model for intercultural competencies in formation and ministry: awareness, knowledge, skills and...

7/26/2019 Model for Intercultural Competencies in Formation and Ministry: Awareness, Knowledge, Skills and Sensitivity

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Intercultural competencyis understood as the

capacity to notice, respect,appreciate and celebrate

individual differences.

The famous Jesuit theologian, Karl Rahner, re-marked “the Christian of tomorrow will be amystic, one who has experienced something, or

he will be nothing.” One could apply this predictionto the increasingly diverse church in the United States,highlighting the importance of intercultural competen-cies among the clergy and noting that “the priest of to-morrow will be interculturally competent, one who has

authentically and fully experienced culture, or he will benothing.” Intercultural competency is understood as thecapacity to notice, respect, appreciate and celebrate in-dividual differences. These competencies were tradition-ally considered a one-sided reality that resided primarily within the individual. However, this individualistic fo-cus has recently been challenged to incorporate a moreholistic conceptualization of competencies includingthe environment, organizations, institutions and macro-systems that directly or indirectly influence priestly andreligious formation. The seminary is inherently a richlycomplex environment where diversity is found in sym-

bol, ritual and community. The development of thesecompetencies ultimately builds on this organizationaland communal infrastructure.

Holistic Interculturality in FormationDefinitions of culture abound. In this article, we

understand culture broadly, not narrowly confined toethnicity and race. In his address to the presidents ofthe Asian bishops’ conferences, then-Cardinal JosephRatzinger defined culture:

[The] historically developed common form ofexpression of the insights and values which char-acterize the life of a community…culture has todo with knowledge and values. It is an attemptto understand the world and man’s existence inthe world, but it is not an attempt of a purelytheoretical kind. Rather it is ordered to thefundamental interests of human existence. Un-derstanding should show us how to be human,

how man is to take proper place in this worldand respond to it in order to realize himself inhis search for success and happiness. Moreover,in the great cultures this question is not posedindividualistically, as if each individual couldthink up a model for coming to terms with the world and life.1

A holistic understanding of culture links the mean-ing and expression of culture to life in the community,

Model for InterculturalCompetencies in Formation andMinistry: Awareness, Knowledge,Skills and SensitivityFernando A. Ortiz, Ph.D., ABPP and Gerard J. McGlone, S.J., Ph.D.



Model for Intercultural Competencies in Formation and Ministry: Awareness, Knowledge, Skills and Sensitivity

and this expression is never purely individualistic. Fur-thermore, a holistic understanding of someone’s cultureconsiders all the dimensions of a person’s identity asintrinsically related to values and meanings. We includehere a framework that can be used by formators and

evaluators to more holistically understand the complexityand beauty of culture. Comprised of three dimensions,this model was initially developed by Arredondo et al. 2 In the context of formation, dimension “A” would in-clude characteristics a candidate is born with or borninto, including age, gender, culture, ethnicity, language,physical disability, sexual orientation and social class.Dimension “B” consists of factors such as educationalbackground, geographic location, income, marital status,religion, work experience, citizenship status, militaryexperience and hobbies or recreational interests. Dimen-sion “C” consists of historical moments and eras; major

historical, political, sociocultural and economic contexts;or events affecting a candidate’s vocational development.Figure 1 illustrates all of these dimensions and their re-lationship to formation.

It is important to point out that, in advancing thedevelopment and maintenance of intercultural compe-tencies that holistically respect these individual differ-ences, one does not engage in cultural and moral relativ-ism. A mistaken notion of cultural diversity attempts to

tolerate and naively embrace the ills of secularism andmoral relativism. Some have expressed distrust of thistype of multiculturalism, particularly when it is used asan ideology to embrace a centerless and incoherent vari-ety of perspectives that are ultimately incompatible witha sound Catholic anthropology. This is especially impor-tant when one examines the interface between seminaryand religious formation and curricula, which is stronglyrooted in Western Christianity:

In general critics of multiculturalism argue thatit will cause much greater problems than thoseit is intended to address. Some even depict itas a threat to freedom, progress, reason and sci-ence. In their view, the very notion of multicul-turalism denies the standards of objectivity and

A Dimensions

B Dimensions

C Dimensions

Age

Culture

Ethnicity

Gender

Language

Race

Sexual Orientation

Social Class

Educational Background

Geographical Location

Hobbies/Recreational

Health Care/Practices/Beliefs

Religion/Spirituality

Military Experience

Relalationship Status

Work Experience

Historical Moments/Eras

Unpacking culture

and its influence on

formation

Human

Spiritual

Intellectual

Pastoral



Theme: Intercultural Competence

26

If one takes to heart theexhortation of Saint Ignatius

all things”—that is, in everyperson, every place and

every thing—it makes sense

cultures.

truth which are the foundation of Western civi-lization and that widespread acceptance wouldtherefore lead to barbarism. One author whodoes not endorse multiculturalism, speaks ofobjectivity as the search for the widest possible

intersubjective agreement. It is true that at oneextreme, the assumption that all cultural valuesare equal could lead to an empty and valuelessmoral and cultural relativism. Multiculturalismrecognizes that all should enjoy the presump-tion that their traditional culture has value butit does not assume that all cultures are of equalvalue.3

If one takes to heart the exhortation of Saint Ig-natius of Loyola, “to find God in all things”—that is,in every person, every place and every thing—it makessense that one can find God in all cultures. However,cultures are also wounded and limited. One thereforeengages cultures with respect and a healthy hermeneuticof suspicion, without assuming that all components anddimensions of culture are absolutely healthy or haveequal value. The Gospel can transform these elements of

culture. In dialoguing with cultures, one adopts an atti-tude informed by a theology of listening and encounter.In 1995, then Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger offered helpfulperspectives on this dialogue:

But what does the word “dialogue” really mean? After all, dialogue does not take place simplybecause people are talking. More talk is the de-terioration of dialogue that occurs when therehas been a failure to reach it. Dialogue first

comes into being where there is not only speechbut also listening. Moreover, such listening mustbe the medium of an encounter; this encounteris the condition of an inner contact which leadsto mutual comprehension. Reciprocal under-standing, finally, deepens and transforms thebeing of the interlocutors. Having enumeratedthe single elements of this transaction, let usnow attempt to grasp the significance of each inturn.

The first element is listening. What takes placehere is an event of opening, of becoming opento the reality of other things and people. We

need to realize what an art it is to be able tolisten attentively. Listening is not a skill, like working a machine, but a capacity simply tobe which puts in requisition the whole person.To listen means to know and to acknowledgeanother and to allow him to step into the realmof one’s own “I.” It is readiness to assimilatehis word, and therein his being, into one’s ownreality as well as to assimilate oneself to him incorresponding fashion. Thus, after the act oflistening, I am another man, my own being isenriched and deepened because it is united with

the being of the other and, through it, with thebeing of the world.

All of this presupposes that what my dialoguepartner has to say does not concern merelysome object falling within the range of empiricalknowledge and of technical skills, that is, of ex-ternal know-how. When we speak of dialogue inthe proper sense, what we mean is an utterance wherein something of being itself, indeed, the

It is important to point

out that, in advancingthe development and

maintenance of interculturalcompetencies that

holistically respect theseindividual differences, one

does not engage in culturaland moral relativism.




person himself, becomes speech. This does notmerely add to the mass of items of knowledgeacquired and of performances registered buttouches the very being of men as such, purify-ing and intensifying his potency to be who he

is.4

Intercultural competencies then include (a) aware-ness of the other, (b) knowledge about the uniquenessof the other, (c) sensitivity to the dignity of the other,and ultimately, (d) a set of skills to enter into dialogueand listening with otherness.

Examples of Development of Intercultural

Competencies Those in formation audit their own biases,

prejudices and insensitivities while developing awareness

of themselves as cultural beings. They critically exam-ine the existence of racism and xenophobia in ecclesialinstitutions, particularly prejudices against foreignersand immigrants, and advocate for a more interculturallyrespectful church and society. This is consistent withthe gospel mandate to go to all nations and cultures while preaching the good news. Instead of seeing othersby focusing on differences (such as, He is from India),men and women in formation learn to focus primarilyon the identity of the person as a son or daughter ofGod. This requires the ability to step out of one’s own

worldviews and accept every person for who they are inGod’s creation. This is essential in fostering a true senseof community in formation. When building intercul-tural competencies, one is especially understanding ofthose men and women in formation who may be appre-hensive about engaging cultures because they fear a lossof identity or faith. It may be challenging for some totranscend or move out of this apprehension, cultural in-ertia and personal comfort zone. Motivated by Christiancharity, formators can gently and gradually engage thesemen and women, encourage them to be reflective ofculture and invite them to enter into cultural dialogue.

We would like to reiterate that the development ofintercultural competencies is both an individual as wellas an organizational endeavor. Moreover, this endeavorshould not be viewed as a burden or a problem to beresolved, but rather as a gift and a blessing. The mannerin which professors, for example, approach the study ofScripture, Theology, Anthropology or Ecclesiology couldinclude references to cultural diversity. Critical questionsposed within the academic pillar of intellectual forma-tion can be framed in a reflective and systematic manner

while also referencing unity, otherness and diversity. Indiscussing the nature of the trinity, for example, a classdiscussion can focus on the concepts of unity and diver-sity from a theological perspective and the implicationsof this Trinitarian analogy for human relations.

Similarly, intellectual formation could challengeethnocentric attitudes and raise cultural awareness asmen and women critically converse about concepts suchas American exceptionalism, Manifest Destiny and eth-

nocentric individualism. Similarly, students can engageexpressions of xenophobia outside the United States thatmay include nationalistic tribalisms and ethnocentric no-tions imbued with hateful anti-American attitudes. Theseminary culture, with its rich repertoire of theologicaland philosophical skills, can reflectively encourage thosein formation to dialogue on these important culturalrealities. These conversations should take place in a con-text of respect, inclusion and acceptance. As part of anongoing and holistic faculty development on intercul-tural competencies, it may be necessary to invite expertson different cultures for in-services and educational ex-

periences with faculty and formators.Given the profound cultural differences among

men and women in formation, some of these dialoguesmay be challenging. Because cultural groups are oftenorganized and structured around power or class, it isimportant that formators be mindful of internationalcandidates, their relative standing and their cultural ex-perience regarding power, class and the stratification ofprivilege. International candidates will have most likelyinternalized some of these sociological realities into their

We would like to reiteratethat the development of

intercultural competencies

is both an individual aswell as an organizationalendeavor. Moreover, thisendeavor should not beviewed as a burden or aproblem to be resolved,

but rather as a gift and ablessing.




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worldview. Students’ own definitions of social and eco-nomic class may express themselves in their relationshipsand interactions while in formation. International candi-dates, for example, who come from relatively privilegedbackgrounds, will socialize differently than those from

relatively impoverished socioeconomic backgrounds.Formation programs strive to facilitate healthy intercul-tural communication among these diverse populationsso that those individuals from diverse backgrounds canlearn how to interact appropriately and effectively withpeople from any sociodemographic strata. Internationalcandidates are often being formed to serve the needsof middle-class American parishes and churches, andnot necessarily the church of the poor. They need todevelop the competencies necessary for these pastoral as-signments and seminary formation programs can play amajor role in their development.

Formators also need to pay attention when menand women in formation react negatively against diver-sity. One may notice that a seminarian is consistentlyaggressive, resistant and reactive in the face of any con-versation about cultural diversity. Instinctive reactions todifference such as aggression, distrust or avoidance maybe serious symptoms suggesting prejudice. A differentexample may be the tendency to self-segregate and formexclusive relationships with those who are ethnicallyand linguistically similar. The concern with self-segrega-

tion or separation among racial groups that occurs bychoice in a formation context is that members of dif-ferent racial groups can become isolated from, ratherthan in contact with, each other. Voluntary separationcan be brought about because different racial or ethnicgroups perceive each other as lacking common groundupon which to build friendships. In some extreme cases,unwritten rules may exist among ethnic minority semi-narians that interaction with White seminarians, forexample, might engender scorn or ostracism from otherethnic minority seminarians. In some instances, racialgrouping is desirable so that members of specific groupscelebrate, rehearse and relish their own culture. This would be understandable due to commonalities withinracial groups. Formators need to discern what may becontributing to self-segregation and encourage positive

Effective Preaching:What Catholics Want

Formators ultimately fostera seminary culture thatis helpful in supporting,

challenging and formingmen and women who areinterculturally competent.




interactions among all the ethnic groups. Excessive eth-nic separation may be unhealthy for a truly inclusiveseminary culture and may predict ethnocentric encapsu-lation in future pastoral assignments.

At a more fundamental level, the development of

intercultural competencies presupposes an attribution ofgoodness and dignity to other individuals, especially tothose who may be ethnically, racially, linguistically andculturally different. One develops a welcoming, warmand hospitable attitude. Psychologically, a cultural nar-cissism and entitlement that believes in the superiorityof one’s own cultural identity and status while denigrat-ing the cultures of others is intrinsically incompatible with this intercultural attitude and competency. Becauseculture embodies differences, those in formation becomecomfortable with ambiguity and the capacity to be openand respectful to the perspectives of others. With this

openness comes the opportunity to be immersed inother cultures, while being flexible and adaptable withone’s identity.

Intercultural competency is not simply about learn-ing how to get along with others; it is essentially aboutbeing Catholic. It is the fostering of an ongoing spiri-tuality of Eucharistic consistency. The meaning of theEucharist penetrates the mystery of culture; therefore,those in formation are called to cultivate Eucharisticconsistency, ongoing conversation and conversion to de-velop intercultural knowledge, awareness, sensitivity and

skills. It is in this Eucharistic context that they challengetheir own cultural privileges and embrace the mystery ofotherness. Communion or participation in the Eucha-ristic banquet while in formation authenticates intercul-tural encounters. Men and women are no longer Jewsor Greeks, but one in Christ. Respectful and life-givingintercultural competencies are an extension of the sig-nificance of the Eucharist. It challenges men and womenin formation to show consistency between liturgy andtheir cultural lives.

Psychological Considerations

The development of intercultural competencies ispositively correlated with emotional intelligence and af-fective maturity. Formators need to pay particular atten-tion to how international candidates adjust to culturallydiverse settings. It is not uncommon to see internationalcandidates suffer in silence while coping with accultura-tive stress. Because these candidates appear emotionallysteady and serene on the surface, one may assume thatthey are emotionally fine; however, they may be feelinglost in the classroom setting. They may also be having

difficulty understanding seminary practices. Attentiveformators can engage these students in small groupconversations by using different learning strategies thatencourage them to articulate their worries and fears.Classroom spaces need to create a sense of safety where

these students can grow intellectually, emotionally andculturally. In some cultures, modesty and reserve isencouraged in classroom discussions: a safe classroomenvironment is conducive to meeting these students attheir own level of cultural comfort. This is particularlycritical during the first days of the semester so they cansuccessfully adjust to the academic school year and tothe formation program.

The development of intercultural competenciesis also positively correlated with intellectual curios-ity, cognitive flexibility and tolerance for ambiguity. In

evaluating international candidates, psychologists as-sess the capacity for interpersonal relationship and theflexibility to relate to cultural differences with ease. Insome instances, candidates may struggle with modifyingtheir cultural patterns and values, for example, in theirrelationships with women or nonverbal communication.Cultural prescriptions and proscriptions around interper-sonal space and touch should also be evaluated. Theseassessment findings will then need to be translated intoformation recommendations. In the event that an inter-national candidate rigidly holds onto cultural scripts thatmay be offensive to women, or to patterns of touching

that are inappropriate in the United States, psycholo-gists can provide formators with recommendations onhow to address these cultural values and belief systems,emphasizing what is appropriate in the receiving culture.It takes flexibility and affective maturity for internationalcandidates to acculturate their patterned ways of think-ing, feeling and relating.

Evaluators are also mindful that international can-didates may carry wounds from their culture. With can-didates from countries torn by war, poverty and crime,

The development of

intercultural competenciesis also positively correlatedwith intellectual curiosity, tolerance for ambiguity.




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one must pay attention to the person’s history, capacityto address these wounds in a healthy manner and abilityto come eventually to a peaceful and therapeutic resolu-tion. International candidates from profoundly impover-ished backgrounds whose families are suffering may have

limited freedom of discernment due to preoccupation with their family’s plight. Moreover, in evaluating a can-didate’s vocational profile, it is important to assess theircultural background and to what extent cultural biasesmay have contributed to misguided assumptions aboutthe priesthood. One may encounter cases where an over-ly domineering parent has exerted pressure and parentalinfluence on a candidate’s vocational aspiration. This cir-cumstance is especially problematic in some candidatesfrom traditional cultures where filial piety and deferenceto parental expectations and demands are particularlystrong and deterministic of one’s vocational self-concept.These candidates may seek to join the seminary becauseof fear and through obedience to parents—another fac-tor that limits their freedom of discernment. Similar tothis misguided motivation is a distorted image of thepriesthood as one imbued with elevated status, powerand self-importance, that is commonly found in deeplyhierarchical cultures.

ConclusionThe objective of this article is to raise awareness

about the intercultural reality in the church, how this

can be lived more authentically and how it contributestowards building the Kingdom of God. The message ofthe Kingdom of God that the early Christians receivedfrom Jesus was an inclusive one that accommodatespeople of all races, languages, ages and economic andsocial statuses.5 Saint Paul reminds us that cultural dif-ferences no longer separate nor divide us. The clearestarticulation of his theology of oneness and inclusivityis found in Galatians 3:28: “There is no longer Jew orGreek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longermale or female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus.”Strengthening this new identity in Christ, this article

calls for the development and maintenance of intercul-tural competencies. These competencies will allow us totruly see the dignity of the “other” created in the imageand likeness of God. Intercultural competency includesawareness of our biases, misperceptions and prejudices.Coupled with self-knowledge and knowledge about the“other,” we are able to more competently relate to ourbrothers and sisters in Christ. Once we achieve aware-ness and acquire intercultural knowledge, we may de-velop the necessary interpersonal skills to interact and

relate respectfully to the members of our communities.This process requires the cultivation of sensitivity . It isat both the individual and institutional level that we de-velop and maintain intercultural competencies in forma-tion and ministry. Ultimately, intercultural competence

(or interculturation) is the set of competencies held bypeople from diverse cultures and religious worldviews, who mutually and respectfully demonstrate awareness,knowledge, skills and sensitivity with the intention ofdiscovering the vision of the gospel, which was uniquelyrevealed by Jesus Christ within a particular cultural andhistorical context.

Fernando A. Ortiz, Ph.D., ABPP, is the Coun-

seling Center Director at Gonzaga University in

Vianney Center. He specializes in Mexican ethno-

psychology, that is, in understanding the identity,

personality and worldview of the Mexican peoplefrom an indigenous perspective.

Gerard J. McGlone, S.J., Ph.D., is Executive

Director of Consultation, Education and Research

Pennsylvania. His latest book, The Inner Life of

Priests, was co-authored with Len Sperry and

published in 2012.

References

Sienho Yee and Jacques-Yvan Morin, Multiculturalism and In-ternational Law , (Neatherlands, Leiden: Koninklijke Brill,2009).

Endnotes

1. Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, Address to the presidents ofthe Asian bishops’ conferences and the chairmen of theirdoctrinal commissions, Christ, Faith and the Challenge ofCultures (Hong Kong, 2–5 March 1993).

2. Patricia Arredondo, Rebecca Toporek, Sherlon PackBrown, Janet Jones, Don C. Locke, Joe Sanchez andHolly Stadler, “Operationalization of the MulticulturalCounseling Competencies,” Journal of Multicultural Coun-seling and Development , 24, no. 1 (1996), 42–78.

3. Sienho Yee and Jacques-Yvan Morin, Multiculturalism and

International Law , (Leiden, Netherlands, Leiden: Konin-klijke Brill, 2009), 351–352.4. Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, The Nature and Mission of

Theology: Approaches to Understanding Its Role in the Lightof Present Controversy , (San Francisco, CA: Ignatius Press,1995), 32–33.

5. Bernard Ukwuegbu, “Neither Jew nor Greek: TheChurch in Africa and the Quest for Self-Understandingin the Light of the Pauline Vision and Today’s Context ofCultural Pluralism,” International Journal for the Study ofthe Christian Church, 8, 4 (2008), 305–318.

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