A week of faith, mission and encounter
His Eminence Cardinal Giorgio Marengo IMC, Apostolic Prefect of Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, spent a week in England meeting students, clergy, parish communities and supporters of Missio, the Pope’s charity for world mission.
Across visits to Aquinas Catholic College in Stockport, St Peter’s Catholic Church in Hazel Grove, and St Mary’s College in Oscott, he shared stories of missionary life in one of the world’s youngest and smallest Catholic communities.
Sharing Missionary Experiences with Students
On Tuesday 3 February at Aquinas Catholic College in Stockport, Cardinal Marengo spoke to around 60 students, including a small group which joined from St James’ Catholic High School, about the unique realities of serving a Catholic population of just 1,512 people and his early years establishing a church and social projects in remote Mongolia. He answered thoughtful questions from students, prompting reflections on faith, prayer and vocation.
‘It was a very special afternoon,’ said St James’ Chaplain Mrs Terese McGeough:
‘So lovely to listen to the Cardinal talk about his experiences of missionary work, starting with nothing, and hear his advice about how to pray. His words were both comforting and inspirational. I could tell that our pupils were excited to hear Cardinal Marengo’s story, and we all felt privileged to have been invited. It meant a lot to us.’
Aquinas Chaplain, Mrs Laeticia Sebia, agreed:
‘Taking action to support people who are less privileged has remained one of the main foci for Aquinas Chaplaincy over the last few years, and it was absolutely inspiring to hear about the Cardinal’s experiences, perseverance through challenges, and the positive impact that his missionary work is having on the people he serves, bringing them hope. His words have encouraged us to double our effort in living out our own mission, providing others reasons for living and hoping.’
Year 12 student Louisa added that she found his talk ‘inspirational’ and that it had sparked her desire to consider missionary work in the future.
A Warm Welcome in Hazel Grove
Later that day, at St Peter’s Catholic Church in Hazel Grove, the Cardinal celebrated a Mission Mass and offered insights into the developing Church in Mongolia, where missionaries only arrived in 1992.
Drawing on the Gospel, he reflected on the danger of becoming ‘inured to the presence of God’ and contrasted this with the experience of Mongolians who are encountering the Church for the first time.
He spoke movingly about the challenges of mission in a vast country ‘six times bigger than the UK’ with only around 1,500 Catholics and one local priest.
The Cardinal emphasised the need for ‘encounter,’ describing mission as ‘whispering the Gospel… a way of sharing that is very respectful and presupposes a relationship’.
He also highlighted social outreach projects like the House of Mercy, blessed by Pope Francis on his visit to Mongolia in 2023, which brings together services for those in hardship.
The Mass was offered for Margaret King, whose tireless work as a Red Box promoter and Local Secretary for St Peter’s was legendary. We were honoured and touched to be joined by so many members of Margaret’s family, and it was truly wonderful to celebrate Mass with a congregation with such a strong missionary spirit and tradition.
Visit to St Mary’s College, Oscott
At St Mary’s College Oscott in Sutton Coldfield, Cardinal Marengo celebrated Mass and toured the seminary. He also visited an exhibition on St John Henry Newman in the College’s museum; a meaningful moment given his personal connection to the newest Doctor of the Church, as both cardinals studied at the same university in Rome.
Father Michael Glover, is both Missio’s Diocesan Director for Birmingham Archdiocese and a member of the college formation team. He shared:
‘The Cardinal was able to meet with our seminarians and formation staff, together with a number of Local Secretaries and supporters of Missio, and share something of the experience of the church in Mongolia, a new, growing and vibrant area of Christian mission.
‘One thing that he shared with us is this idea of ‘whispering the heart of the Gospel’ – that we share gently, with those who we have built close friendships with, the whole content of the Gospel, in order to transform hearts and minds.
‘I know that we’ll be reflecting on the Cardinal’s words in the days to come, and we wish him well as he returns back to Mongolia… every prayer for the mission there.’
Olly, a student at the college, said of the Cardinal’s presentation:
‘Overall, I found it very inspiring… seeing this does deepen my desire to minister to people by meeting them exactly where they are and cultivating the seeds of the Gospel that can already be found there.’
Message of Hope and Joy
Throughout the week, Cardinal Marengo’s message was clear: mission is rooted in relationship, humility and joy. Despite the challenges faced by the Church in Mongolia — from extreme temperatures to vast geographical distances — he expressed deep hope in the quiet yet powerful work of the Holy Spirit.
As he shared with the people gathered in Stockport:
‘If we help each other… the joy will spread out and will be a way to witness to the Risen Lord.’
Huge thanks to Cardinal Marengo for sharing his mission with us, and to everyone who made this visit such a wonderful experience.
The Cardinal in conversation
During a busy week, His Eminence also took the time to join the Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales, to take part in their Catholic News podcast.