In 2002, the mission of Ulaanbaatar was elevated to the rank of current apostolic prefecture. The superior of the mission, the late Fr. Wenceslao Padilla, priest of the Congregation of the Immaculate Heart, was appointed prefect and consecrated bishop the following year. Padilla died in September 2018. Mongolia’s first indigenous priest was ordained in 2016.

Marengo told Vatican News in 2020 that since the Mongolian Catholic community is so small, it is especially important to pay attention to interreligious dialogue and the cultural traditions of the Mongolian people.

“It means devoting time to knowing and studying the language, to refining those tools that allow us to enter into a real dialogue with people, to understand their points of reference, their history, their cultural and religious roots,” said he declared.

“And at the same time, in all of this, to be faithful to the Gospel itself…to offer with great humility, with great sincerity this precious pearl which we have received which is the Gospel of the Lord.”

Marengo grew up in Turin, Italy, studied theology at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome, then earned a licentiate and doctorate from the Pontifical Urbaniana University.

He chose “Respicite ad eum et illuminamini” as his episcopal motto, which means “Look towards him and you will be radiant”.

Until the August consistory, the youngest current cardinal is 55 Cardinal Dieudonne Nzapalainga from Bangui. Marengo will be 48 on June 7th.