Myanmar. Bishop Celso Ba Shwe: “The Pope told me: ‘it is you who bless me, for you are martyrs’”

“We are deeply grateful to our beloved Holy Father for his support and his prayers, constantly demonstrating his solicitude and concern for Myanmar. His tireless appeals to make the world aware of the situation in our country give us immense hope.” These were the first words of gratitude expressed by Bishop Celso Ba Shwe of Loikaw in a message emailed to SIR in response to Pope Francis’ continued appeals for peace in Myanmar.

“I will never forget his words when I met him for the first time during a private audience in 2023,” writes Fr Celso. “After that meeting, we asked for his blessing and he whispered in my ear: ‘It is you who are blessing me, for you are martyrs.’ He echoed this sentiment during the audience following the conclusion of the formation course for newly appointed bishops in September this year, when he said: ‘Myanmar is always in my heart.’

“His constant prayers for Myanmar, and especially his weekly mention of us during the Sunday Angelus prayer, are a source of great encouragement to us all.”

Forced to flee the cathedral with his priests, men and women religious in November 2023 because of armed clashes, the bishop has not yet been able to return to the city, but he remains committed to serving the faithful of the diocese, who are currently scattered in 200 refugee camps in distant areas. “In fact,” the bishop reflects, “as the Holy Father says, war is a human defeat; it does not solve problems. War is evil; it brings destruction.”  The bishop has experienced first-hand the impact of war. “As for the situation of the armed conflict in Kayah State and Loikaw Diocese, you can read about it in the press. I would rather not talk about it.” Myanmar has been in the throes of civil war since 1 February 2021.

At least 5,350 civilians have been killed, more than 3.3 million displaced and more than half of the population is living below the poverty line, mostly as a result of the military’s violent attacks, according to the latest available UN data (17 September 2024).

The war has plunged the country into the verge of economic collapse. Young people, the heart of Myanmar’s future, are fleeing abroad to avoid mandatory military conscription. The report goes on to detail the scale of the arrests carried out by the military. Some 27,400 individuals have been arrested since the coup. This number has increased since the military junta introduced forced conscription in February 2024. At least 1,853 people, including 88 children and 125 women, have died in custody, according to credible sources. Many were reported to have died after being subjected to violent interrogation, physical violence while in custody, or after being denied access to adequate medical care.

The bishop continues: “Some people in Loikaw city were able to return to their homes in recent months, but many others are afraid to return because of the dangers posed by anti-personnel mines, especially in Christian-majority districts.

“Because the cathedral and the diocesan centre are still occupied by the armed forces, we have not been able to return either.”

When asked what their most pressing needs were, Bishop Celso replied: “Our main concern at the moment is food security. In the current situation, it is almost impossible to deliver food and medicines to the areas of displacement. Flooding over the past three months has destroyed rice fields and crops, leaving many without sufficient food supplies. As a result, many internally displaced persons (IDPs) are facing severe shortages of food and basic necessities.”

The bishop sent out an appeal: “We call on the international community to take concrete steps to end the war in Myanmar, and to support meaningful dialogue that will lead to reconciliation and peace.

Our people are suffering and peace has never been more urgently needed. Thank you for your continued support and your prayers.

The post Myanmar. Bishop Celso Ba Shwe: “The Pope told me: ‘it is you who bless me, for you are martyrs’” first appeared on AgenSIR.(Fonte: AgenSIR – News archiviata in #TeleradioNews ♥ il tuo sito web © Diritti riservati all’autore)