ASIA/MYANMAR - Interreligious prayer in the Italian Church for peace and brotherhood

Wednesday, 26 May 2021 prayer   dialogue   religious minorities   religious freedom   peace   fraternity  

Milan (Agenzia Fides) – To put an end to the violence, tension and war in Myanmar, and pray so that the Burmese population can return to live in an atmosphere of peace and brotherhood: with this spirit, on Saturday May 29 at 12.30, the Archbishop of Milan, Mgr. Mario Delpini, will preside over an interreligious prayer meeting for Myanmar, promoted in collaboration with the Burmese community in Italy and the Pontifical Institute for Foreign Missions. Buddhist monks and Catholic nuns from three Burmese women's institutes that have religious in Italy will be present in the Cathedral in Milan: the Sisters of Reparation, the Sisters of Maria Child and the Sisters of St. Francis Saverio.
"In the face of the spiral of violence that does not spare even the churches, Christians react with the strength of prayer, solidarity and witness and welcome a community of Buddhist monks as esteemed guests", explains the Episcopal Vicar in a statement sent to Fides, Mgr. Luca Bressan. "Christians and Buddhists together - continues Bressan - want to be a sign of the destiny of peace that God has set as the goal of humanity's journey. With the Archbishop, we will all pray that these words are banned from the heart of every man: division, hatred, war and so that the word that makes us meet may always be brother, and the style of our life becomes: shalom, peace, salam". During the meeting there will be songs in Burmese language, the intervention of the Archbishop and the reading of the words of Sister Ann Rose Na Tawng, the religious of the Sisters of St. Francis Xavier who on two occasions (February 28 and March 8 ) had the courage to kneel in front of the soldiers to ask not to shoot pro-democracy demonstrators during the protests that started after the coup. That image has traveled around the world and has become the symbol of the difficult moment that Myanmar is going through.
Father Maurice Moe Haung, of the Missionaries of Charity, a Burmese priest residing in Italy, comments to Agenzia Fides: "It is a beautiful event, it is very precious for us and it is only a beginning. We want to tell the world that the people of Myanmar are also united in the diversity of faith. With these initiatives, which we hope will multiply in Europe and in the world, we support people who suffer, who suffer violence, who live the uncertainty of their own tomorrow. Our weapons are incessant prayers. We firmly believe that only brotherly love and mutual respect will bring a better future to Myanmar". (PA) (Agenzia Fides, 26/5/2021)


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