austraLasia 1618
Mongolia's Darkhan now has an official Catholic Church - Don Bosco Darkhan
ULAAN BAATAR: 28th July 2006 -- The recent Nadaam festivities, briefly reported in an earlier austraLasia, had their benefits for the new Salesian presence in Darkhan in Mongolia's northern region, though it would be truer to say that the Salesian witness both in Ulaan Baatar and Darkhan is what has convinced the authorities.
Darkhan city authorities had already made a decision not to accept new churches in the city - they believed they had too many. Several Christian groups have thus been turned down. The Salesians were there, though not officially as Church in Government terms, but the authorities have closely and with appreciation, followed what they describe as the 'humanitarian work especially in education' of the Salesians. The Salesian Superior in Mongolia, Fr Carlo Villegas, speaking with Darkhan city authorities, pointed out that Salesians work 'in the world' even before they seek official presence as Church, and that they as Catholic Church work for the total development of the person anywhere in the world. The authorities were impressed, as were their immediate predecessors, with the educational and holistic development of youngsters resulting from Salesian presence.
Fr Carlo and the Darkhan authorities' discussion was somewhat reminiscent of the Don Bosco-Ratazzi discussion well documented by Don Bosco himself. Fr Carlo pointed out that he was not seeking permission for Church identity and within that to run educational services, as that would in fact run contrary to the Mongolian Government's education department policy, which expressly forbids religious activities as part of education. The authorities also found that impressive! They asked in the bygoing if Fr Carlo and the Salesians could help out, perhaps, with the Nadaam festivities in the city - what an opportunity! He asked a little financial help for some gers (the tent-like dwelling Mongolians use). Both requests were acceded to - on condition that the activity and donation was on behalf of poor people and that this be acknowledged by written receipt. it was.
The end result is that later in the week the City Council approved the official presence of the Catholic Church in Darkhan - and that means the Salesian presence. The chairperson of the city council has twice visited since, offering two sites for possible purchase for the Catholic church to be built: one a dome-shaped building in the centre of the city, another a three story hospital building now somewhat dilapidated. The decision has yet to be made but the fact that the communist government has taken direct moves to see that the presence is properly and visibly established not only as an educational but an ecclesial presence, says something.
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AustraLasia is an email service for the Salesian Family of Asia Pacific. It also functions as an agency for ANS based in Rome. For queries please contact admin@bosconet.aust.com Try out BoscoWiki to be interactive. For RSS feeds, subscribe to www.bosconet.aust.com/RSS/rssala.xm A separate service entirely is called F/OSSERVATORE to help us keep abreast of trends in the digital world.
Mongolia's Darkhan now has an official Catholic Church - Don Bosco Darkhan
ULAAN BAATAR: 28th July 2006 -- The recent Nadaam festivities, briefly reported in an earlier austraLasia, had their benefits for the new Salesian presence in Darkhan in Mongolia's northern region, though it would be truer to say that the Salesian witness both in Ulaan Baatar and Darkhan is what has convinced the authorities.
Darkhan city authorities had already made a decision not to accept new churches in the city - they believed they had too many. Several Christian groups have thus been turned down. The Salesians were there, though not officially as Church in Government terms, but the authorities have closely and with appreciation, followed what they describe as the 'humanitarian work especially in education' of the Salesians. The Salesian Superior in Mongolia, Fr Carlo Villegas, speaking with Darkhan city authorities, pointed out that Salesians work 'in the world' even before they seek official presence as Church, and that they as Catholic Church work for the total development of the person anywhere in the world. The authorities were impressed, as were their immediate predecessors, with the educational and holistic development of youngsters resulting from Salesian presence.
Fr Carlo and the Darkhan authorities' discussion was somewhat reminiscent of the Don Bosco-Ratazzi discussion well documented by Don Bosco himself. Fr Carlo pointed out that he was not seeking permission for Church identity and within that to run educational services, as that would in fact run contrary to the Mongolian Government's education department policy, which expressly forbids religious activities as part of education. The authorities also found that impressive! They asked in the bygoing if Fr Carlo and the Salesians could help out, perhaps, with the Nadaam festivities in the city - what an opportunity! He asked a little financial help for some gers (the tent-like dwelling Mongolians use). Both requests were acceded to - on condition that the activity and donation was on behalf of poor people and that this be acknowledged by written receipt. it was.
The end result is that later in the week the City Council approved the official presence of the Catholic Church in Darkhan - and that means the Salesian presence. The chairperson of the city council has twice visited since, offering two sites for possible purchase for the Catholic church to be built: one a dome-shaped building in the centre of the city, another a three story hospital building now somewhat dilapidated. The decision has yet to be made but the fact that the communist government has taken direct moves to see that the presence is properly and visibly established not only as an educational but an ecclesial presence, says something.
___________________
AustraLasia is an email service for the Salesian Family of Asia Pacific. It also functions as an agency for ANS based in Rome. For queries please contact admin@bosconet.aust.com Try out BoscoWiki to be interactive. For RSS feeds, subscribe to www.bosconet.aust.com/RSS/rssala.xm A separate service entirely is called F/OSSERVATORE to help us keep abreast of trends in the digital world.
