Tserenchimed Chuluunbaatar stands in front of a cross (not pictured) at St. Peter and Paul Cathedral in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia’s capital, where he plans to receive baptism during the Easter Vigil ceremony on April 20. (Photo: Supplied)
CV NEWS FEED // Nearly two years after Pope Francis made his historic visit to Mongolia, 67-year-old Tserenchimed Chuluunbaatar was baptized into the Catholic Church at Easter 2025 — an unexpected turn in his retirement that he credits to the Pope’s witness and his daughters’ quiet evangelization.
Chuluunbaatar, a former official in Mongolia’s finance ministry, had long practiced the traditional Buddhist faith of his ancestors, UCA News reported April 16. But his encounter with Pope Francis during the pontiff’s September 2023 visit to Ulaanbaatar marked a profound shift in his spiritual life.
“The enthusiastic gathering of Catholics and their cheers for the aged leader, his speech and the Mass, created a remarkable experience for me,” he told UCA News. “I wanted to be part of that community and serve as a missionary for Christ.”
The Papal Mass at the Steppe Arena, attended by around 2,500 people, brought to life the faith his daughters had already embraced. In early 2023, two of them had converted to Catholicism, igniting tension in the family home when they removed Buddhist icons and introduced Christian symbols.
Their spiritual journey began with curiosity and led them through the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA). They were baptized at Easter 2023 and began bringing home the Sunday Mass readings, which sparked their father’s interest.
“I became interested in the Bible, the Church, and the Christian faith,” he said.
Pope Francis’ visit turned that interest into conviction. Chuluunbaatar saw unexpected harmony between Mongolian values and Catholic teachings. The idea of a heavenly God resonated with him, and he found special meaning in the Pope’s reference to the Holy Family and the Mongolian Ger — the traditional family dwelling.
“I can understand the Holy Family because I understand the Ger. Everything good starts from the family,” he said.
Inspired, Chuluunbaatar joined his daughters in placing a crucifix at the heart of their home. After completing RCIA formation, he was baptized this Easter at St. Peter and Paul Cathedral in Ulaanbaatar, together with his wife and third daughter.
Chuluunbaatar said that he is already a missionary.
“I explain to visiting relatives who is on the cross and how he saved me,” he said.
Parish priest Father Paul Leung sees their story as a parable: the daughters, like the apostle Andrew, have led others to Christ.
Sister Nirmala Rani, who leads adult catechesis at the cathedral, said she is moved by the family’s missionary zeal.
“I give Christ to them as missionaries, and in turn, they can give Christ to others as missionaries,” she told UCA News.
Though Mongolia’s Catholic community remains small — fewer than 1,500 in a country of over 3 million — the Chuluunbaatar family stands as a testament to the Church’s quiet but steady growth.
“Life is busy now,” Chuluunbaatar reflected. “But I enjoy it. It gives me meaning and peace.”
