Roman Catholicism in Nepal 4747809 216458221 2008-06-01T19:22:20Z DumZiBoT 6085301 robot Modifying: [[es:Iglesia católica en Nepal]] The '''Roman Catholic Church in Nepal''' is part of the worldwide [[Roman Catholic Church]], under the spiritual leadership of the [[Pope]] and [[Roman Curia|curia]] in [[Vatican City]]. As of 2004 there are 7,105 Catholics in Nepal, organized into one Catholic jurisdiction known as an [[apostolic vicariate]].<ref>{{cite web | author= Cheney, David M. | year=2004| title= Vicariate Apostolic of Nepal| format= | work= catholic-hierarchy.org | url=http://catholic-hierarchy.org/diocese/dnepa.html| accessdate=2006-06-18}}</ref> Catholicism was first propagated in the 18th century, though from 1810 to 1950 no missionaries were allowed in Nepal. Since 1951, missionaries have again been allowed, though [[conversion to Christianity]] is still illegal. In 1983 a [[mission sui iuris|mission ''sui iuris'']] covering Nepal was created, and in 1996 it was raised to an [[Apostolic Prefecture]]. The 1990 constitution did not guarantee religious freedom for Christians, but as of May 2006 Nepal has been declared a [[secular]] state and the constitution will likely be rewritten, leading to hopes that religious freedom may be established. On [[February 10]] [[2007]], [[Pope Benedict XVI|Benedict XVI]] elevated the prefecture of Nepal to the rank of a vicariate and appointed [[Anthony Sharma]] as the first vicar and first Nepalese bishop of the catholic church. ==Origins== The history of Catholicism in Nepal begins with its inclusion in the diocese of [[Funchal]], [[Portugal]], and in 1533 part of the [[diocese]] of [[Goa]]. From then on until 1983, it was a part of many different Indian dioceses. Missionaries entered Nepal proper in 1715, when [[Order of Friars Minor Capuchin|Capuchin]] fathers entered the [[Kathmandu Valley]] at the invitation of the [[Malla]] Kings. Father Sharma Anthony Francis, who has headed the catholic mission and then prefecture since 1983, has stated "The priests were given full authority to preach Christianity and even build a church, called [[Blessed Virgin Mary|Our Lady's]] [[Assumption of Mary|Assumption]], somewhere in [[Lalitpur]] District" Assumption was built in 1760, and another church called Annunciation of Our Lady was built in [[Bhaktapur]]. After the unification of Nepal by [[Prithvi Narayan Shah]] into a [[Hinduism|Hindu]] kingdom, the priests were asked to leave for fear they were British spies. In 1769 the priests and many Nepalese Christians left for India and settled in Chuhair, Northern [[Bihar]] where they have remained. One Catholic priest did remain until his death in 1810. After that, there was no Christian presence until 1950.<ref name="history">{{cite web | author=Chhetri, Srijana | year=December, 2004| title= Nepal’s First Churches| format= | work= wavemag.com.np | url=http://www.wavemag.com.np/issue/article697.html| accessdate=2006-06-18}}</ref> On May 19, 1893, the whole of Nepal was added to the Prefecture of [[Bettiah]].<ref>{{cite web | author=Battandier, Albert | year=1911| title=Bettiah | format= | work=[[Catholic Encyclopedia]] Vol. II | url=http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/02538a.htm| accessdate=2006-06-12}}</ref> It was then a part of the [[Patna, India]] [[apostolic vicariate]] from 1919 until the establishment of the mission covering only Nepal in 1983.<ref>{{cite web | author=Chhetri, Srijana | year=November 26th, 2000| title= Chronology of Catholic Dioceses: Nepal| format= | work= katolsk.no | url=http://www.katolsk.no/utenriks/kronologi/nepal.htm| accessdate=2006-06-18}}</ref> ==20th century== With the introduction of [[democracy]] in 1951, [[Jesuit]] missionaries started educational institutions but were not allowed to evangelize. Saint Xavier's School was established in 1951. The Catholic Mission was established in 1983 with territory taken from [[Patna]] diocese in [[India]] and entrusted to the care of the [[Jesuit]]s.<ref name="nuncio">{{cite web | author=| year=September 7th, 2003| title= First Official Visit by New Nuncio Archbishop Pedro Lopez Quintana| format= | work= Fides | url=http://www.sspxasia.com/Countries/Nepal/NewsArchive.htm| accessdate=2006-06-18}}</ref> In 1992 the Church of the Assumption, a new church built with its name harkening back to the original Assumption church, was officially recognized.<ref name="history">{{cite web | author=Chhetri, Srijana | year=December, 2004| title= Nepal’s First Churches| format= | work= wavemag.com.np | url=http://www.wavemag.com.np/issue/article697.html| accessdate=2006-06-18}}</ref> In 1996 the Mission was elevated to the rank of [[Apostolic Prefecture]].<ref name="nuncio">{{cite web | author=| year=September 7th, 2003| title= First Official Visit by New Nuncio Archbishop Pedro Lopez Quintana| format= | work= Fides | url=http://www.sspxasia.com/Countries/Nepal/NewsArchive.htm| accessdate=2006-06-18}}</ref> Father Sharma spent [[Easter]] day in 1986 in a police station for preaching to non-Christian relatives of some of the faithful attending church with them. Conversion to [[Christianity]] was forbidden by law, and was reiterated by the 1990 constitution that created a multi-party democracy. Since 1990, the law had not been enforced.<ref>{{cite web | author=Akkara, Anto | year=May 8th, 2006| title=Christianity grows rapidly in Nepal, despite ban on conversions| format= | work= Ecumenical News International | url=http://www.pcusa.org/pcnews/2006/06254.htm| accessdate=2006-06-18}}</ref> ==21st century== [[Image:NepalWYD.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Youths preparing for [[World Youth Day 2005]]]] At the diplomatic level, Nepal has exchanged ambassadors with the Vatican.<ref>{{cite web | author=| year=February 1, 2001| title= Bilateral and multilateral relationships of the Holy See | work= Vatican.va | url=http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/secretariat_state/documents/rc_seg-st_20010123_holy-see-relations_en.html| accessdate=2006-06-18}}</ref> Before [[Gyanendra of Nepal|King Gyanendra]] was stripped of his powers by the [[Parliament of Nepal|Sansad]] (Nepalese parliament), there had been hope of official recognition by the state since the king was educated at a [[Catholic school]] and was a pupil of the current Prefect Apostolic, Nepalese Jesuit Father Anthony Sharma.<ref name="visit">{{cite web | author=| year=September 7th, 2003| title= First Official Visit by New Nuncio Archbishop Pedro Lopez Quintana| format= | work= Fides | url=http://www.sspxasia.com/Countries/Nepal/NewsArchive.htm| accessdate=2006-06-18}}</ref> In May 2006, church leaders welcomed the parliamentary declaration that Nepal is now a "[[secular state]]," a change from what had been the only [[State religion|officially Hindu]] country in the world.<ref>{{cite web | author=| year=May 22nd, 2006| title= UCAN: Catholic leaders welcome Nepal becoming secular state | format= | work= Union of Catholic Asian News | url=http://www.catholic.org/international/international_story.php?id=19914| accessdate=2006-06-18}}</ref> The first open air Christian musical program was hosted to celebrate the beginning of religious freedom for the first time in Nepal's history.<ref>{{cite web | author=| year=July 3rd, 2006| title= Christians hold open-air musical program to celebrate country's new religious freedom | format= | work= Union of Catholic Asian News | url=http://www.theindiancatholic.com/newsread.asp?nid=2190| accessdate=2006-06-18}}</ref> [[Maoism|Maoist]] rebels have targeted Catholic institutions in recent years, such as their torching of two Catholic schools in 2002 in the [[Gurkha]] region.<ref>{{cite web | author=| year=October 13th, 2002| title= Attacks on Schools Fail to Deter Church in Nepal| format= | work= [[Zenit News Agency]] | url=http://www.sspxasia.com/Countries/Nepal/NewsArchive.htm| accessdate=2006-06-18}}</ref> A mission in Eastern Nepal was subject to attack by Maoist insurgents in 2003, destroying a residence, clinic, chapel, kindergarten and kitchens.<ref>{{cite web | author=Coday, Dennis| year=October 10th, 2003| title= Maoists torch Catholic mission| format= | work= National Catholic Reporter | url=http://www.highbeam.com/library/docFree.asp?DOCID=1G1:110220548| accessdate=2006-06-18}}</ref> During Maoist attempts to call a national school strike, they attacked a small Catholic school in mid-western Nepal with a [[bomb]].<ref>{{cite web | author=Coday, Dennis | year=June 18th, 2004| title= Violence closes Nepal's schools| format= | work= National Catholic Reporter | url=http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1141/is_32_40/ai_n6094948| accessdate=2006-07-04}}</ref> The Nepalese church continues to grow and become more active. A [[convent]] was inaugurated along with a training center in western Nepal in June 2006, a first for western Nepal.<ref>{{cite web | author=| year=June 22nd, 2006| title= First permanent buildings give Church more presence in Nepal| format= | work= Union of Catholic Asian News | url=http://www.theindiancatholic.com/newsread.asp?nid=2094| accessdate=2006-07-04}}</ref> At Nepals first Catholic church, the Church of the Assumption in [[Katmandu]], there are English masses said on Sundays.<ref>{{cite web | author=Vance, Karen | year=August 30th, 2004| title= Missionary's learned much in Nepal| format= | work= The Enquirer| url=http://www.enquirer.com/editions/2004/08/30/loc_loc2apriest.html| accessdate=2006-07-04}}</ref> Six Nepalese youths went to [[World Youth Day 2005]] in [[Cologne, Germany]] despite having a difficult time obtaining visas from German officials.<ref>{{cite web | author= | year=August 10th, 2005| title= Getting visas for six Nepalese youths to attend the WYD proves complicated | format= | work= AsiaNews.it | url=http://www.asianews.it/view.php?l=en&art=3893| accessdate=2006-07-04}}</ref> Catholic Relief Services conducts many programs in the country, including counteracting the trade in women and children and aiding those affected by [[flood]]s and [[landslide]]s.<ref>{{cite web | author= | year=2006| title=Our Work: Nepal | format= | work= Catholic Relief Services | url=http://www.crs.org/our_work/where_we_work/overseas/Asia/nepal/index.cfm| accessdate=2006-07-04}}</ref> And in a display of inter-religious cooperation, the Olympic torch was brought to the top of the sacred mountain of [[Makalu]], having been blessed by both [[Pope Benedict XVI]] and the [[Tenzin Gyatso, 14th Dalai Lama|Dalai Lama]].<ref>{{cite web | author=Dubey, Prakash | year=June 5th, 2006| title= Olympic torch blessed by pope on sacred mount | format= | work= AsiaNews.it | url=http://www.asianews.it/view.php?l=en&art=6356| accessdate=2006-07-04}}</ref> On February 10th, 2007, Pope Benedict XVI raised the status of the jurisdiction to a vicariate.<ref>{{cite web | author= | year=February 12th, 2007| title= Nepalese native promoted to vicariate | format= | work= Fides| url=http://www.speroforum.com/site/article.asp?idarticle=7869| accessdate=2007-02-20}}</ref> ==References== <div class="references-small"> <references /> </div> ==External links== *[http://www.catholic.org.np/ Nepal Catholic Society] {{Asia in topic|Roman Catholicism in}} <!-- FAIR USE of Assumptionnepal.jpg: see image description page at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Assumptionnepal.jpg for rationale --> <!-- FAIR USE of NepalWYD.jpg: see image description page at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:NepalWYD.jpg for rationale --> [[Category:Christianity in Nepal]] [[Category:Roman Catholic Church by country|Nepal]] [[Category:Roman Catholic Church in Asia|Nepal]] [[es:Iglesia católica en Nepal]] [[it:Chiesa cattolica in Nepal]]