New Apostolic Administrator to Kyrgyzstan

The Holy Father has appointed Rev. Anthony James Corcoran, SJ, currently serving in the Russian Independent Society of the Society of Jesus,  the Apostolic Administrator to the Apostolic Administration of Kyrgyzstan. He succeeds retired administrator Rev. Janez  Mihelčič SJ.                

Rev. Anthony James Corcoran SJ was born on April 19, 1963 in Tucson (Arizona, USA). In 1985 after his graduation in Political Science  from the University in Milwaukee (WI, USA), he joined the Society of Jesus. In 1990 he graduated in International Political Economy and Development from Fordham University (N.Y., USA). From 1990 to 1992 he was a teacher at the Jesuit High School in New Orleans (LA, USA). In 1995 after having finished his graduation in  Theology at the Weston School of Theology in Cambridge (MA, USA) he received his diaconate.  He was then ordained a priest on June 8, 1996.

In 1997 he obtained the Licentiate in Spiritual Theology at the Weston School of Theology (MA, USA).

From 1997 to date, he has been serving in the Russian Federation, where he has held the  positions as the  Director of Inter-Dioscope Pre-seminary in Novosibirsk (1998-2000 and 2007-2008); Spiritual Director of the same Pre-Seminary  (2001-2005); Parish priest of St. Joseph's Parish in Berdsk (Diocese of Transfiguration in Novosibirsk, 1998-2008); Vicar General of the Diocese of Transfiguration in Novosibirsk (1999-2008) and Superior of the Russian Independent State of the Society of Jesus (2009-2017). In addition, in 2006 he completed the PhD in Theology at the Weston School of Theology (MA, USA).

Christianity arrived to Kyrgyzstan in the early Middle Ages, when the nestorians got there. Their monasteries are still to be seen along the Silk Trail from China to Europe. In the 14th and 15th centuries, the Franciscan missionaries started real evangelization work with local peoples. Most recently, Catholics arrived at the end of the 19th century - these were the Polish and German settlers. In the thirties and forties of last century tens of thousands of Catholics were deported to Kyrgyzstan by Soviet leader Joseph Stalin. The first legal parish was established in the sixties. At the end of the eighties, Jesuits took over the care of Catholics in this country. Right now there are 13 missionaries and nuns in Kyrgyzstan.

In 2006 Pope Benedict XVI established Apostolic Administration in Kyrgyzstan with Bishop Nikolaus Messmer - this could be an impulse for the growth of Catholic Church in Kyrgyzstan.