Pope Francis spoke of his solidarity with the people of Myanmar and appealed to its leaders to show willingness to serve the common good “promoting social justice and national stability”. Myanmar is “a nation that I carry in my heart with much affection, ever since my apostolic visit there in 2017,” he said after the Read more
While religious leaders play a vital part in conveying messages of peace, solidarity and harmony, a prominent Catholic leader in Myanmar has used that important role to decry the hunger and food crisis in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic. Cardinal Charles Bo of Yangon, who advocates for peace, minority rights and economic justice, has Read more
Over 60,000 factory workers in Myanmar have already lost their jobs since the start of the coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis. Among them are those working in the garment factories that supply some of the world’s biggest fashion brands. The United Nations says the situation will worsen; predicting half Myanmar’s garment workers will be out of work. Read more
A new study shows the Catholic church is flourishing beyond expectations in Asia with ordinations well in excess of international averages. As an example, although there are only 750,000 Catholics in Myanmar, the Church in the Southeast Asian country ordained 83 new priests last year. At the same time, only 19 new priests were ordained Read more
A new Human Rights Watch report says young Burmese women are being trafficked to China as ‘brides’ then locked in rooms and raped until they become pregnant. Read more
LOGOS, the Marist Youth Development agency in Auckland, on November 20 farewelled Tayla Fa’aofo prior to her departure to work at the Marist Asia Foundation in Ranong, Thailand. Tayla will be helping people from Myanmar who have come to Thailand either as refugees escaping conflict and living in refugee camps or as migrants seeking work. The farewell Read more
Myamnar’s Cardinal Charles Bo has been elected as the new president of the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences (FABC). The federation’s purpose is to foster among its members solidarity and co-responsibility for the welfare of Church and society in Asia. Read more
China’s one-child policy is leading to human trafficking, says Cardinal Charles Bo of Myanmar. Speaking at the current synod on youth taking place in Rome, Bo says during synod he was reflecting on the situation for young people in Myanmar. He says the position young people in Europe are in is “quite different” from young Read more
Eight priests, nuns and teachers have been expelled from Myanmar’s northern Shan state. China-backed ethnic minority Wa State Army have ordered them to leave the Wa Hills, which border China. They were only allowed to take what they could carry. Read more
Ethnic-minority Wa and Lahu Christians near Myanmar’s border with China have been detained and ordered by a China-backed militia group to pledge that they would pray only in their homes and not in churches. Rev. Lazarus, general secretary of the Lahu Baptist Convention in Kyaing Tong, eastern Shan State, said that about 100 Wa Christians were Read more