In today’s Catholic News podcast, we are joined by His Eminence Cardinal Giorgio Marengo, Apostolic Prefect of Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. The Cardinal has been visiting the UK this week with Missio, the Pope’s charity for world mission.
Cardinal Marengo has served as a missionary priest in Mongolia since 2003. He has been the Apostolic Prefect of Ulaanbaatar, a missionary jurisdiction that covers the entire country of Mongolia, since 2 April 2020, and was created a Cardinal by Pope Francis on 27 August 2022 – making him the second youngest in the College of Cardinals.
In this episode, Cardinal Marengo tells us about the complexion of the Catholic Church in Mongolia, which has a population of just 1,500 Catholics. We also hear about Pope Francis’s visit to Mongolia in 2023 where he was given a warm welcome by the people of the country.
Finally, Cardinal Marengo shares his reflections on what it means to be a missionary:
“The key element for all of us missionaries is to love the people we have been sent to. First of all, we are guests in their country,” said the Cardinal. “If we are there today after so many years, it is because of their goodness and patience with us. I think love and sincere appreciation – when they’re genuine as they are – really open many doors because it is clear after maybe initial suspicions that we are there not for any other purpose than to share the Gospel, to share the Good News of Our Lord and Saviour Jesus with all those who are open to that, and with great respect for other religious traditions.”
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