ANS interview - Summer 2013

1. In service to the Church./How did the salesian mission start?
   

• By 1998 through the Salesian confreres in S.Korea, the Salesians received an invitation from the Apostolic Nuncio (Nunciature shared by S.Korea and the Republic of Mongolia) and the Missio Sui Iuris Superior of Ulaanbaatar (Msgr. Padilla, C.I.C.M./Scheute missionaries). The Salesian Provincial of So. Korea (Fr., Vaclav) made the first exploratory visits. Then the Councilor for the Missions (Fr. Odorico) likewise made his personal visit to Mongolia. These visits resulted in finalizing the proper response: a) that the Province of So. Korea could not accept an additional mission territory because they were already preoccupied with the Mission territory in Manchuria (Yanji). b) That the Mongolia Mission was offered to the Province of Vietnam instead. With the essentials in place the Provincial of Vietnam Fr. John Ty and his council accepted the challenge of the Rector Major who thus approved the creation of the Mongolia mission in the year 2000.
  

• As part of the Jubilee year celebrations of Third Millenium, and international set of 6 confreres were pulled from 4 countries (Vietnam, Korea, Slovakia and the Philippines) to do the pioneering work.
  
• In the peak of one of the worst winters of Mongolia, the Salesians entered not to visit but this time to stay in February 7, 2001. Three days later the designated superior of the team (Fr. Carlo Villegas) was left behind with a fraternal hug and prayer by Fr. Odorico and Fr. Ty in Ulaanbaatar to found the Salesian mission works in (a) putting up at once a technical school (a commitment previously accepted); (b) preparing a place and home to live for the other pioneers that would be joining Fr. Villegas, 9 months later and (c) begin immediately daily classes in Mongolian language.
  

2. Describe the salesians presences in Mongolia? (in brief…)

• Nine (9) years after formal diplomatic ties were established (April 1992) between the Republic of Mongolia and the Vatican. The Salesians are the second (men) religious congregation to work in the mission of Mongolia. The Catholic Church Mission of Mongolia was entrusted and began by the congregation (men) C.I.C.M./ Scheute missionaries (July 1992). It is to the CICM that the ecclesiastical mission territory was entrusted by the Holy See.
• The Salesians serve the Church in both fields of Indirect and Direct Evangelization. There are currently two (2) Salesian Presences. One in the capital city of Ulaanbaatar and the other 220 Kilometers north of the capital, Darkhan. Chronologically, the first of the Salesians presence is a government certified technical-highschool that began with 30 students in 2001 and is now catering to almost 300 annually. The second service is an Orphanage of 20 kids, the remains of what was before a center for youth-at-risk, the defunct third presence that was undersized and merged with the Salesian community that operates the technical highschool. To these formal education and orphanage, the Salesians abide by Mongolian Laws that prohibit the teaching of religion. In the north of the Capital, the Salesian presence began in 2005 as a youth and educational center which in turn saw the formal establishment of the Parish of Mary our Help (2007). An agricultural farm apostolate was also added to the services later (2009). It is with the government registration as a branch of the Catholic Church of Ulaanbaatar, that Church services and catechesis are freely exercised within the walls and premises of the Church.
  

3. How did the salesian mission start?

• To be less formal and juridical in reply like the above, it would not be poetic only to say as always that the Salesian Mission began with St. John Bosco's Madonna, our Help. Because literally in every respect of trying to establish a Salesian presence in Mongolia, we made it clear that a medal of our Lady would be tossed into the barren semi-dessert Mongolian soil and would precede us. And indeed we are witness to these graces. Historically in time, we could also say that Don Bosco already began the Salesian work in its planning stages... when he mentions the name Tatar and Tataria (the old name of Mongol tribes) in the Biographical Memoirs of the Salesians. Moreover, the Salesian mission in Mongolia began consequentially also with the fruition of the Salesian Mission in China. It is to the Grand Mother – Salesian Province of China that the daughters of Salesian mission Provinces of Asia (Philippines, Vietnam, etc.) send forth her sons to other places as Mongolia, now one of the grand daughters. It is no wonder that the day before Fr. Carlo stepped into the Land of the Steppes, he sought out an aged and bent Fr. Mario Acquistapace, in Braga House in HongKong (China), Fr. Carlo vividly recalls Fr. Mario words and countenance when he was informed: Fr. Mario, tomorrow we enter Mongolia. To this Fr. Mario teary eyed said “This was always our dream, to enter Mongolia someday.” And to this day, Fr. Carlo keeps a stampita with the words Fr. Mario intentionally scribbled for him “(Mama) Maria will bless you.” And indeed she has and will always will.
  

3. How do you find the Mongolian youth?

• (personally speaking). Having been in Papua New Guinea for seven (7) years and now thirteen (13) in Mongolia, and definitely many years before that in the Philippines, It is clear for me that the differences in humanity can really only be a millimeter deep. Having said that, the youth of Mongolia like all other youth have its potential as well as its weakness. They do not differ I believe from any other youth of the world. They share the same aspirations of humanity and of youthfulness. They share the same courage and fearfulness as descendants of Chinggis Khaan. They share the same hunger for sympathy. They share the same receptivity to impartiality and goodness as well as sharing in the attractiveness to rationality and truth. They share the youth's daring to the point of even being imprudent. They need a friend who is faithful and constant to guide them in days of fickleness. They long for a teacher who helps them understand the beauty of life and the reality of pain. They seek a father and a mother who will protect them and call them as their own. When I asked these youth of various times and batches what are the kind of persons they like... the top three (3) answers I hear for the past decade... the ones who are joyful; the ones who are truthful and honest; the ones who are not drunkards, not a thief and not the ones who beat up others. If my students a decade ago were 18 years old, by now they are reaching 30... as they were young then and now as young adults, these values may get blurred by a society that is equally pandered by idols of economics, but definitely they do not disappear from their hearts. They simply lacked constant guide posts. If ever there is one picture to depict the resolve of the youth of Mongolia, it would be their resilience of spirit when I see them when it is still dark at early dawn... when its not only chilly nor cold but in very very freezing temperatures, they walk to school day by day when they could simply have stayed inside their warm beds. But they still came and wanted to learn... more.
  

3. What are the positive elements of Mongolia? (culture, people, religion, …)

• typical of the bloodline of Chinggis Khaan, they admire loyalty. Thus this is very well seen in their loyalty to their nuclear family and not to their extended family because of marriage. As a natural consequence they are loyal to their country's heritage like a true patriot; Moreover, this loyalty is expressed very deeply in their respect for elders so much so that their pronoun “Ta” (reverential 'you' for an elder) is used with differentiated from “chi” (for an equal or younger) for age differences. The accurate usage of these pronouns are means to resolve or even aggravate any confrontation.
  
• Mongolia's constitution upholds 'freedom of Religion'. But the exercise and practice of it is limited to the citizens of the country. Which translates as foreigners (missionaries) are restricted in the practice within the confines of the Church building and its premises. Consequentially, the best 'evangelizers' in terms of mobility are Mongolians themselves since the law is favorable to them. The prophetic role of Salesian Cooperators is limitless.
• Mongolia is a country professed in Buddhism; exercising religious indifference on a daily basis for the majority, but fundamentally shaman or animist in practice during days of pain, suffering and difficulty. For the few who are familiar with Catholicism, the term Christian is attributed colloquially for Protestant denominations and Catholic is given as a distinction from Protestant sects. There is a small percentage of Muslims that are predominantly from one of the Mongol tribes called Kazakh, which name generally situates which part of the country they predominate ie. North West.
• Being of Nomadic geographically, they have a natural acceptance of new ideas and new people. The downside of which is that this ready-acceptance of ideas and people can also mean the quickness to change and that lead to lack of constancy and persistence. Like all nomadic virtues, to be welcoming is one of the outstanding traits. This welcoming attitude towards others promotes the attitudes of tolerance and of forgiveness for as long as the hurt is not that personal.
• They love their mothers... When the Salesians exercise their devotion to Mary, the Help of the faithful. The natural affinity of Mongolians to a Mother are aroused. This devotion to the Mother in heaven is a win-win formula for catechesis and devotion.

3. What are the challenges?

• Without prejudice to the free exercise of Religion within the premises of our parish church, the preventive system in our schools and orphanage is without religion, like a three-legged stool lacking one leg. It does not bring depth in the work for a 'man fully alive' (Ireneus) or 'human transformation' this is so when the laws of the land welcome Reason and Loving-Kindness but not freely Religion (Christian).
  
• Salesians must face isolation... not loneliness. Because isolation (location in reference to the comfort zones of one's own shoreline) does not necessarily result in loneliness (social need). A depth of one's Christian faith and a healthy understanding of one's consecration results in a missionary who is 'at home' despite being geographically and sociologically isolated.
  
• Rampant urbanization and high percentage of unemployment are natural challenges for a post-socialist economy that may have the revenue sources but do not have the experience to apply the correct methods for economic sustainability. Of the three million population of the country more than a third is in the capital city of Ulaanbaatar.
  
• Mongolians love to read. They have one of the highest literacy rates in the world. The Salesians in general have failed to master the language as to be able to write and be a fruitful force of communicating and sharing horizons through the apostolate of publication... a tool of Don Bosco and St. Francis de Sales that has more longevity than the spoken word of a homily or lecture.
  
• I smile with frustration when I am reminded by one of our Mongolian staff who translated the book about Don Bosco by saying at the end... “I love Don Bosco but not Jesus” (a bias borne of the fall out with the prosetylizing of protestant fundamentalists that condemn everybody except themselves). When Salesians are confused of their consecration and identity as religious, the result is confused messages to the people. The challenge of 'a high standard of Christian Life' (daily prayer to Don Bosco) is very true. I have said it many times before, it is not enough to say that we “love” Don Bosco. Because multi-national communities of Salesians are by-products of different novitiates from different countries and formed by different novice masters, the interpretation (method) of the supposed knowledge of Don Bosco is so diverse that it breeds disparity and not only diversity of values. It is primarily important for the Salesians to have the knowledge and love of “The Christ” of the Apostles and of Don Bosco. And the very method of knowing and loving Christ is fundamentally reflective on how we do Theology today.
  
• It is true that the immediate indication of suitability for mission ad extra and inter-gentes is health. But freezing cold of Mongolia was not the main factor for 'return-to-sender' confreres. Neither is it the food, nor the people and the culture or language. The most common denominator for fall out is the inability live the Christian Faith in high standards ie. Naturally translates into a happy and prophetic living life as a consecrated person.
• Government laws, People hostile to the Church and its various presence are not only a handful but are but natural reactions to a Christian history that began on the wrong foot as the fundamentalist protestants may have antagonized the indigenous Buddhist and Shamans brothers of ours. Moreover the natural flaws of 'nationalism' contributed to this animosity to anything 'foreign'. And the Socialist's preservation of the Buddhist status quo would be favorable to politically preserve their control of power than to deal with by-products of a true democratic society with the bio-diversity of beliefs. Yet the silver lining is basically healthy “interaction.” The lack of it breeds ignorance and with ignorance comes suspicion and animosity. But after 13 years interacting with hundreds of parents, students and government officials, I saw them come to the door with lots of suspicion and when they leave (specially the alumni that leave after three years with us) they leave not only with awe and admiration but with the eagerness to tell their relatives and friends to send over their sons and daughters at the soonest.
  
• Viva Cristo Rey!
   c:ako