Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam
About Us
There are currently six parishes, ten Jesuits, eleven Sisters from the Franciscan Order, Consolata Missionaries, Missionaries of Charity of Mother Teresa, and one diocesan priest ministering in the country.
St. Michael's Parish Church in Bishkek
In the year 1969, it was the first officially registered Catholic parish during the Soviet regime in Central Asia. A small house was transformed into a chapel in the 80s bringing the Catholics from all parts of Central Asia to Bishkek (then Frunze) for the Holy Mass. Till nowadays this chapel is considered central for all Catholics in Kyrgyzstan. In December 2022 four sisters of St. Teresa of Calcutta Missionary of Charity joined this chapel to help the church serve the poorest areas of Bishkek.
St. Teresa of Calcutta Parish Church in Dzhalal-Abad
In 2005 around Christmas, two Jesuit brothers relocated to the area to start a parish. At first, they lived with a Muslim family who kindly offered them a place in their house. As time passed, the Jesuits were able to buy several private houses in the center, and a milk shop was turned into a chapel. From a small number of visitors, the parish grew to 80 people regularly visiting the church. Both Jesuits are active in social and educational projects in the region, organizing astronomy science clubs in public schools.
St. Clara Parish Church in Ivanovka (Chui)
The story of this chapel starts back in the days when two little girls asked a priest at the parish in the capital to visit their grandmother that lived in Ivanovka village. Before Ivanovka had its first chapel established in 1998, priests used to visit people and celebrate Holy Mass in people's private houses. Now there’s a priest living in the Ivanovka-based chapel, and a second chapel was built in the neighboring village. Franciscan Sisters organize catechism classes in both parishes.
St. Nicolas of Flue Parish Church in Talas
From 2005 to the present day, Fr. Alexander Kahn, SJ, is on a mission to serve the Talas based Catholics living in an isolated area. To reach Talas, one has to drive through a 3310 meters mountain pass. Unlike all other Catholic churches in Kyrgyzstan (that were remodeled into a chapel from a house), the Talas church was a construction project built from scratch. Additionally, it was consecrated by a well-known Catholic prelate currently serving as the Auxiliary Bishop of Astana, Fr. Athanasius Schneider, ORC.
Divine Mercy Parish Church in Osh
At first in 2006 the Holy Mass in the Southern part of Kyrgyzstan was served in the apartments of the immigrant Catholics of German and Polish descent. In 2008 the Jesuits bought half of a private house in the center of the city of Osh and turned it into a chapel. In time, buying the second part of the same house became necessary with plans to turn it into a Pastoral Center. Currently, the Missionary of Consolata Sisters help in both Osh & Dzhalal-Abad parishes.
Nativity of Our Lady Parish Church in Sokuluk
The parish was established in 1998 in the Sokuluk region of Kyrgyzstan. It has two, small Pastoral Centers in the Kamyshanowka & Oktyabrskoye villages. To this day, the Jesuit priests celebrate the Holy Mass on visit to the private homes of parishioners in the village and neighboring villages. Sisters from the St. Francis Order organize weekly activities for children from both villages. A good number of Catholics regularly relocate from there to the capital for work and join St. Michael’s parish in Bishkek.
The Apostolic Administration
In the Kyrgyz Republic - Central Asia
In 2006 Pope Benedict XVI established the Apostolic Administration in the Kyrgyz Republic with Fr. Nikolaus Messmer, SJ, as its first Bishop. Eleven years later, in 2017, Fr. Anthony Corcoran, SJ, succeeded him as the Apostolic Administrator.
Our partners: American Jesuits International
The fiscal sponsor through which the Apostolic Administration of Kyrgyzstan can receive tax-deductible donations from U.S. donors is American Jesuits International. American Jesuits International is the international solidarity organizations of the Society of Jesus in the United States. Based in Washington, D.C., their mission is to build just and equitable societies by mobilizing support for Jesuit education and development initiatives that serve marginalized communities in Latin America, Africa, and Asia. Their organization also serves as an important fiscal sponsor for Jesuit works around the globe, facilitating fundraising initiatives and providing transparent and experienced stewardship.
Our Priests
Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam