Matthieu Ndjeok Golimé, cicm
Missionary in Mongolia
1. The Shadow of our Own Cultural Background
Most Mongolian missionaries come from countries with deep Christian roots, such as the Philippines, South Korea, India, Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, and Italy. In these countries, Catholic identity is often taken for granted and appreciated, sometimes even as a privilege. Simply acknowledging someone’s religious affiliation opens doors and earns respect. However, this is not the case in Mongolia, where society and the government are suspicious of Christian identity. Mongolians view Christianity as a foreign religion and do not appreciate its presence. For missionaries in Mongolia, transitioning from a majority to a minority position is challenging, requiring humility and flexibility. In some cases, missionary work may involve social work. Working in Mongolia as a priest sometimes means serving as a social worker.
2. Linguistic and Cultural Challenges.
The Mongolian language belongs to the Altaic language family, which includes Turkish, Korean, and Japanese. It has its own script but now uses Cyrillic alphabet. It has a complex structure with several grammatical cases to indicate word relationships. It is very different from French, English, Italian, and Spanish, which most of us are familiar with. Learning Mongolian, especially at an older age demands more determination. Some succeed, while others struggle to master it.
3. The Climate
The climate in Mongolia is characterized by its extreme nature, with significant temperature variations between seasons. Winter is harsh and long. It starts snowing as early as beginning of September until end of April. Temperatures can drop to as low as -40° during winters. Summer merely lasts three months. It is only these three months that you are free to move without heavy clothes and free to travel to the countryside. Ulaanbaatar, the capital city, has become one of the most polluted cities in the world during winter due to the use of coal by households in the suburbs for heating their homes. Many Mongolians who have the means, especially pregnant women and those who are breastfeeding, leave Mongolia during this time for the sake of their children's health. It feels like you are living in slow motion during winters. Living in such conditions, especially for those of us who grew up in warm countries, can be a big challenge for our mental and physical health.
4. Administrative Challenges
Another major challenge faced by missionaries in Mongolia is the complex and varied issues surrounding visa applications and renewal. Administrative restrictions on churches and international organizations are one example of these challenges. Missionaries and humanitarian workers may encounter difficulties in obtaining or renewing their visas, which can compromise their activities and presence in the country.
A few years ago, the Mongolian government implemented a quota system. The policy required churches to employ eight Mongolian nationals for every foreign missionary, a demand that many parish priests struggled to meet. Even NGOs faced a steep requirement of four local staff per foreign worker. Although the previous quota system has been phased out, the current legal framework introduces a fresh and increasingly burdensome challenge. An annual payment of approximately US$6,000 is required for a religious visa. For organizations sustained by generosity and committed to service over profit, this recent hike is not simply an added cost, it is just becoming unsustainable. Adding to this strain is the rigid cap that limits the number of visas granted each year to foreign workers. In 2025, only 600 visas were allocated to international non-governmental organizations with representative offices in Mongolia. This number represents only a modest increase compared to 2024 and remains subject to change each year. Such unpredictability exacerbates the climate of uncertainty, compromising the sustainability and stability of our commitments.
In Mongolia today, the conditions for missionary work have become increasingly restrictive —especially for those without a religious visa. Several missionaries, including some of our confreres, have faced arrest simply for celebrating Mass or preaching a homily within a church setting. Following their detention, they were subjected to interrogation and formal reprimands before their documents were returned.
This situation has had lasting consequences. Priests who did not enter the country under a religious visa are now formally prohibited from celebrating public Masses, even on an occasional basis. Of the seven confreres currently present in Mongolia, only two possess the required religious visa and are therefore permitted to celebrate the Eucharist publicly.
5. Financial challenges
The Mission grew rapidly in terms of infrastructure during its first 20 years thanks to considerable financial support from the Province of SM and fundraising efforts by the confreres. We should keep in mind that at that time, Mongolia was the focus of special attention from organizations and people of good will. Calls for help were generally met with positive responses. CICM paid its workers good salaries and was therefore able to recruit the best people.
Starting in 2013, Mongolia began extensive exploitation of its coal, copper, and uranium deposits, which contributed to the country's rapid development. The economic growth achieved through its mining sector led to Mongolia no longer being classified as a developing nation, resulting in reduced global attention. International charities and donors redirected their focus to other regions, leading to fewer resources for the Mission. Currently, CICM is facing difficulties in raising the funds needed to finance its few remaining projects and ministries. It is important to note that Caritas and Saints Peter and Paul Cathedral were taken over by the Prefecture in 2020, while Good Shepherd Parish was transferred in the same way in 2025. As a result, CICM now has limited structures to manage, yet continues to struggle to finance them properly. We face difficulties in employing dedicated workers for our projects due to low salaries. However, confreres remain committed to their responsibilities, largely thanks to the fundraising efforts led by Paul Staes in Singapore.
6. Unstable Personnel in CICM
When I arrived in Mongolia in June 2008, we were a group of 11 confreres in Mongolia, including Bishop Wensceslao Padilla, the Prefect; one confrere in specialized studies, and four interns. However, three confreres left Mongolia the following year, leaving only two who had completed their Initial Formation. All the interns assumed significant responsibilities early on, such as being the District Treasurer, Administrator of the SPP Cathedral, Supervisor of VCC, MHK, or Rector of the District House. Despite these challenges, things were progressing well due to the dedication of the confreres and the support from the Province and our benefactors.
By 2014, all four interns had completed their Initial Formation and were fully committed to different ministries and three more interns joined in the meantime, bringing the total number of confreres to 11. However, over the next three years (2015-2017), four confreres left Mongolia for various reasons, resulting in a reduction to seven.
In summary, throughout its 33-year history, the Mongolia CICM Mission has welcomed 27 missionaries from six different countries. Two missionaries joined the Master of the Vine. Six (22%) missionaries left CICM while 14 (52%) left the mission for various reasons. Only two missionaries returned to Mongolia after their service. Currently, there are seven (26%) CICM confreres in Mongolia. What thoughts and reflections do the departures of several confreres from the Congregation in Mongolia bring to our minds? What possible explanations could there be for the call of several confreres to serve elsewhere? Could it be their personal desire to leave, or is it because this mission has equipped them with the necessary skills and patience for such services or because of the above-mentioned challenges have pushed them out? Did the leadership or the Mongolia District itself contribute to these outfalls?
Conclusion and Points for Reflection
Mongolia holds a special place in the heart of CICM, as it was entrusted to us by the Vatican and remains under our responsibility, even though the Cardinal Prefect belongs to another Congregation. This mission aligns perfectly with our charism, yet it also presents numerous challenges, some of which have just been mentioned above. A confrere rightly pointed out in an issue of our Provincial Bulletin that the mission in Mongolia is costly for the Province. This observation is valid, but the pressing question now is how we envision the future of this mission despite these challenges. This requires the collective attention of both the confreres working in Mongolia and the entire Province. The 16th General Chapter specifically requested that Provinces that have undergone restructuring evaluate their experiences. This could be an opportunity for us to reflect on the future of some of our missions, including the one in Mongolia.
