ICC Note: Newly ordained priest Father Joseph Enkh-Baatar and one-thousand five hundred guests gathered for the ordination Mass. In Mongolia, where persecution of Christians is an ongoing adversity, it is good news when Christians are able to celebrate. Earlier this year, explosives were thrown into the stove chimney of a Kazakh house church in Mongolia on the night of 27 December, just days after the local church had celebrated Christmas. Many local Muslims are angered by the meeting of Christians, therefore, it is important to pray for those being persecuted for gathering, and celebrate with those who are able to gather.

08/31/2016 Mongolia (AsiaNews) – The first mass celebrated by a newly ordained priest “is always a gift of God. But this mass, this Eucharistic Liturgy is for me an even greater gift. Now I hope to be able to walk on the path indicated by the Lord and do His will”, said Father Joseph Enkh-Baatar, the first priest of Mongolia’s small Catholic community, this morning.

The young man was ordained yesterday in the Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul in Ulaanbaatar, the same church where this morning he celebrated his first Eucharist. The ordination was presided by the Apostolic Prefect Msgr. Wenceslao Padilla, who today celebrates the 12th anniversary of his episcopal ordination; by Msgr. Lazzaro You Heung-sik, bishop of the South Korean diocese of Daejeon where Enkh studied; and the nuncio to Korea and Mongolia, Msgr. Oswaldo Padilla.

More than 40 priests concelebrated, from Consolata Fathers missionaries present for years in the Asian country to Fr. Modesto, who came from the Archdiocese of Naples on behalf of Cardinal Sepe. There were 1,500 faithful and guests, including representatives of the government and city authorities as well as a sizeable diplomatic representation. Those present included Enkh’s mother, who embraced her son, calling it “an honor”.

Of note, the attendance of Abbot Dambajav, who leads the Buddhist monastery of Dashi Lin Choi. The Mongolian people in fact divided between traditional Tibetan Buddhism and shamanism, and aspects of the two religions often meet. Relations are not as close with the Christian community, thus Enkh’s ordination is also a bridge in this sense.

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