Uncomprehendable priests

[utah_rose]

We transferred voluntarily to a parish that has one Polish priest. We can’t understand him too well because of his accent, but sometimes he presents his homilies as a Baptist minister would, pounding on the pulpit to emphasize something, and this is usually something (such as contraception, behavior in Church, living together) that most priests won’t touch.

When we can’t understand him we pray to God since he’s elderly that he stays in good health and keeps to the traditions of the Church.

We wouldn’t trade him for the English priest we did have whose homilies could be funny, but not often helpful.

But the main thing the Mass is about is the Eucharist, so try and focus on that.

 

[ProVobis]

I don’t feel it’s condescending. If I moved to Japan and was trying to learn Japanese, I would hope that the people there would pray for me to improve in my knowledge and ability to speak Japanese clearly. Of course I would be the one who needed improvement, not them.

Okay, but if you were versed in two languages and they only one, who would have more linguistic experience and knowledge?

BTW, it’s “if I were to move to Japan and were trying to learn Japanese…” The Anglophonic subjunctive is what needs to be improved, IMCO.

IMCO = in my condescending opinion.

 

[anp1215]

Okay, but if you were versed in two languages and they only one, who would have more linguistic experience and knowledge?

BTW, it’s “if I were to move to Japan and were trying to learn Japanese…” The Anglophonic subjunctive is what needs to be improved, IMCO.

IMCO = in my condescending opinion.

Okay.

 

[anp1215]

Okay, but if you were versed in two languages and they only one, who would have more linguistic experience and knowledge?

BTW, it’s “if I were to move to Japan and were trying to learn Japanese…” The Anglophonic subjunctive is what needs to be improved, IMCO.

IMCO = in my condescending opinion.

Then you can pray for my English skills to improve.

I am versed in two languages, but I still think native speakers of my second language have greater knowledge of it than I.

If you think it’s condescending, that’s fine. I don’t.

 

[ProVobis]

I am versed in two languages, but I still think native speakers of my second language have greater knowledge of it than I.

Polish is my first language but I learned English in both London and Chicago. I got teased about my British accent and I resented it for a long time. I can only imagine what these foreign-born priests must be going through.

 

[anp1215]

Polish is my first language but I learned English in both London and Chicago. I got teased about my British accent and I resented it for a long time. I can only imagine what these foreign-born priests must be going through.

I know. I feel badly for them
I haven’t heard of any negativity towards our parochial vicars but who knows what other people may say.

I actually like to see priests from different parts of the world. Reminds me of our “universalism” as Catholics. I think another poster said something to the same effect earlier.

 

[KCT]

Then you can pray for my English skills to improve.

I am versed in two languages, but I still think native speakers of my second language have greater knowledge of it than I.

If you think it’s condescending, that’s fine. I don’t.

Thank you.

For goodness sakes… if many parishioners can’t understand the priest, and he intends to remain in this country, he will probably want to improve his English. They can pray for him.

 

[ProVobis]

I actually like to see priests from different parts of the world. Reminds me of our “universalism” as Catholics.

Indeed. But let’s not make the mistake of assuming the foreign priests all want to stay in the U.S. permanently. Some are returning to their native countries for whatever reasons.

 

[Gearoidin]

It is very hard for an adult to learn a language and achieve native-like fluency and accent. With time, your priest’s accent and intonation may improve a bit and at the same time, you will become more used to his accent.

We have priests here from Japan (of course), Korea, Ecuador, Vietnam and the Philippines. You hear all sorts of accents and “interesting” grammar. We never complain and are grateful to have such wonderful dedicated priests who are willing to try to communicate in English or Japanese when it is not their first language.

I’ve noticed from watching US news programmes that when they interview local people whose first language is not English, they often put subtitles even when, to me anyhow, they speak English well and are easy to understand.

I find southern US accents extremely hard to understand. I remember while travelling with a friend (from the UK) in Alabama and we understood virtually nothing people said to us. On the other hand, I find Indian English easy to understand and musical to listen to.

Good luck and pray for your priest and for your congregation to have better mutual understanding.

Gearoidin

 

[anp1215]

Indeed. But let’s not make the mistake of assuming the foreign priests all want to stay in the U.S. permanently. Some are returning to their native countries for whatever reasons.

…I’ve never assumed that…I’ve always assumed that most of them return home eventually.

 

[Dale_M]

For goodness sakes… if many parishioners can’t understand the priest, and he intends to remain in this country, he will probably want to improve his English. They can pray for him.

hmm… but is the problem with the priest’s ability to speak English or with the priest’s thick accent? Those are different problems. One has to do with education. They other has to do with voice lessons.

A few years ago, I had to intervene in a situation where my parents were unable to get help via a tech support line which had been outsourced to India. They complained vehemently that the techs “can’t speak English.” But when the phone was handed to me, I discovered the tech’s English was fine. It was his accent which was confounding my parents, who had had little exposure to speaking with foreigners…

 

[mab23]

With the shortage of priests, there are more priests coming in from overseas namely India and Africa. While I am ceratin of their devotion to the priesthood and the Church, some are more comprehendable than others. My regular parish has 2 foreign born priests who are very nice. One is easier to undestand than the other, but at least you can mostly understand them.

At a Church where I attend daily mass sometimes, the pastor was replaced with an administrator who we almost never see and he is being assisted by a visiting priest from I believe Ghana. The congregation really struggles to understand him for most of the Mass, with the homily being the worst part. How do others handle this situation where you really want to enjoy Mass but end up struggling with it because you cant understand it.

i have recently experienced this and its kind of tough to answer, because of course it is more enjoyable to attend a mass where you can understand more clearly and if your like me and have a someone difficult time trying to keep up with mass, and an incomprehensible priest can make that difficult! If you feel like its affecting your worship that much I would suggest attending a different mass

 

[anp1215]

hmm… but is the problem with the priest’s ability to speak English or with the priest’s thick accent? Those are different problems. One has to do with education. They other has to do with voice lessons.

A few years ago, I had to intervene in a situation where my parents were unable to get help via a tech support line which had been outsourced to India. They complained vehemently that the techs “can’t speak English.” But when the phone was handed to me, I discovered the tech’s English was fine. It was his accent which was confounding my parents, who had had little exposure to speaking with foreigners…

My mom complains about this but I find that I can usually understand the person she is talking about too!

 

[Gearoidin]

had little exposure to speaking with foreigners…

This may actually be the real problem. If it is, then it should improve with time. I teach EFL/ESL and I’ve rarely come across an accent I couldn’t understand although I have had a few Chinese students that I had problems with. However, after a few weeks it was no longer an issue.

Maybe you need to hang out with your priest? Invite him to dinner or something?

 

[Hokomai]

I know a bit about accents. If you are having trouble being understood, you need a dialect coach. Find them online. In the US, they are everywhere. all the annoyed parishioners can have a collection to pay for one. secondly, the person with the accent should say less. and if the problem is not really accent, but idiom, they should write it first, and get a local to correct it. And listeners should concentrate and try to understand. After all, in church, if I recall correctly, there’s nothing else to do during the sermon! And have you seen this? (sightly dated but still fun)

youtube.com/watch?v=isRuTbTBWtg

 

[Richard320]

This is not a new problem for the church.

As a kid, we had an old priest named Fr. Spika. Sometimes known behind his back as Fr. No-Spika-da-English.

There were a bunch of German priests who came to the US just before WWII. And a whole lot of eastern Europeans just after WWII. Heavy accents. For that matter, there were a lot of Irish priests who were hard to understand, especially when they spoke fast.

I’ve known a couple Nigerian priests, and I like them. A lot. Very orthodox, and not afraid to get in peoples’ faces about Sunday obligations, proper dress, any unpopular topic, really. Real fire-and-brimstone preaching. They seem to make up for clarity with volume.

Usually the accents are not a problem if they speak slowly. Cardinal Mahony speaks verrrry slowly during his homilies, and he is a native. Of Los Angeles. Same accent. But speaking casually to him, he speaks normally. Priests know, or should, that they should speak slowly and deliberately. I’m sure the OP’s priest knows he has an accent, and probably just needs a subtle reminder to slow it down.

The thing to do in the OP’s case is to just mention to the priest that you find him hard to understand when he speaks too fast, and could he slow down a little?

 

[Jacob18]

There is a priest from India, I believe, at the parish I now go to. He is difficult to understand at times but I see it this way:
I have to concentrate harder to understand him, and therefore have to concentrate harder on the mass. It is a opportunity to grow more in love with the holy Mass.

 

[liturgyluver]

This is a real problem in England. Last year only 19 (yes 19!) Catholic priests were ordained in the whole of England and Wales. Increasingly services are taken by priests from overseas, which of course is not a problem in itself, but a significant minority have a a very poor grasp of English and are uncomprehendable. And before anyone says it - they can’t speak Latin either!!

 

[paperwight66]

This is a real problem in England. Last year only 19 (yes 19!) Catholic priests were ordained in the whole of England and Wales. Increasingly services are taken by priests from overseas, which of course is not a problem in itself, but a significant minority have a a very poor grasp of English and are uncomprehendable. And before anyone says it - they can’t speak Latin either!!

Actually, the picture, although dark temporarily, isn’t quite as black as that in the UK.

For one thing, that 19 only refers to diocesan clergy. It doesn’t include ordinations for the Dominicans, Redemptorists and the rest.

And figures projected for 2012 and 2013 are almost double, that is to say, 33 and 35.

See enquiries@ukvocations.org., part of the Board of Bishops for England and Wales.

 

[ProVobis]

This is a real problem in England. Last year only 19 (yes 19!) Catholic priests were ordained in the whole of England and Wales. Increasingly services are taken by priests from overseas, which of course is not a problem in itself, but a significant minority have a a very poor grasp of English and are uncomprehendable. And before anyone says it - they can’t speak Latin either!!

But people overwhelmingly wanted the vernacular. Now they want the right dialect, proper grammar, and comprehendable speakers too?