Despite limited means, the Catholic community in Ulaanbaatar is growing and providing socially-useful services. 2004 was a productive year.

Ulaanbaatar (AsiaNews/UCAN) – In his November 2004 visit, the new Apostolic Nuncio, Archbishop Emil Paul Tscherring, said that the year was good for Mongolia's Catholics. "The efforts of the missioners and the Catholic Church in Mongolia," he said, "focused on social issues and youth education".

The elevation of the Missio sui iuris of Urga, Ulanbator to the rank of Apostolic Prefecture with the new name of Ulaanbaatar in 2003 is indeed bearing fruit.

The following year former mission council evolved into five commissions—education, justice and peace, liturgy, pastoral work and youth—which have been motivating both clergy and laity to come up with social and religious plans of development.

Mongolia's Catholic community was born 11 years ago. It is made of 216 baptised members, a large number of expatriates and 51 missionaries from eight congregations.

The number of congregations in the country is also rising and those present are expanding. The Missionaries of Charity have in fact opened their third house. And the scope of their action is widening.

In Dari Ekh House, on the outskirts of Ulaanbaatar, Catholics are caring for street girls. In Bayanhoshuu, one of the poorest neighbourhoods of the capital, a new youth centre is helping the area's residents.

Much is being done in the Cathedral of SS Peter and Paul where Mongolian priests and students are studying the roots of Christianity and translating books and prayers in Mongolian following Fr Antoine Mostaert's methods. The first results of the translation work are a book of prayers and a catechism (from the Dutch) which were published last year.

A hospital, the St Luke Clinic, was opened in one wing of the Cathedral. Anyone who needs medical treatment receives it for free. Its staff is Mongolian under the supervision of Korean doctors.

The community has made a considerable effort in the field of education through the Don Bosco Technical Skills Centre, a vocational training centre that has had good results and whose students have passed state exams in all subjects.

The capital's (also the country's) three parish priests are training acolytes, readers and assistants.

Expatriate Catholics are also active. They are trying to open a school to teach English which many young people find very useful.

All this good work has generated sympathy among other religious communities. As a sign of respect, Buddhists invited Christians to the ceremony that welcomed the Buddha's remains to the Gandantegchiling Monastery, the largest in the country.

Mongolia's President Natsagiin Bagabandi also expressed his "deep gratitude" to the community's contributions to wider society.

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