The Apostolic Prefecture of Ulaanbaatar ( la, Praefectura Apostolica Ulaanbaatarensis) is a
Roman Catholic Latin
apostolic prefecture (pre-diocesan missionary jurisdiction) located in
Mongolia, with its territory consisting of the entire country.
Its
cathedral episcopal see is the
Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul, in the capital city of Mongolia,
Ulaanbaatar.
It is exempt, i.e. directly subject to the
Holy See, not part of any
ecclesiastical province.
On 28 August 2016, the Apostolic Prefecture of Ulaanbaatar celebrated the ordination of the first native Mongolian priest by Msgr. Wenceslao Padilla. Other seminarians are studying currently in South Korea.
History
* Established on 14 March 1922 as
Mission “sui iuris”
A mission '' sui iuris'', or in Latin ''missio sui iuris'' (plural ''missions sui iuris''); also spelled mission(s) sui juris), also known as an independent mission, is a rare type of Roman Catholic missionary pseudo-diocesan jurisdiction, ranki ...
of
Outer Mongolia
Outer Mongolia was the name of a territory in the Manchu-led Qing dynasty of China from 1691 to 1911. It corresponds to the modern-day independent state of Mongolia and the Russian republic of Tuva. The historical region gained ''de facto' ...
(), on territory split off from the
Apostolic Vicariate of Central Mongolia
* Renamed in 1924 as Mission sui iuris of Urga (or Ulanbator)
* Promoted on 8 July 2002 as
Apostolic Prefecture of Ulaanbaatar, but still not entitled to a
titular bishop.
Statistics
As of 2014, the prefecture had 919 Catholics (0.03% of 3,227,000 total) on 1,564,120 km² in six parishes and a mission with 17 priests (14 religious and three diocesan), 61 in religious life (43 female, 18 male) and 2 seminarians.
Ordinaries
* All missionary members of Latin congregations, notably Scheutists
; Ecclesiastical Superiors of Outer Mongolia
*
Apostolic Administrator Girolamo van Aertselaer, C.I.C.M. (1922 – 1924), also Apostolic Vicar of the then
Apostolic Vicariate of Chahaer 察哈爾 (China) &
Titular Bishop of
Zaraï (1898-05-07 – 1924-01-12)
; Ecclesiastical Superiors of Urga = Urgoo (or Ulaanbaatar)
*
Apostolic Administrator Everard Ter Laak,
C.I.C.M.
The CICM Missionaries officially named as the Congregation of the Immaculate Heart of Mary ( la, Congregatio Immaculati Cordis Mariae) abbreviated C.I.C.M, is a Catholic clerical religious congregation of Pontifical Right for men established in ...
(1924 – 5 May 1931), also
Coadjutor Apostolic Vicar of
Chahaer 察哈爾 (China) & Titular Bishop of
Parœcopolis (1914-05-06 – 1931-05-05); previously Apostolic Vicar of
Southern Kansu 甘肅南境 (China) (1906-06-21 – 1914-05-06) and Apostolic Vicar of Chahaer (China) (1924-01-12 – 1924-12-03); later Apostolic Vicar of
Xiwanzi 西灣子 (China) (1924-12-03 – 1931-05-05)
* Fr. Wenceslao Selga Padilla, C.I.C.M. (19 April 1992 – 8 July 2002; see below)
; Apostolic Prefects of Ulaanbaatar
* Wenceslao Selga Padilla, C.I.C.M. (8 July 2002 – 25 September 2018),
Titular Bishop of
Tharros (2003-08-02 – 2018-09-25)
*
Cardinal Giorgio Marengo, I.M.C. (2 April 2020 – present),
Cardinal-Priest of
San Giuda Taddeo Apostolo (2022 - present)
See also
*
List of Catholic dioceses (structured view)
Sources and external links
GCatholic.org, with incumbent biography links - data for all sections
Apostolic prefectures
Roman Catholic dioceses in Mongolia
Christian organizations established in 1922
Roman Catholic dioceses and prelatures established in the 20th century
Organizations based in Ulaanbaatar
1922 establishments in Mongolia
{{Asia-RC-diocese-stub