Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Kathmandu (Agenzia Fides) - The small Catholic community (6,226 faithful) in Nepal is living a springtime of the faith, local Church sources told Fides, as increasing numbers of young Nepalese show an interest in Christianity and ask for religious instruction in view of Baptism. To respond to pressing pastoral needs of youth pastoral and evangelisation the Apostolic Vicar of Nepal, Bishop Anthony Sharma sj, urges religious congregations all over the world to send missionaries and open new communities in Nepal. “The people are asking for this ”, the Bishop said. “They offer us pieces of land to open religious houses, social assistance centres, hospitals, schools. Especially in the west of the country there is need of a larger Christian community. We welcome religious institutes to come to Nepal to offer their services”.
Young people in Nepal are attracted by the Christian message while in this mainly Hindu country there is growing democracy and cultural and religious pluralism and respect for personal freedoms. The young people take courage and ask for information about the Catholic Church and how to join. They are the key to the growth of the Catholic Church in Nepal. Since 1991, with a new constitution which removed the ban on conversions and gave greater religious freedom, Christians of various confessions have increased in Nepal from about 50,000 to about 800,000 (in a population of 29 million).
Today after political upheaval in recent years and with relative progress in democracy and power sharing, the young people feel freer to speak out and they see in the Christian message Oggi, “hope for a better life”. Christian schools and hospitals are deeply appreciated by the Nepalese. The local community wishes to be ready to welcome these new young Christians and hopes also to accompany some of them to World Youth Day in July 2008 in Sydney an event which would be a wonderful opportunity to experience the universal nature of the Catholic Church. (PA) (Agenzia Fides 5/12/2007 righe 27 parole 271)
