St. Anne Parish in Lena and Coleman is one of a dozen parishes in the Green Bay Diocese now home to an international priest, according to Peter Gard, deacon at St. Anne’s and part-time international priest coordinator for the Diocese of Green Bay.
Rev. Nonito Jesus Sirios Barra, parish administrator of St. Anne’s, is one of four priests from the Philippines. Three others are from Nigeria, three from Uganda, one from Tanzania and one from India. Another priest from Uganda will arrive in January, Gard said.
Sirios Barra said 10 priests are ordained in his diocese in the Philippines every year, enough to minister to the church that once relied on foreign missionaries itself.
“It’s time for us to help out other churches around the world,” he said.
Gard said the ministry of international priests has decreased the number of parish closures and mergers in the Green Bay Diocese, which is experiencing a shortage of native priests.
“So far it’s worked out quite well,” he said.
Hired for the position in July, Gard previously volunteered to work with the international priests, beginning with Rev. Celestine Bykewaso, of Uganda, who ministered at St. Anne’s previously.
“One of the things I do is make sure the parish is adjusting to life with the priest, the priest is adjusting to life with the parish,” he said.
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