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Mongolia: Catholic Community Still Awaits Government Permission For Church PDF Print E-mail
Written by UCA News   
Wednesday, 23 April 2008
Catholics in a Mongolian town are not disheartened by local authorities' repeated delay in granting permission for faith activities.

"It may take longer and there are many frustrations and disappointments, but we trust that the lord will grant us a church eventually," Joseph, spokesperson for the community in Zuun Mod, told UCA News recently.

Joseph, who goes by one name, as is common in Mongolia, has been trying to convince local citizens' councils that the Catholics there in the capital of Central Province, 60 kilometers south of Ulaanbaatar, need a church. His next chance was to be an official hearing scheduled for mid-March, but local authorities postponed it.

Twenty-three baptized Catholics live in Zuun Mod, half of them between the ages of 16 and 25. In order to attend Mass on Sundays, they have to spend about eight hours on the road to and back from Ulaanbaatar, since they have no permission even for home-prayer meetings in Zuun Mod.

Tsetsgee, who makes the trek with her daughter for Mass at St. Mary's Church in Ulaanbaatar, told UCA News in the capital that the arrangement, though inconvenient, has a positive side since they "like to come to Ulaanbaatar." She acknowledged they "have to get up very early and travel four hours," but added that St. Mary's Parish provides a minibus, otherwise "many would not be able to afford the cost of travel."

The Mongolian government invited the Catholic Church into the country in 1991, but Catholics anywhere still need permission for church activities from citizens' councils of each bag, the smallest administrative unit, the soum, the next-highest level, and the provincial government.

Joseph feels some obstacle is holding up the needed permissions, but he does not know what it is. When Catholics first tried in 2004, the town said too few people were involved to discuss the matter. After the community collected the necessary number of signatures, councilors voted against opening the church and demanded more paperwork, he continued.

"Last time, when we had a hearing in September, we were told we had to choose and officially register a name for our church before we could apply. In addition, there were some parts of the internal regulations of the future church that authorities wanted us to revise," Joseph narrated.

"These things were no problem during our previous hearings, so we were not aware of them until September. This time we collected all the papers, stamps and seals, chose the name of St. Joseph for the church and revised the internal regulations according to what the authorities told us," he added. However, because elections are coming in May, the councils decided not to discuss the matter now. "They said they were truly busy this time of the year. We have to wait until after the elections. The next hearing is scheduled for June," Joseph said.

The community's spokesperson insisted the continuing delay might have a "good" side to it after all. "Our group is growing and getting stronger every year. This Easter we had three baptisms. About 40 people always come (to Ulaanbaatar) to Mass, and 70-80 on bigger holidays," he said. "As our numbers grow and our faith strengthens, we will surely become a regular Church," he said. "We really want to do everything right and obey the law," he added.

According to St. Paul de Chartres Sister Sophia Jang, who with another nun runs St. Paul's Elementary School in Zuun Mod, townspeople appreciate the work of the Catholics. "We are not sure why all this delay and postponing. ... The authorities are clearly friendly with us, and yet we do not have the permission."

In the meantime, Enkhtuvshin, a St. Mary's parishioner, told UCA News the parish would continue to pray for their weekly visitors. "We have been praying for the Zuun Mod parish to open for several years now," he said.

The Catholic Mission in Mongolia has three parishes in the capital and one in Darhan, the country's second-largest city, 200 kilometers north of Ulaanbaatar, which was established in January 2007.

Zuun Mod is one of six mission stations these parishes run. The other five are in Arvaiheer, Dair Ekh, Niseh, Shuwuu and Yaarmag.
Last Updated ( Tuesday, 22 April 2008 )