Mongolia: Church prepares for ordination of first native priest

Deacon Joseph Enkh

The first native priest of Mongolia: Joseph Enkh, will be ordained in Ulaan Baatar on 28 August 2016 by His Exc Mgr Wenceslao Padilla, Apostolic Prefect of Ulan Bator.

Congolese Fr Prosper Mbumba, a member of the Congregation of the Immaculate Heart of Mary missionaries in Mongolia, said: "This event is particularly important, for our young Church, re-founded in 1992 and today has just over a thousand baptized. The ordination of a native priest will stimulate the enthusiasm and sense of belonging among the Mongolians, towards a church that has long been seen as foreign."

Joseph Enkh was ordained a deacon on 11 December 2014 in Daejeong , where he received his initial formation, and returned to Mongolia in January. Since then he has been carrying out his pastoral experience, serving in various parishes of Mongolia, where currently there are, altogether about 20 missionaries and 50 nuns from 12 congregations, working in six parishes.

Fr Prosper said: "Christians pray a lot for their future priests and parishes are promoting catechetical meetings, to offer people a better understanding of the priestly ministry. In all the churches of Mongolia a novena of prayer before the ordination will be held. Many faithful continue to express their expectations to the future priest in writing: they write letters to let him know that they are proud of his vocation and have trust in his presence and his work."

The missionary concluded: "We thank God for this gift and for this enthusiasm."

Source: Fides