Church in Kyrgyzstan: a ‘blossoming bud’ growing in the peripheries of the world

Rome Newsroom, Apr 8, 2024 / 07:00 am (CNA).

During Easter Week, April 2-3, the Apostolic Administration of Kyrgyzstan convened a two-day meeting in the capital of Bishkek dedicated to prayer, sharing, and the work of evangelization within the small yet budding Catholic community spread throughout the Central Asian country.

“It is such a great consolation to all of us to be a part of this universal Church with so many members across the world,” said Father Anthony Corcoran, SJ, apostolic administrator of Kyrgyzstan, in an interview with CNA. “But it is also a grace to be here in such a small community.”

In a predominantly Muslim country, Catholics in Kyrgyzstan account for less than 0.01% of the population of 6.7 million people. Currently, there are several hundred Catholics in the country belonging to either the Roman or Byzantine rite.

Though Catholics have been present in Kyrgyzstan since the 14th century, Corcoran said the “founding members” of the Church communities — spread across three parishes in the cities of Bishkek, Talas, and Jalalabad — are descendants of German, Polish, and other ethnically European families deported to Central Asia during World War II under the Russian communist regime of Joseph Stalin.

The meeting, which took place at the Church of St. Michael, a local parish that serves as the pro-cathedral of the apostolic administration in Bishkek, brought together priests, religious brothers and sisters, and laymen and laywomen who work for the Church.

“Since we’re all here working and usually often spread apart, it is such a wonderful opportunity to gather and to focus; not only on ‘what’ but on ‘why’ and for ‘whom’ we are here,” Corcoran told CNA.

Besides sharing news and events of local Catholic communities, others topics discussed during the meeting included the recent Synod on Synodality, evangelization that is mindful of local circumstances and contexts, as well as the impact of new legislation regarding foreign nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) and the charitable works of the Church.

Sher Abdugapirov, national manager of Caritas Kyrgyzstan, the charitable arm of the Catholic Church in the country and part of a network of 160 Catholic charities organized under bishops’ conferences worldwide, also participated in the meeting. He said the exchange of opinions and ideas among participants at the meeting was fruitful and had the potential to expand the Church’s charitable activities across parishes.

“Caritas’ social works and projects show that the Catholic Church is small but enthusiastic, and part of the local community ready to work with all compatriots for the benefit of society and the development of our homeland,” Abdugapirov said.

Also discussed at the meeting was the importance of the protection of minors and vulnerable adults. Every year, the Apostolic Administration of Kyrgyzstan organizes safeguarding training for those working in the Church.

Recalling a meeting with Pope Francis during the ad limina visit of Central Asian bishops and prelates in Rome in 2019, Corcoran said the Holy Father referred to the Catholic communities in Kyrgyzstan — and in the neighboring countries of Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan — as the blossoming buds or “sprigs” of the living Church growing in the peripheries of the world.

“He was encouraging us all, as small churches, to realize that being small is an opportunity, a possibility, and not a problem,” Corcoran said.