New priests cheer Catholics amid Myanmar conflict
March 31, 2022 · By UCA News Network for www.ucanews.com
New priests cheer Catholics amid Myanmar conflict
The Catholic Church in Myanmar has welcomed 13 new priests as a blessing and hope for the war-torn minority Christian community. Cardinal Charles Bo presided over the priestly ordination ceremony at St. Mary’s Cathedral in Yangon last Saturday.
The new priests are from the Archdiocese of Yangon, dioceses of Pathein and Pyay, and the religious congregations of the Society of Jesus and the Order of Friars Minor. Cardinal Bo said the new priests bring hope for the wounded Church in Myanmar where millions struggle for survival due to conflict and the Covid-19 pandemic.
The Myanmar Church has about 1,000 priests, 2,000 religious nuns and hundreds of catechists serving in 16 dioceses. Due to political violence since the military coup, churches have been attacked, clergy arrested and thousands of Christians forced to flee their homes from the military’s junta’s combat operations.
The dioceses of Loikaw, Pekhon, Hakha and Kalay have been severely affected by conflict. About 1,600 people have been killed and 12,000 detained since February 2021.
Smoke and fire rise from Thantlang town in Myanmar’s Chin state after shelling by military forces on Oct. 29, 2021. (Photo: AFP)
Pope Francis has sent his special blessings to the Church in China and Hong Kong as the Covid-19 pandemic surges. The pope imparted the blessings during a meeting with Hong Kong’s Jesuit Bishop Stephen Chow Sau-yan in Rome.
Bishop Chow met the pope and top Vatican officials during his first visit to Rome after his ordination as bishop last December. Hong Kong and various cities in mainland China have been battling a lethal outbreak of the coronavirus in recent weeks.
A sharp rise in new cases and deaths has forced the authorities to enforce strict lockdowns and mass testing of citizens. Some media outlets have speculated that the Hong Kong bishop’s visit to Rome was not merely a courtesy call and pointed out that it came after about a month the Vatican transferred its diplomats from Hong Kong and Taiwan, allegedly to strengthen ties with China.
The meeting also came ahead of the potential renewal of the Vatican-China agreement on appointment of bishops in China.
Catholics in Japan have welcomed the first Filipino missionary bishop in the country. 57 year old Bishop Edgar Gacutan was installed as the new bishop of Sendai Diocese last Saturday.
He is a member of the CICM or Congregation of Immaculate Heart of Mary founded by Belgian priest Father Theopile Verbist. Bishop Gacutan was born in Enrile town of Cagayan province in the Philippines in 1964.
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