Catholic Church in Nepal
The Catholic Church in Nepal is part of the worldwide Catholic Church, under the spiritual leadership of the pope in Rome. As of 2011 there are over 10,000 Catholics in Nepal, organized into one Catholic jurisdiction known as an apostolic vicariate.
Apostolic Vicariate of Nepal Vicariatus Apostolicus Nepalianus | |
|---|---|
| Location | |
| Country | Nepal |
| Population - Catholics | (as of 2011) 10,000 (0%) |
| Information | |
| Denomination | Catholic Church |
| Rite | Latin Rite |
| Established | 4 August 2011 |
| Cathedral | Church of the Assumption in Kathmandu |
| Current leadership | |
| Apostolic Prefect | Bishop Paul Simick |
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Catholicism was first propagated in Nepal during the 18th century, though from 1810 to 1950 no missionaries were allowed in Nepal. Since 1951, missionaries have again been allowed to enter the country, though proselytism has remained illegal, and conversion to Christianity remained illegal until 1990. In 1983 a mission sui iuris covering Nepal was created, and in 1996 it was raised to an Apostolic Prefecture. The 1990 Nepali constitution did not guarantee religious freedom for Christians, but as of May 2006 Nepal has been declared a secular state. The interim constitution, finalized in 2007, guarantees some religious freedom but prohibits people from trying to convert others. On February 10, 2007, Benedict XVI elevated the prefecture of Nepal to the rank of a vicariate and appointed Anthony Francis Sharma as the first vicar and first Nepalese bishop of the Catholic Church.
In 2020, it was noted that Catholics make up 0.03% of the population. In the same year, there were 113 priests and 211 nuns serving across 14 parishes.