"Pope Francis' life and preaching continue to inspire us to go where there is darkness and be light, to go to the forgotten and bring them the love of God..."

This is how Bishop José Luís Mumbiela Sierra, the leader of Central Asia's Bishops and the Bishop of Santissima Trinità in Almaty in Kazakhstan, remembers the late Holy Father, who passed away on Easter Monday, 21 April 2025.

On 2 May 2022 the newly created Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Central Asia elected Bishop Mumbiela as its first president. The Bishops Conference includes Bishops and Church delegates from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Mongolia, and Afghanistan. Months later, in September 2022, Pope Francis would make an Apostolic Journey to the nation.

Presence in Central Asia was 'a kind of living Gospel'

"When we speak about Pope Francis, especially in the context of Central Asia," he said, "what comes to mind first is his deep sensitivity to those far from the centers of the world, not only in a geographical sense of course, but also in terms of public attention."  Pope Francis, he remembered, was the first Pope in history to visit three countries of their region in such a short time. He did not go only where there are millions of Catholics, but also where the local Church consists of just a few thousand believers, as he recalled the late Pope's 2016 Visit to Azerbaijan, his 2022 Visit to Kazakhstan, and his 2023 Visit to Mongolia.

"Each of these visits," Bishop Mumbiela said, "became a kind of living gospel, a shepherd going out to milk his flock, even the smallest one."

“Each of these Visits became a kind of living gospel, a shepherd going out to milk his flock, even the smallest one.”

"For us, small Catholic communities in Kazakhstan and other Central Asia countries," he observed, this was "not merely a diplomatic gesture," but "a gesture of love and of hope."

Shepherd led by the Lord showing devotion to Christ and service to others

"During Pope Francis' meeting with clergy in Kazakhstan," the leader of Central Asia's Bishops continued, "he said words I still recall often, namely, 'You may feel insignificant and incapable, But if we look to Jesus with hope, a remarkable mystery unfolds. Being small, poor in spirit, this is a blessing. For our insignificance, humbly entrusted to God's omnipotence, leads us to understand that we cannot build the Church's mission solely on our own abilities.'"

In a small church, in Kazakhstan, and in our Central Asian countries, Bishop Mumbiela went on to point out, "we have a very small Church, a little flock, where there is grace, rather than busting of our strengths, numbers, structures or any human importance," and therefore, he underscored, "it is better to be led by the Lord and to humbly devote ourselves to serving others."

"Pope Francis helped us see that smallness is not a weakness, but an invitation to trust more deeply in God's strength. It is not a reason for discouragement, but a call to live the Gospel more authentically, in humility, simplicity and in service."

This spirit, the Bishop observed, has become especially meaningful for Central Asia's Catholic communities.

“Pope Francis helped us see that smallness is not a weakness, but an invitation to trust more deeply in God's strength.”

Helped us see we are to be salt and light in our smallness

"We came to understand that our mission is not to compete with other religions or cultural traditions, but rather," he said, "to be living, light and salt, to live the Gospel amongst the people with whom we share one land, one history, one set of joys and challenges."

Pope Francis, he remembered, "often emphasized that the Church should not be a closed system guarding its borders," but "a space of openness," as well as "of dialogue and of hope."

The special calling of the Church in our countries is, like Pope Francis reminded us, Bishop Mumbiela highlighted, "is not to be a group that clings to what it has and unlocks itself in a shell because it feels small, but a community open to God's future, burning with the fire of the Holy Spirit." In this way, he suggested, that Church is "alive, full of hope, open to newness and the signs of the times" and is "inspired by the Gospel logic of the seed that bears fruit in humble and fruitful love."

These words, he underscored, became "a compass for us," especially in places where Catholics are often the first people others meet in the path to Christ.

In this sense, the Bishop suggested that Pope Francis' visit to Kazakhstan "reached far below Church circles," but "was heard by the entire nation." "His respectful attitudes toward Catholic culture and traditions, and his calls for peace and dialogue," he said, "were received with sincere gratitude."

"Many people," he explained, "heard about the Catholic Church for the first time through Pope Francis' visit."

"Those unfamiliar with Catholicism," he noted, "heard not only a friend in his voice, they heard a good father. And when he passed away, people of different faiths and backgrounds came to our churches in silence, simply to share the sorrow of loss with Catholics.

“Those unfamiliar with Catholicism heard not only a friend in his voice, they heard a good father.”

Touched hearts, like a father, with deep humanity

This, he recognized, "speaks to his deep humanity and to the way Pope Francis touched hearts."

The Bishop noted that as the President of the Conference of Catholic Bishops of Central Asia, "I can personally testify the words and actions of Pope Francis have left a profound mark."

Bringing, to where it is least expected, the love of God

"Today, as we remember him," he said, "I thank God for his gift to the Church and the world. He inspired us not to fear our smallness but to recognize it as gospel strength. We felt called to be living, mustard seeds and bear fruit, not for our own glory but for the glory of God and in service to our neighbor."

"The legacy of Pope Francis," Bishop Mumbiela concluded, "is a call to bring hope where it is least expected."

"His life and preaching," the President of the  Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Central Asia said, "continue to inspire us to go where there is darkness and be light, to go to the forgotten and bring them the love of God."

“His life and preaching continue to inspire us to go where there is darkness and be light, to go to the forgotten and bring them the love of God”.