejected you because of disability, unless they expressly said so.  

[DominicanMouse]

@Sponsa-Christi LOL! Thank you so much for your kind words. 
 

3 hours ago, Gabriela said:

I'm not an expert on this, but I have known a lot of immigrants and was an immigrant myself (to another country, not the US), so I'll say what I know just in case others can add to it.

First, unless the sisters you wrote to explicitly mentioned that they don't receive aspirants with disabilities, then actually, your Canadian-ness may have been more of the problem. I have known communities that won't even consider an aspirant from outside the US for precisely this reason. The visa thing is such a nightmare—and it's EXPENSIVE for the community.

Second, when I was looking to immigrate a Norwegian fiance into the country (long story, don't ask), we found that I could do it if I had enough money in the bank to cover a certain amount of care and expenses for him should he not find a job. Now, that may be what the community is already offering to do: Be that "person" (entity) with the money in the bank, to "sponsor" you, basically, or "vouch for you", if you will, in the eyes of the federal government. If that's not the position they're taking, though, then I wonder if a wealthy benefactor of the community might be able to do that for you so that you could just stay in the community.

As regards the second point: My experience with this was years ago (but post-9/11), so all this may have changed by now.

As regards the first point: This was not long ago, so don't assume that an American community rejected you because of disability, unless they expressly said so.  

@gabriela - Having more tagging issues... Unfortunately, many have explicitly mentioned my disability. I'm not too bothered though...it just means God wants me elsewhere! 

As for the "wealthy sponsor" option, the community is quite new. I have a feeling they could not take on that position themselves. They might have a supporter who is willing to do so; we just haven't reached that point in our discussion yet. 

On 2/24/2016, 9:16:49, Egeria said:

I realize this is something of a tangent, and don't mean to distract you, but have you considered (or contacted) the Benedictines of Jesus Crucified, who explicitly state that they include "sisters in good health and sisters in fragile health or with a physical handicap"?   

Of course, there'd still be visa issues but they seem more established.

@Egeria - I'm sorry that I somehow missed your post. I've gotten a few recommendations to look at them.

I tend to lean more towards Franciscans or Dominicans than Benedictines, and I have some concerns about the...orthodoxy? of the congregation. I don't think they would be a good fit. Thanks for the suggestion!

[Amppax]

On 2/24/2016, 7:01:30, Sr Mary Catharine OP said:

Yes, I'm from Summit and I think I know who you are :-)
An R1 is a religious worker's status. It isn't a visa. For countries that we require a visa that would be applied for as well. Canadians don't need a visa.

We have a postulant just WAITING for her R1 and last I checked it seems they are behind. I know things are tightening on a lot so would you PLEASE PRAY? She is from Singapore.

I found out that if you are an actress, athlete or "exceptional person" you can get a immigration status in 2 weeks or less! :-(

The two weeks sort of situation is incredibly rare, I think. I suppose it might depend on prominence, but I know athletes that have waited quite a long time to get any kind of decisions, and they are Olympic runners. Then again, that's an anecdotal example, so take it for what it's worth. 

Also, @DominicanMouse, I'm sorry, I haven't been able to get any information for you yet.  I'll try to in a more timely manner.