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Abbeville Catholic priest may need to leave U.S.
By Liz Carey
Independent Mail
August 9, 2007
Even though Father Allum Marreddy filed paperwork more than
a year ago to allow him to stay in the United States, delays at
the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services office could send
him back to India soon.
Father Marreddy is one of three South Carolina Catholic pastors
facing the same kind of situation. His parishioners at Sacred Heart
Church in the city of Abbeville and Good Shepherd Church in the
city of McCormick have called on U.S. Sens. Lindsey Graham and
Jim DeMint of South Carolina to help them keep their pastor.
Changes in immigration policies regarding religious workers have
delayed the processing of visa applications like the one Father
Marreddy submitted in 2006.
If something doesn’t happen by Oct. 29 in Father Marreddy’s case, he may have to return to his homeland of
India.
Good Shepherd and Sacred Heart then would be pastorless once again. For seven years, parishioners said, the
churches relied on visiting pastors or prayer services for their spiritual needs.
Father Marreddy changed all that in 2002.
“He’s been a full-time spiritual advisor to our churches,” said David Lorenzatti, a member of the Good Shepherd
pastoral council. “He says four masses every weekend, where he is shuttling back and forth between Abbeville
and McCormick. Beyond that he is a very holy man and is very, very much a people person and has become
close to and very much loved by the parishioners of both parishes, as well as the people in our communities.”
Father Marreddy ministers as well at McCormick Correctional Institution. In addition, he has helped build a New
Life Center in the city of McCormick and a Memorial Rosary Garden in the city of Abbeville.
“I am very much impressed by (the parishes’) way of living their religion,” Father Marreddy said Thursday. “I’m
so glad to be with these people.”
His main concern is for his parishioners, he said.
“I don’t know what will happen to them,” he said. “The bishop will make every effort to make sure their spiritual
needs are met, but … if I go back to India, I can only approach the U.S. Embassy about returning after waiting for
one year. The people will find one year very hard, I think.”
He understands the scrutiny each application must undergo, but wished the process could progress faster so
as not to negatively impact the lives of people like him or the people he serves, he said.
His case is of 50 nationally, including three in South Carolina, being worked on by Allison Posner, staff attorney
for Catholic Legal Immigration Network.
The delay in processing of Father Marreddy’s visa application, Ms. Posner said, is related to increased scrutiny
and security.
“The immigration service is very slow to adjudicate his petition because they are trying to prevent fraud,” she
said. “He filed his application in what he thought was plenty of time. At the time of filing, the time to petition was
taking five months. It’s been over a year now with no answers, and he’s run out of time.”
If the three South Carolina priests’ petitions are not settled, they will have to return to their home countries, Ms.
Posner said. That, she said, would leave seven parishes without priests, forcing some 450 families to seek
spiritual guidance elsewhere.
“We were hoping that we could get the senators’ offices to give the (Citizenship and Immigration Services) a
push, because the diocese will be in a dire situation,” Ms. Posner said.
Officials at Sen. Graham’s office said Wednesday they had only recently received the letters from parishioners
and were waiting to hear from immigration services.
Sen. DeMint’s office has received the letters, and the senator is working to help Father Marreddy with the Visa
application process, officials said Thursday.
Stephen Gajdosik, media relations officer for the Diocese of Charleston, which covers all of South Carolina, said
diocese officials would wait to see what happens before making any decisions about how to serve the needs
of the parishioners.
The diocese, however, doesn’t fault the immigration service, he said.
Gary Buffaloe, parishioner at Sacred Heart Church, hopes his government will come to his and his church’s aid.
“He’s such a wonderful priest,” Mr. Buffaloe said about Father Marreddy. “I don’t ask a whole lot from my
government except for them to be fair and honest. We have (people) crossing the border illegally, abusing the
system, getting all these benefits, and here are these three men who are here legally, and our government is
saying they have to go. It doesn’t make sense to me. I just want them to do the right thing.”
By Liz Carey
Independent Mail
August 9, 2007
Even though Father Allum Marreddy filed paperwork more than
a year ago to allow him to stay in the United States, delays at
the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services office could send
him back to India soon.
Father Marreddy is one of three South Carolina Catholic pastors
facing the same kind of situation. His parishioners at Sacred Heart
Church in the city of Abbeville and Good Shepherd Church in the
city of McCormick have called on U.S. Sens. Lindsey Graham and
Jim DeMint of South Carolina to help them keep their pastor.
Changes in immigration policies regarding religious workers have
delayed the processing of visa applications like the one Father
Marreddy submitted in 2006.
If something doesn’t happen by Oct. 29 in Father Marreddy’s case, he may have to return to his homeland of
India.
Good Shepherd and Sacred Heart then would be pastorless once again. For seven years, parishioners said, the
churches relied on visiting pastors or prayer services for their spiritual needs.
Father Marreddy changed all that in 2002.
“He’s been a full-time spiritual advisor to our churches,” said David Lorenzatti, a member of the Good Shepherd
pastoral council. “He says four masses every weekend, where he is shuttling back and forth between Abbeville
and McCormick. Beyond that he is a very holy man and is very, very much a people person and has become
close to and very much loved by the parishioners of both parishes, as well as the people in our communities.”
Father Marreddy ministers as well at McCormick Correctional Institution. In addition, he has helped build a New
Life Center in the city of McCormick and a Memorial Rosary Garden in the city of Abbeville.
“I am very much impressed by (the parishes’) way of living their religion,” Father Marreddy said Thursday. “I’m
so glad to be with these people.”
His main concern is for his parishioners, he said.
“I don’t know what will happen to them,” he said. “The bishop will make every effort to make sure their spiritual
needs are met, but … if I go back to India, I can only approach the U.S. Embassy about returning after waiting for
one year. The people will find one year very hard, I think.”
He understands the scrutiny each application must undergo, but wished the process could progress faster so
as not to negatively impact the lives of people like him or the people he serves, he said.
His case is of 50 nationally, including three in South Carolina, being worked on by Allison Posner, staff attorney
for Catholic Legal Immigration Network.
The delay in processing of Father Marreddy’s visa application, Ms. Posner said, is related to increased scrutiny
and security.
“The immigration service is very slow to adjudicate his petition because they are trying to prevent fraud,” she
said. “He filed his application in what he thought was plenty of time. At the time of filing, the time to petition was
taking five months. It’s been over a year now with no answers, and he’s run out of time.”
If the three South Carolina priests’ petitions are not settled, they will have to return to their home countries, Ms.
Posner said. That, she said, would leave seven parishes without priests, forcing some 450 families to seek
spiritual guidance elsewhere.
“We were hoping that we could get the senators’ offices to give the (Citizenship and Immigration Services) a
push, because the diocese will be in a dire situation,” Ms. Posner said.
Officials at Sen. Graham’s office said Wednesday they had only recently received the letters from parishioners
and were waiting to hear from immigration services.
Sen. DeMint’s office has received the letters, and the senator is working to help Father Marreddy with the Visa
application process, officials said Thursday.
Stephen Gajdosik, media relations officer for the Diocese of Charleston, which covers all of South Carolina, said
diocese officials would wait to see what happens before making any decisions about how to serve the needs
of the parishioners.
The diocese, however, doesn’t fault the immigration service, he said.
Gary Buffaloe, parishioner at Sacred Heart Church, hopes his government will come to his and his church’s aid.
“He’s such a wonderful priest,” Mr. Buffaloe said about Father Marreddy. “I don’t ask a whole lot from my
government except for them to be fair and honest. We have (people) crossing the border illegally, abusing the
system, getting all these benefits, and here are these three men who are here legally, and our government is
saying they have to go. It doesn’t make sense to me. I just want them to do the right thing.”
415 Michigan Ave., NE
Suite 150
Washington, DC 20017
202.635.2556
202.635.2649 fax
media inquiries:
e-mail me
(202) 635-5810
Suite 150
Washington, DC 20017
202.635.2556
202.635.2649 fax
media inquiries:
e-mail me
(202) 635-5810
Photo courtesy of Sacred Heart Catholic Church
Father Allum Marreddy.
Father Allum Marreddy.
media inquiries: Melissa Williams
Media Relations Coordinator
(202) 635-5810
Media Relations Coordinator
(202) 635-5810
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