About a month ago, Cardinal Giorgio Marengo, representing Mongolia, visited Canada. During his visit, he attended St. Andrew's Parish in Toronto, where he celebrated the Eucharist to express gratitude for the long-standing relationship between the parish and his home in Mongolia.
Despite extensive commitments and frequent travels, the cardinal found time to appreciate the warm welcome he received at the Canadian parish.
“My recent trip through Toronto was a true enrichment for me. It was a real blessing, as our relationship has become even stronger. I was pleased to celebrate the Holy Mass together and spend time in unity,” he noted.
“I was deeply touched by their kindness and attentiveness, and it strengthened the bond between St. Andrew's Parish and our permanent mission in Mongolia,” the cardinal added.
For the cardinal, who currently serves as the apostolic prefect of Ulaanbaatar, this journey has been long. He noted that St. Andrew's Parish, inspired by the work of the Consolata missionaries, has long supported the mission in Mongolia, even before it came under his care.
More than 20 years ago, Marengo arrived in Mongolia as a young Italian missionary of the "Consolata," playing a key role in establishing the first Catholic parish in Arvaikheer.
In this small town, home to about 25,000 people, he worked to fulfill his community's mission, first evangelizing in a place where the Church was virtually unknown. This experience became a turning point in his life and continues to influence his ministry.
“In Arvaikheer, I learned what it means to serve the Church in a place where no one knew about it. Every day, I realized the beauty and challenges of sharing my faith with people who had never had the opportunity to encounter the Church and its message. This experience shaped the ministry I carry out now,” he said in an interview with The Catholic Register.
In 2022, Pope Francis appointed Marengo as a cardinal at the age of 48, making him one of the youngest members of the College of Cardinals, second only to Cardinal Nikolai Bichuk of Melbourne. Since then, his missionary work in Mongolia, where Christians make up only about 2% of the population, has become even more significant.
“After the shock of being appointed a cardinal, I tried to continue my work, deepening and strengthening it, while increasing my prayers to represent this office worthily within the Universal Church,” he added.
However, spreading the Gospel in a region where it has long been unknown presents a complex challenge.
“The situation of the Church in Mongolia resembles that described in the Acts of the Apostles, when the first community of believers arose through the testimony and labors of the Apostles,” he noted.
Marengo also pointed out that a large portion of Catholics in Mongolia are first-generation Christians, and he is glad to accompany them on their journey to a new faith.
As for vocations to the priesthood or religious life, the cardinal believes it is related to deepening personal relationships with Jesus Christ.
“This fosters the development of prayer life in families and individuals, allowing them to embrace the divine call to follow Christ. We focus on ensuring a good spiritual life so that young people can be more receptive to the Lord's call,” he added.
In Mongolia, Buddhism is the predominant religion, practiced by more than half of the population. Interreligious dialogue with the Buddhist majority has become a daily reality for Catholics, and the cardinal considers this important for the Church's history in the country.
Marengo actively participates in Buddhist-Christian colloquiums, including recent meetings of Mongolian Buddhist delegations with Pope Francis. He emphasizes the importance of such events for mutual understanding and cooperation, hoping they will lead to new initiatives, such as a homeless shelter in Ulaanbaatar, managed by the Catholic Church as part of the "House of Mercy" project.
Thanks to ties with St. Andrew's Parish, the Church in Mongolia hopes that other parishes around the world will also begin to develop similar fruitful collaborations.
“I sincerely hope that local Catholics in Mongolia and foreign missionaries can deepen their ministries. I strive for the local community to manifest a strong faith, driven by mercy and hope for a mature community that maintains the freshness of encountering Christ,” he concluded.
“I also believe that an important step toward realizing this dream will be growth in spiritual life, and we have a dream to establish a Catholic contemplative monastery in Mongolia when the conditions are right,” he added.
This story was published in the November 30, 2025 issue of The Catholic Register under the headline “The Connection Between St. Andrew's Parish and Mongolia Strengthens.”
Translation by: Tatar S. Maydar
