The Pope's call for peace resonates with war-weary Catholics in Myanmar.

In a deeply symbolic moment, Myanmar’s Catholic community has expressed gratitude and cautious hope following Pope Leo XIV’s public call for “inclusive dialogue” to end the civil war engulfing their country. His remarks, delivered during the Angelus on June 15, mark a rare high-profile appeal for peace in Myanmar’s ongoing conflict.

Father Peter Sein Hlaing Oo, Vicar General of the Mandalay Archdiocese, highlighted that the Sagaing region—one of the areas worst-hit by junta airstrikes and clashes—has seen countless villages destroyed and parishes struggling to function. “There are believers caught in the crossfire,” he said. “People are helpless and defenseless.”

Despite facing bombardments and displacement, diocesan priests and lay catechists continue to serve in dangerous areas, especially in Mandalay, Chin, and Kachin states. In heavily Buddhist Sagaing city, a small Catholic community of around 50 families endures amidst some of the country’s fiercest fighting.

Joseph Kung, a Catholic university teacher in Yangon, emphasized the symbolic power of the pope’s words: “When the pope mentions Myanmar, it gives us hope.” Kung condemned attacks on civilian infrastructure, recalling the April airstrike that killed 20 pupils and two teachers in Oe Htein Kwin, Sagaing.

The diocese of Myitkyina in Kachin has seen widespread displacement. Its secretary, Father Don Bosco Nlam Hkun Seng, urged humanitarian organizations to increase support: “People are exhausted... Humanitarian efforts are not enough.”

Christians make up just 5% of Myanmar’s 54 million people. Amid war and repression since the 2021 coup, many now look to the Vatican’s voice as a rare beacon of solidarity in an increasingly desperate situation.

-2025-06-18