Father Joseph is the only native Catholic priest in Mongolia, a country where Catholicism has a small following (only about 0.05% of the population) and where the Church is among the youngest in the world.
1-How do you live being the only Catholic priest in Mongolia?
Actually the Catholic Church in Mongolia is one of the youngest in the world today. This year we are celebrating the 25th anniversary of the Catholic Church in Mongolia. The search for the word of God was planted 25 years ago and it is growing little by little, bearing fruit for all of us. I am one of the fruits of that search and there are young people who want to become a priest or a nun to work for the kingdom of God. At the moment we have seminarians studying in South Korea and some girls expressed their interest in going to the convent.
2- What moved you to become a Catholic?
First, I went to church thanks to my older sister when I was seven years old. Initially I liked going to church because of its atmosphere. Later, I gradually got to know more about Jesus, the Bible, faith and the teachings of the Church. Faith in God became more and more important in my life. It gave an answer and meaning to all my questions that I had since childhood. Through faith in Christ and my personal experience with God I deduced that I found the ultimate meaning and purpose of my life. During my high school years I consulted the Bible by sharing it every Friday. After using it, I would run as fast as I could and tell myself that I was the happiest boy in the world because I felt God's immense love. Since then I went to church every day.
3- What did you find in Catholicism that other religions do not have? What religion did you practice before converting to Catholicism?
Of course we respect all religions, but we have to admit their differences and peculiarities. Personally, I found the truth, meaning and purpose of my life in the Catholic Church. For me the peculiarity of Catholicism or Christianity that in general differs from other religions is Jesus Christ himself. There are no other religions whose leader spoke, thought and acted like him, or who showed so much love towards humanity through his incarnation and sacrifice on the cross. Moreover, compared to other Christian communities, the Catholic Church is unique in many ways. The Catholic Church is the only Church of the time of Christ. It has a rich tradition in many aspects, especially in theology, philosophy, liturgy, etc.
When I was born, Mongolia was a communist country, and there was no religious freedom, which was won with democracy in 1990. The Catholic Church came to Mongolia in 1992, and I started going to mass in 1994 when I was only seven years old. Because I did not practice any other religion before I went to Buddhist temples a few times a year with my family.
4-How did your family react when you told them you wanted to become a Catholic priest?
After graduating from high school, I told my family, along with the parish priest, that I wanted to become a priest. After hearing the news that I wanted to become a priest, my mother cried for almost three months because she loved me very much, and she did not want to send me away. There is no seminary in Mongolia and I had to go abroad. Besides, my mother was not a Catholic at that time and did not know much about the Catholic Church and the priesthood. Most of my family and relatives were not happy with my decision to become a priest, because my father had passed away and I was the only male in my family, with two older sisters; in Mongolia, men are considered the only ones who will carry on the family lineage. In spite of everything, after graduating from university I wanted to go to South Korea to study in the seminary, and all my family members, although saddened, gave me their blessings and support. I was greatly helped by the guidance I received from Wenceslao Padilla, the Apostolic Prefect of Ulaanbaatar. From him I learned his generosity, openness, optimism, joyful spirit and love for his sheep.
5-How does Christianity coexist with other religions in Mongolia? And in South Korea?
In Mongolia the major religions really coexist in harmony. We have annual meetings and conferences on religions during the World Peace Day. At my ordination we had important guests such as Buddhist lamas (monks), a Protestant pastor, a Shinto priest and a Russian Orthodox priest. The Catholic Church in Mongolia also has a friendly relationship with the Mongolian Evangelical Union, which is the largest union of Protestant churches. The only difficulty is cooperation with the Mongolian government or institutions. Although there is religious freedom in the country, after being a former communist state, there are still very strict regulations for granting permits for religious activities and visas for missionaries.
In South Korea, the Catholic Church also has a good relationship with other religions. Compared to the Church in Mongolia, the Korean Church is much larger, more influential in society, and has a greater social acceptance. However, the collaboration between the Catholic Church and other Christian communities is a bit obscure and difficult. Sometimes I feel sorry that some Protestant communities see the Catholic and other communities as a threat or a competitor.
6-How many people usually go to your parish? What activities do you do there?
I am working as a curate at St. Peter and Paul Cathedral. We have about 340 baptized people and half of them come to church weekly. At the moment, we have two parish seats, nine different age groups (e.g. children, elementary students, youth, young couples, adults, international community, etc.), three catechism classes, two Sunday school classes, one confirmation class, Bible class, and three liturgical groups (choir, altar children, lectors). Usually, all the groups make their annual plan and programs, and help in different activities and services in the church. Especially, during this period we are more focused on preparing the 25th anniversary of the prefecture and organizing different activities related to this event, such as seminars, tree planting, etc.
7- Are there plans to open more parishes in Mongolia?
Yes, of course. The good news is for everyone. But as Jesus said, we need more workers in the Lord's field. We need more missionaries and especially local priests and nuns who announce the Gospel and serve the Church. Also, we need to train more lay missionaries, because the Church cannot depend only on priests and religious.
8- Are there prospects for new priestly or religious vocations?
We are trying to have vocation day annually and we are organizing different activities and seminars every two months for those who are willing or interested in becoming priests or religious. I am really convinced that these vocation activities and seminars can help young people to understand the call of God and discover their own vocation, whether or not as a priest or religious. Vocation is for everyone, and it is not only about becoming a religious or a priest. It is listening to the voice of God in one's life and responding to it. Listening to, following and fulfilling one's vocation is always beautiful and is an instrument through which we can give fulfillment to the meaning of our existence.
