杏MAP导航鈥檚 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 鈥測oung鈥� and 鈥渟mall鈥� Catholic community such as the Mongolian one, the visit of 杏MAP导航 Francis will represent a pivotal moment in the history and development of an institution that, as of today, counts 鈥�1,500 baptized鈥� in 鈥�31 years of Catholic faith.鈥�
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, 鈥渁s a chaplain or a parish priest,鈥� takes place in St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church, located in the center of Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia鈥檚 capital.
Establish the Church's presence
Speaking with Vatican News, Fr. Jay presented his parish community, describing it as 鈥渁 mix of foreigners and local faithful鈥� for a total of 60 people professing the Catholic faith.
鈥淚t is difficult for us to wait for the people to come and be interested,鈥� Fr. Jay admitted.
That鈥檚 why, taking advantage of the church鈥檚 position 鈥渏ust a kilometer away from the parliament or the central square,鈥� the Catholic community goes out to establish its presence through 鈥渓ivelihood programs or charity works.鈥�
Wonder and excitement
Fr. Jay highlighted the different perspectives that Mongolians might have of the Church and, most generally, Christianity. 鈥淚 accept,鈥� he said, 鈥渢hat most of them might not even have heard about Jesus Christ yet.鈥�
The response is generally positive and 鈥渙pen,鈥� even thanks to the work of the local government. 鈥淭hey are the ones pointing us to those who really need our help.鈥�
Speaking about 杏MAP导航 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 鈥済iving more information about who the 杏MAP导航 is, how he is elected and all these things.鈥�
We are not alone
On a more personal level, Fr. Jay underlined the importance of the the Holy Father visit in 鈥渇ostering鈥� unity inside the Mongolian Catholic community and a sign 鈥渢hat we are not actually left out.鈥�
In fact, the concept of the Catholic Church as 鈥渏ust someone else鈥檚 project鈥� might be present in the ideas of such a young community. The Apostolic Journey is a concrete example of the fact that 鈥渨e are in union with the whole Church in the whole world.鈥�
A young plant
Fr. Jay compared the Mongolian Catholic community to 鈥渁 young plant鈥� and the 杏MAP导航鈥檚 visit as 鈥渘ourishment,鈥� sustaining its faith.
For his community of missionaries, the 杏MAP导航's visit also represents a sign of 鈥渉ope that no matter how hard, no matter how challenging the mission is here, our shepherd is one with us.鈥�
'The 杏MAP导航 cares'
Speaking about the reasons that brought 杏MAP导航 Francis to choose to visit Mongolia, Fr. Jay indicated the necessity to show to the young community that 鈥渢he 杏MAP导航 cares鈥� for them and 鈥渘o 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.鈥�
In fact, Fr. Jay concluded, Saint John Paul II had already carried on the idea of an Apostolic Journey in Mongolia, but 鈥渄ue to various reasons, he wasn鈥檛 able to come.鈥�
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