ASIA/MYANMAR - Commitment of the Catholic Church in Myanmar in the words and presence of Apostolic Delegate Archbishop Salvatore Pennacchio

Monday, 13 March 2006

Yangon (Fides Service) - The Church in Myanmar recently celebrated two happy events with the presence in Yangon of Archbishop Salvatore Pennacchio, Apostolic Delegate for Myanmar.
The Archbishop visited Pennacchio Yangon Children’s Hospital where he donated modern equipment to help children with respiratory difficulties. “The Holy See - he said - is truly happy to make this donation to help children who suffer because it is part of the Church’s mission and nature to promote respect for every human person and to alleviate the suffering for all people of all race, creed, language or culture”. The Nuncio praised and thanked the hospital staff and he quoted from Pope Benedict XVI recent first Encyclical Deus Caritas Est on the love of God for all mankind and the exercise of Christian charity.
In turn the hospital and local authorities thanked the Archbishop on behalf of the many children who will benefit from the new equipment in the hospital which cares for between 60,000 and 90,000 little patients every year.
The second happy event at which Archbishop Pennacchio was present was the presentation of diplomas to a first group of 19 students who completed a cycle of study at the Yangon Catholic Formation Institute opened three years ago. The Institute forms people to teach in seminaries and houses of formation, people who are responsible for the human and spiritual maturing of clergy, religious and lay people. Also present at the diploma award ceremony a few Myanmar Bishops including Archbishop Paul Grawng of Mandalay president of the Bishops’ Conference of Myanmar.
Archbishop Pennacchio congratulated the local Church for opening a house of “Formation of Formation staff” and the 19 students with their diplomas. Institute director Fr. Frank Hoare said it was of fundamental importance for the growth of the local Church to have properly formed teachers for the formation of religious and laity and to guarantee them a sound cultural, human and spiritual grounding in the faith. (Agenzia Fides 13/3/2006 righe 27 parole 275)


Share: