Catholic Church in Afghanistan

The Roman Catholic Church in Afghanistan is part of the worldwide Roman Catholic Church, under the spiritual leadership of the Pope and curia in Rome. There are very few Catholics in this overwhelmingly Islamic country - just over 100 attend mass in its only chapel - and freedom of religion has been very difficult in recent times especially under the former Taliban regime. On 16 May 2002, Pope John Paul II established a mission sui iuris for Afghanistan with Father Giuseppe Moretti as its first superior. The only Catholic church in the country is the chapel at the Italian embassy in Kabul. In 2004, the sisters of Mother Teresa arrived in Kabul to carry out humanitarian work.

History of the Catholic Church in Afghanistan

The Nestorians planted Christianity here and there have been 9 bishops and dioceses in the region, including Herat (424-1310), Farah (544-1057), Kandahar, and Balkh. But this early establishment of the Church was overcome by the Muslim conquest in the 7th century. In 1581 Father Montesserat and then in 1582 Brother Bento de Goes were warmly welcomed by Emperor Akbar, but there was no lasting presence.

The 20th Century

The chapel in the Italian embassy exists thanks to a long-lasting diplomatic effort that goes back to the 1920s when Italy became the only country with this privilege after it was the first country to recognise Afghanistan’s independence in 1919. As a way to show its gratitude, the Afghan government asked how it could thank Italy. Rome responded asking for the right to build a place of spiritual assistance and in doing so it was making its own the demands of international technicians then living in the Afghan capital. The Afghan government was much taken with the choice because Italy, instead of asking for valuable monopolies in the economic field, such as mineral exploration rights, had opted for a monopoly in matter of the spirit. Thus, a clause giving Italy the right to build a chapel within its embassy was included to Italian-Afghan treaty of 1921, and that same year the Barnabites arrived to start giving pastoral care. The actual pastoral work began in 1933 when the chapel international technicians had asked for was built. In the 1950's, the simple cement chapel was finished.

Pope John Paul II called for a "just solution" to the Soviet-Afghan war in the 1980's. From 1990 to 1994, Father Giuseppe Moretti was the only priest in Afghanistan, but was forced to leave in 1994 after being hit with shrapnel and had to return to Italy. After 1994, only the Little Sisters of Jesus were allowed to remain in Afghanistan, as they had been there since 1955 and their work was renowned. An official from the last pro-Communist government of Mohammad Najibullah went to see Fr Giuseppe Moretti in 1992 with a sketch for a small compound that would be guaranteed immunity. However, nothing came of it as the political situation in Afghanistan unravelled - the civil war escalated, the Taleban came to power and then lost it after the American invasion. Father Moretti again was forced to flee because of the invasion by the United States, but later returned. Following the attacks of September 11th, Catholic Relief Services sent clothing, food and bedding to returning refugees and internally displaced persons. They also bough school supplies for children returning to school.

Post-Taliban

The first mass in 9 years was celebrated on January 27th, 2002 for members of the International Security Force and various members of foreign agencies. On May 16th, 2002, a mission sui iuris was created for all of Afghanistan. There is only one functioning chapel in the country and it is the Italian Embassy's chapel. Projects of the new mission include a "Peace School" for 500 students that began construction in August 2003 and will be at "European standards". Three nuns also work with those who have mental disabilities in the capital city, teaching those with cerebral palsy how to go to the bathroom and how to eat on their own. The small community went through a period of crisis during the kidnapping on May 17th, 2005 of Clementina Cantoni, a member of Care International, by four gunmen in Kabul as she walked to her car. Sisters from Mother Theresa's order had their house blessed on May 9th, 2006, and have already started taking in street children. There had been fears that their distinctive blue and white dress would make them stand out and be harassed by Islamists, but their order is generally respected. Jesuit Relief Services has also applied to join the growing number of religious orders in the country. There have been efforts made to start inter-religious dialogue, with the Islamist head of the Afghan Supreme Court, Mullah Fazul Shinwari attended the inauguration of the mission and has expressed a desire to meet with the Holy Father.

The Catholic community in Afghanistan is mainly made of foreigners, especially aid workers, and no Afghans currently are part of the church, mainly due to great social and legal pressure not to convert to non-Islamic religions. Some Afghans have converted while overseas, but keep it secret when they return. Despite this, the community has grown from only a few nuns to a full sunday mass of around 100.

Relations with the new democratic government of Afghanistan have been positive, such as President Hamid Karzai attending Pope John Paul II's funeral and congratulating Pope Benedict XVI on his election. The nuncio to Pakistan visited Afghanistan in 2005 and held a mass in the Italian Embassy Chapel to an overflowing crowd, and catholic officials hope that official diplomatic ties and a public catholic church will be possible in the future.

See also

• Roman Catholicism by country

External links

• Vatican website