ASIA/MYANMAR - Jubilee of Consecrated Life: Missionaries of Hope in a country ravaged by war

Yangon (Agenzia Fides) - In Myanmar, ravaged by civil war for over four years, the presence and vitality of the apostolate of men and women religious, who act as authentic missionaries of hope, remains significant. This was clearly evident during the celebrations for the Jubilee of Consecrated Life, which brought together consecrated men and women from various dioceses to pray together and renew their commitment to their mission. The Burmese people, in all their diverse realities and situations, expressed their profound gratitude to the religious for their witness of faith, hope, and charity in every part of the country.
Over 200 religious gathered on October 8, 2025, for the Jubilee celebration at St. Mary's Cathedral in Yangon, entrusting themselves to the Lord and renewing their mission of hope for a country faced with suffering, violence, and difficulties. Representatives of 20 different congregations from across the Archdiocese of Yangon gathered for the event under the motto "Gratitude, Enthusiasm, and Hope."
Cardinal Charles Bo, Archbishop of Yangon, recalled the words of John Paul II during the Great Jubilee of 2000, emphasizing that "every Jubilee requires three important attitudes: gratitude for the past, enthusiasm for the present, and hope for the future." Gratitude is a sign of holiness: "A grateful person is a holy person," he explained. "We are grateful to God for life, for our vocation, and for the inspiration of our founders." Regarding the second point, the Cardinal encouraged the religious to live the present moment, which "is always a gift," with joy. Finally, he urged everyone to look to the future with hope, especially in a context marked by uncertainty and negativity: "Even in moments of discouragement, we are called to wait with trust, to pray with the Psalms, and to find hope in simplicity, humility, and gentleness."
Dominican Father Philip Soreh, OP, then spoke about consecrated life as a "life of building bridges," addressing the challenges posed by modern technologies and artificial intelligence, emphasizing "the irreplaceable value of human community." In a subsequent exchange of experiences, the various religious congregations (there are 42 in Yangon alone) shared their charisms and ministries, ranging from education to healthcare to other social works. In another difficult context, in the Diocese of Pyay in Rakhine State in western Myanmar, about 50 nuns gathered to participate in a Mass with Bishop Peter Tin Way on October 8 at a facility run by the Sisters of Our Lady of the Missions (RNDM).
Monsignor Andrea Ferrante, Chargé d'Affaires of the Apostolic Nunciature in Myanmar, was also present at the Eucharistic celebration in the auditorium of the School of the Sacred Heart. He delivered the homily, addressing those present with the following words: "We live in difficult times and times of great suffering in the world. The greatest challenge is the loss of faith and trust in God. The men and women of this generation have a great need to encounter the Lord and his liberating message of salvation. Since I have been in Myanmar, I have been able to experience your faith, your courage, your love for Christ and the Church, and your generous dedication in serving the poor, the sick, children, and young people in the name of Christ. In this celebration, we remember the missionaries who paid for their choice of fidelity to Christ with their blood." "You are not called to find the solution to all problems," the Holy See's Chargé d'Affaires clarified, "but to be present in the world to bring peace and help our brothers and sisters live with dignity and humanity. We are not alone on our journey." There is "the certainty of the promise Jesus made to his disciples: 'I will not leave you as orphans' (John 14:18), and this gives us the confidence to accept and welcome the gift of our brothers and sisters."
Following the Mass, a meeting with all the religious took place, during which Monsignor Ferrante greeted those present on behalf of Pope Leo XIV and thanked them for their commitment and apostolic zeal in evangelization through schools, reception centers for children and young people, nursing, and other social works. All of these works are particularly valuable at a time when even minimal public social services have been interrupted in various regions of Myanmar due to the fighting. Representatives of other Christian denominations also took part in the celebration and Buddhist representatives participated. The religious continued the meeting with two days of reflection and exchange on their charisms and their mission. (PA) (Agenzia Fides, 10/10/2025)

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