Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Kathmandu (Fides) - The Catholic community in Nepal has its own Pastoral Centre named after Saint John Vianney. The Centre, situated at Godavari, 15 km south of the capital Kathmandu, is a compound of two buildings on about 5,000 sq. metres of land. One building will serve for pastoral activity: catechesis, youth formation, group meetings and the other will house the residence and offices of the Pro- Prefect Apostolic in Nepal Father Pius Perumana and his staff of four Sisters Adorers of the Most Holy Sacrament a congregation from Kerala, India.
The new Pastoral Centre was inaugurated by the Papal Nuncio in India and Nepal Archbishop Lopez Quintana who travelled from New Delhi for the occasion and stayed three days to visit the small Catholic community which he described as “a little Church, but with a lot of enthusiasm”. Some 80 people, clergy, religious and laity attended the Mass for the opening of the Centre, whereas many local Hindus joined for the festivities which followed.
Many other Catholics were unable to attend the ceremony because the territory is militarised because of attacks and kidnappings by Maoists. There are road blocks and military posts everywhere. Despite danger and risk the priests, religious and lay Catholics working in Nepal continue their commitment, mainly in the field of education.
The Catholic Church runs 23 schools in Nepal and many of the pupils are non Christians. The local Church also provides instruction for some 35,000 refugees from Bhutan, living in refugee camps in east Nepal, assisted by the Jesuit Refugees Service since 1993. Catholic schools and institutions in Nepal have been affected by fighting in recent years between government troops and Maoist rebels: a civil war which has taken 9,000 lives in seven years. In the meantime according to government sources more than 1,000 civilians have been kidnapped Maoist guerrillas.
Nepal has a population of 23 million of whom 6.000 are Catholics. The Catholic Mission was instituted in Nepal 1983, with territory taken from the Indian diocese of Patna and it was entrusted tot he care of the Jesuits. In 1996 it was made a Prefecture Apostolic, which today has four parishes.
The Church has still no juridical status and for the government it is still an NGO. Restrictive anti-conversion laws make the work of evangelisation difficult. (PA) (Agenzia Fides 31/5/2004 lines 38 words 388)
