ASIA/MYANMAR - Catholic priest killed in the Archdiocese of Mandalay

Mandalay (Agenzia Fides) – Father Donald Martin, 44, a diocesan priest of the Archdiocese of Mandalay, is the first Burmese Catholic priest killed in the civil conflict that is bloodying the country. His lifeless body, mutilated and disfigured by stab wounds, was found yesterday, February 14 at 6 am, by parishioners in the grounds of the parish of Our Lady of Lourdes, where he was the parish priest. The church is located in the village of Kan Gyi Taw, in the territory of the Shwe Bo district, which is part of the Sagaing region. According to Fides sources, the man was violently and cruelly stabbed several times. The bloody manner in which the killing was carried out suggests a targeted attack for reasons that have yet to be investigated, just as the killers have yet to be identified: not an easy task in a context of widespread violence, with clashes raging between opposition militias and the Burmese army.
The news has caused shock and deep sadness in the local community. The faithful have mobilized to try to understand the cause of the killing and the identity of the killers. The Sagaing region in northern Myanmar is one of those where fighting and clashes between the People's Defense Forces and the Burmese army are a daily occurrence.
Father Donald Martin, 44, was ordained a priest in 2018. In this period of civil war, he carried out his task as pastor of souls with zeal, fidelity and obedience, administering the sacraments in the parish and trying to be close to the suffering community. Furthermore, like so many other priests, he dedicated himself to humanitarian assistance to displaced people scattered throughout the territory, bringing them spiritual consolation and material aid. (PA) (Agenzia Fides, 15/2/2025)

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