Roman Catholicism in Bhutan

The Roman Catholic Church in Bhutan is part of the worldwide Catholic Church, under the spiritual leadership of the Pope and curia in Rome.

Origins

In 1626, several Jesuits were traveling from Cochin and attempting to make a new route to the Jesuit mission in Tibet. They eventually came to the city of Paro in modern-day Bhutan. [cite web | author=David M. Malone| month=March | year=2008 | title=Our Man in Bhutan| format= | work=Literary Review of Canada | url=http://lrc.reviewcanada.ca/index.php?page=Our-Man-in-Bhutan| accessdate=2008-03-11] Two religious orders – Jesuits (in 1963) and Salesians (in 1965) were invited to the country to direct schools. The Salesians were expelled in February 1982 on disputed charges of proselytism. The only Catholic missionary allowed to stay in the country was Canadian Jesuit Father William Mackey who served Catholics there from 1963 until his death in 1995, but performed no conversions. [cite web | author=| date= April 17, 1998 | title=Asia at a Glance| format= | work=Fides | url=http://www.zenit.org/english/asia/stats2.html| accessdate=2006-06-18]

21st century

There are thought to be about 200 Catholics in the country and Christians of all denominations are subject to persecution. [cite web | author= Dubey, Prakash| date= February 23, 2006| title=Almost no place for minority religions on Bhutan’s national TV| format= | work= Asianews.it | url=http://www.asianews.it/view.php?l=en&art=5475| accessdate=2006-06-18] The official religion is Buddhism and Catholic missions have been denied entry.cite web | author= | date= January 20, 2004| title=No masses and entry visas for Catholic priests| format= | work= AsiaNews.it| url=http://www.asianews.it/view.php?l=en&art=278| accessdate=2006-06-18] On Palm Sunday, April 8th, 2001, Bhutanese police went to churches and registered the names of believers and threatened the pastor with imprisonment after an interrogation. [cite web | author= | date= April 20, 2001| title= Christians Told To Leave Faith Or Leave Bhutan| format= | work= Catholic World News | url=http://www.cwnews.com/news/viewstory.cfm?recnum=15333| accessdate=2006-06-18] It is illegal for Christians to hold public services and priests are often denied visas to enter the country. [cite web | author= Coday, Dennis| date= January 16, 2004| title= Bhutan bans public masses| format= | work= Catholic National Reporter| url=http://www.cwnews.com/news/viewstory.cfm?recnum=15333| accessdate=2006-06-18] The first Bhutanese catholic priest, Jesuit Kinley Tshering, was ordained in 1986. He was initial dissuaded by missionaries, but after a meeting with Mother Theresa, he decided to become a catholic priest. [cite web | author= | date= June 5, 2007| title= Jesuit priest yearns to return to Buddhist homeland| format= | work= Catholic News Agency| url=http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/new.php?n=9549| accessdate=2008-03-11] He is allowed to travel freely in Bhutan, and celebrates Christmas mass under the pretext of his birthday, also on December 24th.cite web | author= | date= January 20, 2004| title=No masses and entry visas for Catholic priests| format= | work= AsiaNews.it| url=http://www.asianews.it/view.php?l=en&art=278| accessdate=2006-06-18] He is also thought to be the first convert from Buddhism to Catholicism in Bhutan. [cite web | author= | date= May 29, 2007| title=Bhutan’s only Buddhist convert yearns to bring Catholicism to homeland| format= | work= Union of Catholic Asian News| url=http://www.catholic.org/international/international_story.php?id=24221| accessdate=2008-03-11] Bhutan has never had a native catholic hierarchical jurisdiction, but is covered by the Diocese of Darjeeling. [cite web | author= | date= September 8, 2004| title=Chronology of Catholic Dioceses: Bhutan| format= | work= katolsk.no| url=http://www.katolsk.no/utenriks/kronologi/bhutan.htm| accessdate=2008-03-11] [cite web | author= Prakash Dubey| date= October 27, 2006| title=Only university graduates to run for office in Bhutan's first 'democratic' elections| format= | work= asianews.it| url=http://www.asianews.it/index.php?l=en&art=7604| accessdate=2008-03-11] Catholic relief groups have worked to help displaced Bhutanese who were expelled from Bhutan in 1990. [cite web | author= Danielle Vella| date= November 14, 2005| title=The Jesuit Refugee Service celebrates its 25th anniversary| format= | work= asianews.it| url=http://www.asianews.it/index.php?l=en&art=4619&size=A| accessdate=2008-03-11]

References