ASIA/MYANMAR - New bishop consecrated in Rakhine State as fighting continues

Pyay (Agenzia Fides) - The Catholic faithful of the Rakhine State (or Arakan), in western Myanmar, have welcomed their new Bishop, Peter Tin Wai, a "Good Shepherd" called to lead the Catholic faithful in a situation of civil war, while clashes between the "Arakan Army", local militias and the regular Burmese army continue in the territory of the State.
Despite the widespread violence and displacement, in recent days more than 2,000 Catholic faithful have gathered in the city of Pyay, the diocese that covers the entire territory of Rakhine State, to welcome the new Bishop. The solemn Eucharist and ordination of the new bishop, presided over yesterday by Cardinal Charles Maung Bo, president of the Bishops' Conference of Myanmar, was attended by about 20 Burmese bishops, 150 priests, more than 200 nuns and thousands of faithful gathered from surrounding towns and villages. Many others were unable to leave their villages amid the fighting, but prayed in their homes or in the forests where they are sheltered.
The diocese of Pyay is mostly inhabited by the Rakhine ethnic group, including about 30,000 Catholics, in a Buddhist-majority area. The episcopal seat is located in the Diocese of Pyay, the former Apostolic Prefecture of Sittwe (created in 1940), which was led by Father Thomas Newman, the first Apostolic Prefect. Later, the territory was entrusted to the Missionaries of Our Lady of La Salette, and in 1961 Bishop Thomas Newman became the first bishop of the diocese, which was initially called Prome and in 1991 became the Diocese of Pyay as it exists today.

The faithful gathered - an extraordinary event in times of war - to pray with and for Bishop Peter Tin Wai and to celebrate the Jubilee of Hope despite the tragic context in the conflict region. "We have come to celebrate God's time, which is always a time of hope," said Cardinal Charls Maung Bo, who also took the opportunity to thank the previous Bishop Alexandre Pyone Cho, a Pastor who "embodied the spirit of Simon of Cyrene, walking the Via Crucis with the people".
In the war- and poverty-stricken region, life for priests and religious is difficult, but the bishop has always supported them, for which the faithful are grateful. "We live in difficult times when darkness seems to have prevailed," Cardinal Bo continued. "Evil seems to strangle good. Hatred seems to have overwhelmed love. But we are a people of hope and we are celebrating the JubileeYear of Hope. The Lord is the Lord of life, not of death. As we celebrate the ordination of Bishop Peter Tin Wai as a family, we rejoice in spirit and offer comfort and encouragement to one another. This is a time of healing and reconciliation."

Bishop Peter Tin Wai was born and raised in Rakhine State and is therefore very familiar with the region, the local culture, the challenges and struggles of the local people and the plight of the internally displaced. As a priest, he was involved in pastoral care for the displaced, "and his resilience is a testimony to his evangelical spirit," stressed those present, describing him as someone "who leads a simple life among the people of Rakhine State, who knows their tears, joys and the pain of displacement and poverty." The bishop will be able to "spread the Gospel in places marked by wounds and despair" and "bring peace and healing where there is conflict, in our hearts, in our diocese and in the nation." The area of Rakhine State is also facing the problem of Rohingya refugees, an ethnic minority of Muslim faith who have been increasingly displaced in recent years and are now also victims of the ongoing conflict.

Meanwhile, the "Arakan Army" (AA) is approaching the city of Sittwe, the capital of Rakhine State, and, according to observers, is preparing an attack to bring the city under its control. In recent days, civilians have begun to flee Sittwe after initial fighting on the outskirts of the city. In the meantime, the junta has blocked all escape routes. Of the 17 townships in Rakhine State, 14 are already under the control of the Arakan Army and only three are still controlled by the Burmese army: Kyaukphyu, Munaung and Sittwe, where the regional headquarters of the Burmese military junta is located.

The scenario unfolding in Rakhine State is found in several states in Myanmar and is an example of the presence of the Catholic community in this country marked by four years of civil war: they ensure pastoral and sacramental life, provide assistance and comfort to displaced people scattered throughout the territory - they have often left their villages and therefore their parishes. And the commitment continues with great dedication and a deep witness of faith even in this difficult and uncertain time.
The Holy See also continues to pay special attention to the region with the erection of new dioceses, such as the Diocese of Mindat, with territory taken from the diocese of Hakha, in the Chin State, on the border with India. Recent actions by the Holy See include the appointment of Father Raymond Wai Lin Htun as Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Yangon in 2024 and the appointment of Father John Mung-ngawn La Sam (MF), a religious of the Missionaries of the Faith, as Bishop of the Diocese of Myitkyina, the capital of Kachin State, another area affected by serious displacement. And this includes the appointment of Father Felice Ba Htoo as coadjutor bishop of the diocese of Pekhon, in Shan State, an area affected by violent clashes and where new guerrilla groups have recently emerged, such as the "United Wa State Army" and the "Shan State Army-North", fueling general violence, in which the Catholic faithful suffer like everyone else, sharing the fate of the local population. (PA) (Agenzia Fides, 24/2/2024)

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