austraLasia #3097
Catholic Church celebrates 20 years of the faith in Mongolia
ULAANBATAAR: 9 July 2012 -- On July 10 1992, a Church was born in the Steppes of Central Asia. Three Immaculate Heart of Mary missionaries stepped onto Mongolian soil for the first time. One of them, Fr Wenceslaus Padilla, is now the Apostolic Prefect/Bishop of Mongolia.
Archbishop Savio Hon joins the local Bishop and the Apostolic Nuncio for Korea and Mongolia, Archbishop Osvaldo Padilla, as well as the Bishop of Daejong, Korea, Bishop Lazzaro You, for celebrations lasting several days, but which culminated in a Solemn Mass at St. Peter and Paul's Cathedral, Ulaanbataar,on Sunday 8 July at which Archbishop Savio Hon was the main celebrant.
On 9 July, Archbishop Savio travelled to Darkhan, in the country's north (about three and a half hour's drive from the capital), where he celebrated Mass at the Mary Help of Christians parish church, blessed a statue of Don Bosco, and attended a concert in his honour. Following such a busy day he then needed to return immediately to the capital for departure on 10 July to Seoul, where he has other official engagements.
There are 81 Catholic missionaries now in Mongolia, from 22 different countries, and 13 congregations of groups, which includes the Salesians and the Salesian Sisters. from a zero count in 1992, the number of Catholics has arrived at 800 plus. And while there is currently no active vocation ministry in a Church yet so young, two young Mongolian candidates are now studying for the priesthood in Daejong, Korea.
Catholic Church celebrates 20 years of the faith in Mongolia
Archbishop Savio Hon joins the local Bishop and the Apostolic Nuncio for Korea and Mongolia, Archbishop Osvaldo Padilla, as well as the Bishop of Daejong, Korea, Bishop Lazzaro You, for celebrations lasting several days, but which culminated in a Solemn Mass at St. Peter and Paul's Cathedral, Ulaanbataar,on Sunday 8 July at which Archbishop Savio Hon was the main celebrant.
On 9 July, Archbishop Savio travelled to Darkhan, in the country's north (about three and a half hour's drive from the capital), where he celebrated Mass at the Mary Help of Christians parish church, blessed a statue of Don Bosco, and attended a concert in his honour. Following such a busy day he then needed to return immediately to the capital for departure on 10 July to Seoul, where he has other official engagements.
There are 81 Catholic missionaries now in Mongolia, from 22 different countries, and 13 congregations of groups, which includes the Salesians and the Salesian Sisters. from a zero count in 1992, the number of Catholics has arrived at 800 plus. And while there is currently no active vocation ministry in a Church yet so young, two young Mongolian candidates are now studying for the priesthood in Daejong, Korea.
