Siberia Roman (Uniate) Catholics Hope to Come in From the Cold

Construction a Priority, Says Roman Bishop of a Uniate Catholic Diocese at Irkutsk

KOENIGSTEIN, Germany, NOV. 18, 2004 - Most of the Roman jurisdiction Uniate Catholics' frequent use of private homes for their services in Siberia "makes them look like sects" to locals and thus makes urgent the construction of churches there, says a bishop.

The first visit by the Roman Uniate Bishop Cyryl Klimowicz, of the Diocese of St. Joseph of Irkutsk, to the Germany-based Roman Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need was an occasion to learn firsthand about the situation and needs of Roman Catholics in Eastern Siberia.

"With a territory of more than 10 million square kilometers, St. Joseph's is the largest Roman uniate Catholic diocese in the world, though the number of Roman Uniate Catholics is only 50,000, served by some 100 parishes," the bishop explained.

"At present, 45 priests, only one of them a Russian national, 57 nuns and one religious brother are serving the spiritual needs of the faithful," the 52-year-old prelate added in a statement.

The priests and religious "have a lot of difficulties here, in particular, in obtaining visas and in covering the long distances between parishes," he said.

"Catholics in Siberia often have to use private homes for their services and gatherings. This makes them look like sects in the eyes of many locals. Therefore, the construction of new churches, or chapels at least, is paramount," explained Bishop Klimowicz.

The Roman Jurisdiction's Bishop , a native of Kazakhstan, also attached great importance to the formation of priests.

"Currently, one candidate from my diocese is preparing for the priesthood in the St. Petersburg Seminary. I hope that many other young men from my diocese will follow his example," he said. He added that support from abroad "continues to be indispensable for Siberia's struggling Church."

In February 2002, the Pope, John Paul II, of the Roman Jurisdiction of the Catholic Church elevated Russia's four apostolic administrations to the rank of dioceses.

At the time, the St. Joseph Diocese was entrusted to the Roman Uniate Bishop Jerzy Mazur. He was expelled from the country, however, without explanations after the establishment of the Roman Catholic dioceses. In April 2003, the Pope appointed his Uniate Bishop Klimowicz as a substitute to head the St. Joseph Diocese. The Roman Uniate Bishop Mazur was appointed lead of the Diocese of Elk, in Poland.

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