Celebrating 30 Years of Church's Presence in Mongolia

Celebrating 30 Years of the Church’s Presence in Mongolia

(ANS – Ulan Bator – July 15, 2022) – In a mission country like Mongolia – where there are about 1,300 Catholics out of a population of more than 3 million people – remembering one’s roots and joining forces with all those involved in evangelization are two fundamental attitudes in order to be able to continue sowing the Gospel message. That is why the Salesians in Mongolia were pleased to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Catholic Church’s presence in Mongolia with the rest of the country’s small ecclesial reality.

In July 1992, after the fall of the Communist regime, the Church was able to return to the country: the first missionaries sent belonged to the Congregation of the Immaculate Heart of Mary and were Frs. Wenceslaus Padilla, Gilbert Sales, and Robert Goessens.

So on July 9, Abp. Alfred Xuereb, apostolic nuncio to both South Korea and Mongolia, and his secretary came to the tomb of Bp. Wenceslaus Padilla, together with the prefect apostolic of Ulan Bator, Cardinal-elect Giorgio Marengo, and all the missionaries of Mongolia – including the Salesians – and some Mongolian friends. Fr. Gilbert Sales came specially from the Philippines. Bp. Padilla had been the head of the mission “sui iuris” since 1992, and then the first prefect apostolic of Ulan Bator, until his death in 2018.

For the occasion, the apostolic nuncio blessed the new altar next to Bp. Padilla’s tomb and celebrated Mass. Then Bp. Marengo shared some information about the Church’s mission in the country and what is being accomplished and said that all together they were building the dream of the late Bp. Padilla, “who today will be happy to see us from Heaven gathered around him, humbly loving and serving our beloved Mongolia.”

The main celebration took place the following day, Sunday, July 10: early in the morning many parishioners arrived at the cathedral from many places, the most distant from more than 250 miles away, some bringing food and drinks for the feast day, while others started cooking in the area. By 10:00 a.m., many priests were invited to hear confessions for the many attendees as the cathedral filled with people: guests, visitors, many leaders of different religions.

During the solemn Eucharist, the nuncio expressed a message of gratitude: to God, the pioneers, and the missionaries who still live and work for the mission of the Mongolian Church! But his words of gratitude were also extended to the local government, the people, the faithful, and all the friends inside and outside the country who accompany in various ways, factually or with prayers, this mission.

“The mission started 30 years ago: it seems a long time, but for God, it will seem to be yesterday ... and the mission still goes on with many challenges and changes, but all in hope, faith, with sacrifice and witness!” commented Fr. Andrew Tin Nguyen, a Salesian originally from Vietnam who is serving in Darkhan.

The Salesian presence in Mongolia is under the care of the Province of Vietnam and was started in 2001, with a technical school and oratory in the capital, Ulan Bator. In 2004, a parish with youth center was started in Darkhan, in the north-central region of the country; finally, since 2016, they have also taken over the pastoral care of the mission in Shuwuu, not far from the capital.