Students of Don Bosco Technical school in Ulaanbaatar 

By Fr. Jaroslav Vracovský, SDB

Prague, Czech Republic, December 3, 2015 - The Lord gave me the grace to visit Mongolia for some days even before I will stay there for longer time. Two weeks spent last October in Mongolia were very interesting and useful. I could see the life of Mongolian Church. I could meet local bishop Wenceslaus S. Padilla, CICM – Apostolic Prefect of Mongolia with the representative of the Czech Caritas Mr. Thilbaut Chapoy, visit the Czech Embassy in Ulaanbaatar, get to know my new provincial of Vietnam-Mongolia, Fr. Joseph Quang and above all getting know my new community and its service for the poorest young people.

Salesians in Mongolia have two communities. In the capital of Ulaanbaatar there is an important ‘Don Bosco Industrial Technical Skill Center’ with 250 students in 6 specializations as well a ‘Care Center’ with 20 youth in need in the same compound. In Darkhan near the Russia border there is a Salesian Youth Center (Library, Farm and Oratory) and a lively parish of Mary Help of Christian (150 Catholics). For Mongolia it’s a respectable number because there was nobody at the beginning just ten years ago.

What was the benefit of this journey for me? I could not only touch Mongolian nature, culture and hard climate, but I could try to live in an international community and communicate in English, to say some words in Mongolian, to meet young and old people, to celebrate Holy Mass and to preach monthly spiritual retreat or to edit a short video about Salesians in Mongolia and so on. And I was able to recognize the mystery of God’s guidance which led me into this country of Genghis Khan.

I hope to reach Mongolia in May 2016, God willing. Before that time I have to prepare myself, to say hello in the Czech Republic and go to Ireland for 4 months English language course. Thank you very much all for support and prayers!

NB – At present time there are 10 confreres belonging to the Mongolia Delegation (VIE), 4 of them in Ulanbaatar, 3 of them in Darkhan, 2 students out of the Delegation (UPS-Rome, Philippines - Parañaque).

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Vietnam-Mongolia provincial Fr. Joseph Quang with SDB confreres and Salesian Cooperators

Fr. Jaroslav Vracovský after arrival to Mongolia