Pope’s visit to Mongolia 'gives us hope that we are not left out'
By Linda Bordoni & Edoardo Giribaldi
"No matter how young we are, no matter how small we are, no matter how isolated we are, we have a special place in his heart."
For a “young” and “small” Catholic community such as the Mongolian one, the visit of Pope Francis will represent a pivotal moment in the history and development of an institution that, as of today, counts “1,500 baptized” in “31 years of Catholic faith.”
Fr. Jay Mark Gutierrez was ordained three years ago but has already spent six years of his life in Mongolia. He hails from the Philippines and is a member of the Immaculate Heart of Mary congregation.
His mission, “as a chaplain or a parish priest,” takes place in St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church, located in the center of Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia’s capital.
Establish the Church's presence
Speaking with Vatican News, Fr. Jay presented his parish community, describing it as “a mix of foreigners and local faithful” for a total of 60 people professing the Catholic faith.
“It is difficult for us to wait for the people to come and be interested,” Fr. Jay admitted.
That’s why, taking advantage of the church’s position “just a kilometer away from the parliament or the central square,” the Catholic community goes out to establish its presence through “livelihood programs or charity works.”
Wonder and excitement
Fr. Jay highlighted the different perspectives that Mongolians might have of the Church and, most generally, Christianity. “I accept,” he said, “that most of them might not even have heard about Jesus Christ yet.”
The response is generally positive and “open,” even thanks to the work of the local government. “They are the ones pointing us to those who really need our help.”
Speaking about Pope Francis' Apostolic Journey, Fr. Jay pointed out the excitement present among his parishioners, mixed with a sense of wonder.
These are the questions he has received the most, to which he and the Christian community respond by “giving more information about who the Pope is, how he is elected and all these things.”
We are not alone
On a more personal level, Fr. Jay underlined the importance of the the Holy Father visit in “fostering” unity inside the Mongolian Catholic community and a sign “that we are not actually left out.”
In fact, the concept of the Catholic Church as “just someone else’s project” might be present in the ideas of such a young community. The Apostolic Journey is a concrete example of the fact that “we are in union with the whole Church in the whole world.”
A young plant
Fr. Jay compared the Mongolian Catholic community to “a young plant” and the Pope’s visit as “nourishment,” sustaining its faith.
For his community of missionaries, the Pope's visit also represents a sign of “hope that no matter how hard, no matter how challenging the mission is here, our shepherd is one with us.”
'The Pope cares'
Speaking about the reasons that brought Pope Francis to choose to visit Mongolia, Fr. Jay indicated the necessity to show to the young community that “the Pope cares” for them and “no matter how young we are, no matter how small we are, no matter how isolated we are, we have a special place in his heart.”
In fact, Fr. Jay concluded, Saint John Paul II had already carried on the idea of an Apostolic Journey in Mongolia, but “due to various reasons, he wasn’t able to come.”
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