Francis

• Pope Francis is set to make the first-ever visit to Mongolia, a country with fewer than 1,500 Catholics, all of whom have come to the faith since 1992.
• But the pope’s visit is a reminder that the country has a long and complex history with Christianity, among many other faiths.
• Mongolia has only 3.4 million people, and at least 87.4% are Buddhists.

The Mongol Empire

• The Mongol Empire was founded by Genghis Khan in 1206 after he conquered all the other nomadic tribes on the Mongolian Plateau.
• Under the Mongol Empire, people practiced Buddhism, Christianity, Judaism and Islam.
• Christian women dominated the inner court of the Mongol Empire following their marriages with several Mongol Khans.

The messengers of the papacy

• For the first time Catholic missionaries were able to travel along the land route to East Asia.
• During the conquest, the Mongols often spared many Christians in Central and West Asia, even though they killed those who resisted the Mongol rule.
• Catholic missionaries could not find a way to convert the Mongols but continued their efforts with the successive rulers.
• In 1253, William of Rubruck visited the Mongol court in Karakorum to urge Genghis Khan’s grandson Möngke Khan to convert.

Catholicism and Nestorianism

• Before his visit there was not much communication between Catholic missionaries and Nestorians, but William of Rubruck was able to chronicle the activities of the Nestorian community within the Mongol Empire.
• In 1287 a Nestorian monk, Rabban Bar Sauma, embarked on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem from Khanbaliq, near modern Beijing.
• At the same time, the Catholic missionaries also started to expand their influence in Central Asia.

Religious revivals in Mongolia

• Over the next few centuries, the religious landscape in Mongolia continued to change, depending on who was ruling the region.
• However, under the Qing dynasty that ruled China and Mongolia in the 17th century, Buddhism was revived.
• When the pope visits this complex religious terrain, his visit will be significant from the geopolitical and religious perspective: In June 2023, the pope visited its neighboring country Russia as part of international peacemaking efforts.

• The NDN Changemaker Fellowship is designed to invest in the visions, leadership, and development of Indigenous Changemakers.
• Francis is a PhD student in the Environmental Science & Engineering program at Clarkson University.
• The Changemaker fellowship will provide him additional funds to allow his ideas and energy to translate into meaningful actions.”
  “Abraham Francis has already demonstrated environmental leadership at Akwesasne and at Clarkson,” added Langen.
• “
  “I am so grateful to be provided this exciting opportunity through the NDN Collective’s Changemaker Fellowship to develop a theory of change that is directly linked to my dissertation work,” Francis said.

• Compass Health is pleased to announce its sixth-annual Building Communities of Hope Gala raised $225,000 in support of the organization’s child, youth and family behavioral health services – more than doubling the amount raised over the past two years.
• More than 400 community members filled Tulalip’s ballroom to hear Dr. Gregory Jantz deliver his keynote address, and to hear the experience of 14-year-old Max Larson, a former client of Compass Health’s child, youth, and family programs.
• Following Jantz, Max Larson shared an emotional and moving story of how he overcame barriers such as post-traumatic stress disorder and other behavioral health challenges with Compass Health programs such as Wraparound with Intensive Services (WISe).
• The teenager impressed the room with his composure and presence behind the podium, sharing insights into his active and productive life today.

• The Travelers Institute , the public policy division of The Travelers Companies, Inc. (NYSE: TRV ), today announced its Wednesdays with Woodward® spring 2023 virtual programming schedule.
• The webinar series, hosted by Joan Woodward, President of the Travelers Institute and Executive Vice President of Public Policy at Travelers, examines pressing topics at the intersection of insurance, business and public policy.
• Allen McCalister, Director of Workers Compensation at Travelers, will also join the conversation to share Travelers’ approach to post-injury care.
• For more information about the Travelers Institute or the Wednesdays with Woodward® schedule of events, please visit Travelers.com/Travelers-Institute .