{{Short description|None}} {{Catholic Church by country}} The '''Catholic Church in Bhutan''' is part of the worldwide [[Catholic Church]], under the spiritual leadership of the [[Pope]] in [[Rome]]. The [[Kingdom of Bhutan]] falls under the jurisdiction of the [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Darjeeling|Diocese of Darjeeling]] (India). A 2015 estimate placed the number of Catholics in Bhutan at 1,200.<ref>{{cite book |last=Wangyal |first=Tandin |chapter=Bhutan |date=2019-04-18 |title=Christianity in South and Central Asia |pages=180–183 |doi=10.1515/9781474439848-019 |access-date=2025-08-14 |publisher=Edinburgh University Press |isbn=978-1-4744-3984-8| url=https://www.degruyter.com/document/doi/10.1515/9781474439848-019/html}}</ref>
==Origins== In 1627, two Portuguese [[Society of Jesus|Jesuits]], Fathers [[Estêvão Cacella]] and [[João Cabral]], traveling from [[Kochi, India|Cochin]] and attempting to make a new route to the [[Jesuit Missions|Jesuit mission]] in [[Shigatse]], [[Tibet]],<ref>{{cite web|first=David M.|last=Malone |date=March 2008 |title=Our Man in Bhutan |work=Literary Review of Canada |url=http://lrc.reviewcanada.ca/index.php?page=Our-Man-in-Bhutan |access-date=2008-03-11 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080421022944/http://lrc.reviewcanada.ca/index.php?page=our-man-in-bhutan |archive-date=April 21, 2008 }}</ref> visited Bhutan. While in Bhutan, these Jesuits met [[Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyel|Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal]], the founder and religious leader of the Bhutanese state, and spent months in his court. The "[[Zhabdrung Rinpoche|Zhabdrung]] strongly encouraged the Jesuits to stay and even allowed them to use a room in [[Chagri Monastery|Cheri]] [Monastery] as a chapel, granted them land in [[Paro, Bhutan|Paro]] to build a church and sent some of his own attendants to join the congregation. With no success in conversion and despite much discouragement from the Zhabdrung against their departure, the Jesuits eventually left for Tibet".<ref>{{cite book |title=The History of Bhutan |first=Karma|last=Phuntsho| year= 2013 | publisher = Random House India | isbn=9788184003116 | pages=224–227}}</ref> At the end of a stay of nearly eight months in the country, Cacella wrote a long letter from Cheri Monastery to his superior in Cochin in the [[Malabar Coast]]; it was a report, the ''Relação,'' relating the progress of their travels.<ref>Luiza Maria Baillie "Father Estevao Cacella's Report on Bhutan in 1627", Journal of Bhutan Studies, 1 (1), 1-35 (1999).</ref> Their visit is also corroborated in contemporaneous Bhutanese sources, including the biography of Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal himself.<ref>gTsang mKhan-chen ’Jam-dbyangs dPal-ldan rGyamtsho (c.1675). ''Dpal ’brug pa rin po che ngag dbang rnam rgyal gyi rnam par thar pa rgyas pa chos kyi sprin chen po’i dbyangs'', in 5 parts (Ka - Ca) and a supplement (Cha).Reprint by Topden Tshering entitled ''The Detailed Biography of the First Zabs-drung Rinpoche of Bhutan Ngag-dbang-rnam-rgyal (Ngag-dbang-bdud-’joms-rdo-rje) (Dolanji, 1974, from the Punakha woodblocks of ca. 1797-1802)''</ref>
==20th century== Two religious orders - the Jesuits in 1963 and the [[Salesians]] in 1965 - were invited to the country to open schools. The Salesians were expelled in February 1982 on disputed charges of [[proselytism]]. The only Catholic missionary allowed to stay in the country - from 1963 until his death in 1995 - was the Canadian-born Bhutanese Jesuit Father [[William Mackey (Jesuit)|William Mackey]], who opened several secondary schools and the pre-university [[Sherubtse College]]. As his mission was to build up a modern educational system in the country he did not attempt any conversions.<ref>{{cite web|date=April 17, 1998 |title=Asia at a Glance |work=Fides |url=http://www.zenit.org/english/asia/stats2.html |access-date=2006-06-18 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060613191112/http://zenit.org/english/asia/stats2.html |archive-date=2006-06-13 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
==21st century== [[Image:Mother Teresa.jpg|right|150px|thumb|Bhutan's first Catholic priest was convinced to join the clergy by [[Mother Teresa]].]] In the early 2000s, there are thought to be about 1,000 Catholics in the country where Christians of all denominations are subject to discrimination.<ref>{{cite web|last=Dubey |first= Prakash |date=February 23, 2006 |title=Almost no place for minority religions on Bhutan's national TV |work=Asianews.it |url=http://www.asianews.it/view.php?l=en&art=5475 |access-date=2006-06-18 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070929134011/http://www.asianews.it/view.php?l=en&art=5475 |archive-date=September 29, 2007 }}</ref> In 2020, Catholics were estimated to make up 0.18% of the population, or approximately 1,500 people.<ref>[https://thearda.com/world-religion/national-profiles?u=26c&u=23r The ARDA website, retrieved 2023-08-28]</ref>
The official religion is [[Buddhism]] and in the past Catholic missions have been denied entry.<ref name="forbidden2">{{cite web | date= January 20, 2004| title=No masses and entry visas for Catholic priests| work= AsiaNews.it| url=http://www.asianews.it/news-en/No-masses-and-entry-visas-for-Catholic-priests-278.html| access-date=2011-09-26}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | author= Coday, Dennis| date= January 16, 2004| title= Bhutan bans public masses| work= Catholic National Reporter| url=http://www.cwnews.com/news/viewstory.cfm?recnum=15333| access-date=2006-06-18}}</ref>
On [[Palm Sunday]], April 8, 2001, Bhutanese police went to churches and registered the names of believers and threatened one pastor with imprisonment after an interrogation.<ref>{{cite web | date= April 20, 2001| title= Christians Told To Leave Faith Or Leave Bhutan| work= Catholic World News | url=http://www.cwnews.com/news/viewstory.cfm?recnum=15333| access-date=2006-06-18}}</ref> It is illegal for Christians to hold public services.<ref name=US2022>[https://www.state.gov/reports/2022-report-on-international-religious-freedom/bhutan US State Dept 2022 report]</ref> The [[Constitution of Bhutan]] protects freedom of religion for Bhutanese citizens, but [[proselytism]] is forbidden. Article 7.4 states: ''"A Bhutanese citizen shall have the right to freedom of thought conscience and religion. No person shall be compelled to belong to another faith by means of coercion or inducement."''<ref>{{cite book| title=The Constitution of the Kingdom of Bhutan| year=2008| publisher=Royal Government of Bhutan| url=http://www.bhutanaudit.gov.bt/About%20Us/Mandates/Constitution%20of%20Bhutan%202008.pdf| page=14| url-status=dead| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140905083724/http://www.bhutanaudit.gov.bt/About%20Us/Mandates/Constitution%20of%20Bhutan%202008.pdf| archive-date=2014-09-05}}</ref>
The first Bhutanese-born [[Catholic priest]], Rev Kinley Tshering, [[Jesuit|SJ]], was ordained in 1986. He was initially dissuaded by missionaries but after a meeting with [[Mother Teresa]] he decided to become a Catholic priest.<ref>{{cite web| date= June 5, 2007| title= Jesuit priest yearns to return to Buddhist homeland| work= Catholic News Agency| url= https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/9549/jesuit-priest-yearns-to-return-to-buddhist-homeland| access-date= 2008-03-11| archive-date= 2021-03-09| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20210309202526/https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/jesuit_priest_yearns_to_return_to_buddhist_homeland| url-status= live}}</ref> As a citizen of the country, he travels freely in Bhutan, and celebrates the [[Christmas]] Mass under the pretext of his birthday on December 24.<ref name="forbidden">{{cite web|date=January 20, 2004 |title=No masses and entry visas for Catholic priests |work=AsiaNews.it |url=http://www.asianews.it/view.php?l=en&art=278 |access-date=2006-06-18 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051128182011/http://www.asianews.it/view.php?l=en&art=278 |archive-date=November 28, 2005 }}</ref> He is also thought to be the first convert from [[Buddhism]] to the [[Christian faith]] in Bhutan.<ref>{{cite web|date=May 29, 2007 |title=Bhutan's only Buddhist convert yearns to bring Catholicism to homeland |work=Union of Catholic Asian News |url=http://www.catholic.org/international/international_story.php?id=24221 |access-date=2008-03-11 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070901212511/http://www.catholic.org/international/international_story.php?id=24221 |archive-date=September 1, 2007 }}</ref> In 2023, he is the only native-born priest.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-08-03 |title='I am a person with great hope': Meet the Church's only Bhutanese priest |url=https://www.pillarcatholic.com/p/i-am-a-person-with-great-hope-meet |access-date=2023-08-04 |website=The Pillar |language=en}}</ref>
Bhutan has never had a native Catholic hierarchical jurisdiction, but is covered by the Diocese of Darjeeling.<ref>{{cite web | date= September 8, 2004| title=Chronology of Catholic Dioceses: Bhutan| work= katolsk.no| url=http://www.katolsk.no/utenriks/kronologi/bhutan.htm| access-date=2008-03-11}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | author= Prakash Dubey| date= October 27, 2006| title=Only university graduates to run for office in Bhutan's first 'democratic' elections| work= asianews.it| url=http://www.asianews.it/index.php?l=en&art=7604| access-date=2008-03-11}}</ref>
==See also== *[[Religion in Bhutan]] *[[Christianity in Bhutan]] *[[Catholic Church in India]] *[[Catholic Church in Nepal]] *[[Catholic Church in Tibet]] *[[Catholic Church by country]]
==References== {{reflist}}
{{Asia topic|Catholic Church in|groupstyle=background-color:gold|titlestyle=background-color:gold}} {{Asia topic|Christianity in}}
[[Category:Catholic Church in Bhutan| ]] [[Category:Catholic Church by country|Bhutan]]