Evangelization through Friendship

Enkhjin had previously visited a Protestant church and noticed its emphasis on Scripture. Yet what drew her toward Catholicism, she says, was the altar.

“What draws me to the Catholic Church is the altar, where the Body and Blood of Jesus are sacrificed and given to the people,” she said. “This nourishes the soul. I want to experience it personally.”

“I long for the day when I will receive the Body and Blood of Jesus for the first time,” she said.

She was officially accepted as a catechumen last year, and at this Easter vigil, she will be baptized in the Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul.

The Mongolian Church, established only in 1992 after the fall of communism, is still young, largely composed of converts and sustained by close-knit communities and personal accompaniment.

Enkhjin’s journey is emblematic of that reality: evangelization through friendship...

In Mongolia, where traditional Buddhist practice and secular influences shape much of society, conversion often begins not with doctrinal instruction but with lived experience. 

When asked how she hopes to serve the Church, Enkhjin said she wants to become a lector — to proclaim the Word of God to others.

Her imagination is shaped by the Gospel of John. She sees herself in Andrew, who brings his brother, Simon Peter, to Jesus, saying, “We have found the Messiah.”

“Just like Andrew, my friend Arvanai brought me to Jesus,” she said. “This is a very important moment in my life as a young Mongolian.”

“In the future, I also want to become an ‘Andrew’ for many ‘Peters,’ bringing them to Jesus. I understand that this is the role of every missionary in this young Church in Mongolia.”