In October, Catholic Mission and the wider Catholic community celebrate World Mission Month, an opportunity to recognise missionaries around the world who are reaching out to those at the margins.
Cardinal Giorgio Marengo IMC, Apostolic Prefect of Ulaanbaatar, reminds us of ‘the importance of depth—being solid in prayer, always aware that not bearing fruit may mean we have to intensify our prayer ... not by words, but by visible signs of compassion, care or forgiveness.’
During World Mission Month, Catholic Mission invites the Catholic faithful to celebrate together and to learn about the work of mission worldwide. Drawing on his personal experience as a missionary, he emphases the importance of missionary work within the broader global community, especially in countries like Mongolia, with one of the smallest Catholic communities.
‘We have also started a joint venture in serving the people of God there, and not only the people of God—the members of the Church—but the larger community in Mongolia that we serve,’ says Cardinal Marengo.
When he first arrived in Mongolia, the Catholic community was small in number, with only a few hundred Catholics. Today, it has grown to 1,500.
‘The growth happened because many people from different walks of life were attracted by the Gospel; they were moved by what the first missionaries were doing,’ Cardinal Marengo says. ‘For our people, many times the first connection with the Church is precisely through the witness of a friend within the community—someone whose life has been transformed by faith.’
From the first isolated groups of missionaries, the Church has now grown and become an essential service provider, especially in the capital city of Ulaanbaatar, a growing city facing all the challenges of rapid urbanisation. One project that the Church has recently created is the House of Mercy, providing vital support and shelter to people facing homelessness.
Last year Pope Francis blessed the project, describing it as ‘the point of reference for a variety of charitable works, hands outstretched towards our brothers and sisters, struggling to navigate life’s problems—a safe haven, in other words, where people can find a listening ear and an understanding heart’.
The House of Mercy provides not just shelter and food but also access to basic medical care, showers and laundry, and counselling—services that are not readily available to people facing difficult situations.
‘Sometimes we think it’s big things that make the biggest impact, but sometimes it’s the smallest communities and the smallest acts that leave the greatest impact,’ says Cardinal Marengo, describing the work done at the House of Mercy.
This October, Catholic Mission invites the faithful of Melbourne to celebrate World Mission Month together, and to put faith into action through acts of kindness.
Learn more about the House of Mercy here.
Banner image: Chuluunbaatar, a beneficiary of the House of Mercy, with Sr Veronica, who runs the House of Mercy’s clinic. (Photo courtesy of Catholic Mission.)
