CNA Staff, Jun 11, 2020 / 07:00 am
U.K. visa rules are leaving parishes without supply priests, Catholic bishops said Tuesday.
In a June 9 statement, the bishops said some parishes were unable to afford to bring priests from abroad to cover for their pastors when they fall ill or take annual leave.
Last year the U.K. government required ministers of religion intending to preach in places of worship to obtain expensive "Tier 2" visas.
The bishops said: "Most Catholic dioceses previously used Tier 5 Religious Worker visas for priests to come here on supply placements, while parish priests were away for short periods of time because of sickness, training or annual leave. These supply placements are essential as they allow Catholics to continue attending Mass, while also keeping parish activities running smoothly."