REBIRTH OF THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH IN KAZAKHSTAN. A STORY OF THE RELATIONS BETWEEN THE CHURCH AND THE STATE

Abstract

The paper is concerned with the reconstruction of the Roman Catholic Church in Kazakhstan. The author describes the situation of the Church after Kazakhstan declared independence, the Church-State relations, the administrative organization of local Catholic hierarchy, and the common problems faced by Catholics living in Kazakhstan. The author makes an attempt to predict the future development of Catholicism in Kazakhstan. Nowadays the number of Catholics in Kazakhstan is almost 190,000, and they constitute a religious minority. The paper is based on archival records, personal recollections as well as author’s personal experience.