Catholic Church in Afghanistan

Prior to August 2021, there were very few Catholics in this overwhelmingly Muslim country—just over 200 attend Mass in its only chapel—and freedom of religion has been difficult to obtain in recent times, especially under the new Taliban-led Afghan government.

In 1921, the Italian embassy in Kabul was allowed to build the first and only legal Catholic chapel to serve foreigners working in the capital, but not open to local nationals.

[1] On 16 May 2002, Pope John Paul II established a mission sui iuris for Afghanistan with Giuseppe Moretti as its first superior, presently Giovanni M. Scalese.

[2] The Nestorians planted Christianity in the area, and there were historically nine bishops and dioceses in the region, including Herat (424–1310), Farah (544–1057), Kandahar, and Balkh.

[16] Following the attacks of September 11, 2001, Catholic Relief Services sent clothing, food and bedding to returning refugees and internally displaced persons.

[18] Projects of the new mission include a "Peace School" for 500 students that began construction in August 2003 and will be to "European standards".

[15] Three religious sisters also work with those who have mental disabilities in the capital city, teaching those with cerebral palsy how to go to the toilet and how to eat on their own.

[19] The small community went through a period of crisis during the kidnapping on May 17, 2005, of Clementina Cantoni, a member of CARE International, by four gunmen in Kabul as she walked to her car.

There had been fears that their distinctive blue and white habit would make them stand out and be harassed by Muslims, but their institute is generally respected.

[22] There have been efforts made to start inter-religious dialogue; the Islamist head of the Afghan Supreme Court Fazul Shinwari attended the inauguration of the mission and expressed a desire to meet with the Pope.

[23] The Catholic community in Afghanistan is mainly made of foreigners, especially aid workers, and no Afghans are known to be currently part of the Church, mainly due to great social and legal pressure not to convert to non-Islamic religions.

[18] Church attendance dipped in 2012 due to security concerns and less emphasis on religion among the foreigners in Afghanistan in recent years.