Building bridges between faith and education in Kazakhstan
In a small village in Northern Kazakhstan in Central Asia, a school founded by a German priest is nurturing intercultural understanding, interreligious dialogue and technological skills, offering young people the confidence to shape their own future.
Opportunities can be limited on the hills of Northern Kazakhstan in Central Asia. Many young people leave school and their villages in search of a better future. St. Lawrence School in Kornewka is a reminder of what education can achieve when it is rooted in faith, openness, and a genuine commitment.
The genesis of St Lawrence
St. Lawrence was founded in 1996 by a German priest, Fr. Lorenz Gawol, with 11 children. Now it has grown to an educational community of more than 200 students, bringing together children from Catholic, Orthodox, Protestant, and Muslim families. Known affectionately as the Shepherds school, it demonstrates how education can become a meeting point for different cultures and religions while preparing young people for the demands of the world.
The initiative emerged at a moment of uncertainty following the collapse of the Soviet Union. As many German families left Kazakhstan to return to their home country, Fr Gawol faced a choice to leave or stay and serve the children who would remain. He stayed believing that a beneficial education, a sound moral foundation, and opportunities for personal development could make a lasting difference in their lives.
That decision continues to shape the school three decades later.
Beyong religious difference
Speaking to the Vatican's Fides news agency, Fr. Leopold Kropfreiter, a priest of the Servants of Jesus and Mary (SJM), said, “We cannot call it a Catholic school, but we seek to convey a Christian vision of the human person through education, ethics, and personal development.” He has served the school since 2018, promoting Christian understanding of the human person without limiting admission solely to Christians, operating within Kazakhstan’s national education system and welcoming students and staff from diverse religious backgrounds.
Intercultural and interreligious experience is an everyday relationship, with Christian encounters that respect other beliefs too.
A former Muslim student shared her experience when she defended her positive experience at the school after someone suggested she might have faced hostility in a Christian environment.
Her experience reflects the school's central conviction that people do not need to abandon their identity to learn from one another, but instead mutual respect, shared experience, and genuine friendship can help students grow together.
For Fr. Kropfreiter, Christian witness is expressed not only through religious celebration but also through hospitality, quality education and respect for every person's dignity.
Education for the future
St. Lawrence equips students with special skills like character formation, practical skills and opportunities that might otherwise remain beyond their reach. Language education, especially German, has long been distinctive and has helped students pursue opportunities abroad. Around 25 to 30 students are currently studying in Germany and Austria.
The school introduced digital skills courses in 2026, provided computers, and organized training seminars on artificial intelligence while exploring various programs and the use of AI to create applications and games.
These skills can help young people bring together village life and the wider digital economy. Technology becomes more than a classroom resource, offering a pathway towards greater independence, creativity, and participation in the future.
Nonetheless, challenges remain as families migrate elsewhere in search of opportunities. However, the school continues its work with the support of religious communities, missionary organizations, and donors.
St. Lawrence offers a compelling example of education as both a social mission and a bridge between culture and faith, helping young people discover their potential and embrace new possibilities.
The seeds planted by Fr. Lorenz Gawol's decision to stay in Kazakhstan have grown into communities where differences become opportunities for understanding and education, preparing the next generation to build a more inclusive future.
Sr Christine Masivo
Source: vaticannews.va/en