In Mongolia, the Pope captures Catholics and “non-Catholics”

Commenting on Francis’ visit to Mongolia, the Apostolic Governor of the country’s capital said that the Pope’s testimony and sermons brought him close to the Mongolian people.

From the newsroom, with Vatican News

The Apostolic Viceroy of Ulaanbaatar – the capital of Mongolia, Cardinal Giorgio Marengo evaluated the 43rd Apostolic Journey of Pope Francis. The visit to the East Asian country ended on Monday 4.

“Pilgrim of Peace,” the Cardinal defined the Holy Father. According to him, many were touched by the words of the Supreme Pontiff, who praised the beauty and value of Mongolian history and people.

paying off:
.: News of Pope Francis’ trip to Mongolia

And Cardinal Marengo stressed that the Pope left a message to the world and neighboring countries: “He showed that not everything is determined only by the logic of calculation, force and evasiveness.”

The feeling after Francis’s visit to the country is one of satisfaction. According to the Apostolic Governor of Ulaanbaatar, who was also one of the organizers of the visit, the Pope’s days in Mongolia have yielded “great results” for the country’s present and future. The cardinal pointed out that some of these results are “unexpected” for a church without expressive numbers, and it spared no effort in organizing an event that will mark history.

Great blessing

Cardinal Marengo was the 2022 Concierge Champion due to his age of 49 – making him the youngest member of the College of Cardinals. The Apostolic Viceroy of Ulaanbaatar was at the Pope’s side in all the events of the visit. In an interview with Vatican media, the cardinal described the trip as a “great blessing” and “a colossal gift” that exceeded hopes and expectations.

The cardinal highlighted all the preparations for the trip: “We did not have the means and the right people for an event of this kind.” After that, he expressed his joy at the presence of His Holiness the Pope in the country. He gave “a testimony so humble, simple and close that it immediately created harmony with people, with people of all possible origins”.

Visitation that also affects non-believers

The Apostolic Viceroy of Ulaanbaatar commented that the essence of the visit was the encounter with the Catholic community, but for the rest of the population, non-believers or those of other denominations, the Pontiff’s visit to the country was seen as very positive.

Many spoke “about how the Pope was able to shed light on the beauty and originality of this people. His speeches did indeed contain elements that made people feel proud of being themselves, because so much space was given to the beauty, richness, traditions and history of this people.

The cardinal continued that seeing a world-famous religious leader go to Mongolia with a message of brotherhood, cooperation and harmony “created a crack in the heart of this people”. For him, Francisco also managed to make himself known among the Mongolian people, because even on the eve of his arrival, the knowledge about him was not very in-depth, “perhaps a little superficial”.

Mongolia’s role in establishing world peace

With regard to the Pope’s position of emphasizing Mongolia’s international role for world peace, Cardinal Marengo first strengthened the Holy Father’s witness to peace and his request for genuine relations that can create the conditions for lasting peace.

And the Cardinal continued, Francis said that every people, regardless of their size, has a responsibility to build peace. The Mongolians have a similar experience with the Mongolian peace, as mentioned by the Holy Father himself. It was a reality and maybe we can really learn from these experiences for our present.”

Advocating for religious freedom and strengthening the church in Mongolia

The call for religious freedom, respect for rights and peaceful coexistence between religions also came from the Pope. The Apostolic Viceroy of Ulaanbaatar said it was the wish that the seeds of these calls would grow and take root and become more and more a reality.

May these messages conveyed with courage, pause, and frankness become concrete programs for life and cooperation. And we have high hopes that all of this becomes a real path, a tangible path, because we know that this country also delivers on its promises. Therefore, we are sure that there will be positive results.

For the future, the Cardinal expects the Church in the country to grow even more in deepening and rediscovering the faith and being able to express and live it. He pointed out that it is “a gift and a responsibility for all of us.” “Look at the Lord,” this is what the Cardinal wanted for the Catholics in Mongolia.

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