English Summary News: January -February 4th, 2023
(Ref: News Summarized by: Bp. F.X. Vira Arpondratana)
FEBRUARY 1, 2023 A DAY OF PRAYER FOR MYANMAR
The Aid to Church in Need (ACN) agency asks February 1ST to be A DAY OF PRAYER FOR MYANMAR marking the 2nd year anniversary of the Military Coup. Prayer Day aims to show solidarity with the Council of Catholic Bishops of Myanmar (CBCM) pleading for peace to end the conflict.
The most persecuted state are Kachin, Kaya and Karen. At least 14 churches in Kayah state, both priests and villagers, have fled into the forest. About 300 of the faithful went to take refuge in the Cathedral area in the city.
A horrifying act has been made in which 35 villagers are burned (alive) on Christmas day (24 December 2021) in Mo So village in Kayah State while worship is going on inside the church.
Air attacks by soldiers in Karen State caused thousands of people fleeing to the Thai border. ACN asks the world to pray for pastors, priests, catechists who are with the faithful so they may be out danger, give and find relief in the Sacraments. May God bless them in their mission of love and sacrificing for the Myanmar people of different beliefs and races.
MYANMAR SOLDIERS DESTROY CATHOLIC CHURCHES
Catholic News Word.com reported that on January 15, 2023, Myanmar soldiers raided the Assumption Catholic Church in the Archdiocese of Mandalay in the northeast of the country for 3 days and destroyed this historic Cathedral which was built in 1894 and burned down the Nun’s Convent but miraculously the Adoration Chapel remained intact.
These new attacks caused about 3000 villagers to migrate to 5 other churches within the district, His Excellency Archbishop Marko Tinwin provided assistance. The Sisters reminded the villagers not use violence, otherwise more lives will be lost.
Saint Francis Xavier Church Mae Hong son, Chiang Mai Helping Myanmar’s IDP (Internally Displaced Persons)
The Chiangmai Diocese through the Sisters of Maria Bambina and Fr. Maximillian Somyot Thepsamut of the St. Francis Xavier Catholic Parish visited and brought monetary aid and relief goods for the refugees at the border. Many generous people give monetary aid through Bishop Francis Xavier Vira A. The situation in the Thai -Myanmar border is a big concern for him and the care for the vulnerable IDP is concretely carried out through the Catholic priests and sisters working directly with the people in need.
