by Paolo Affatato
Loikaw – “It is a great joy that the army has returned the Cathedral of Christ the King and the pastoral centre of the Diocese of Loikaw to us,” Bishop Celso Ba Shwe of Loikaw, capital of Kayah State, one of the areas of Myanmar most affected by the conflict that broke out following the military coup in February 2021, told Fides. Fighting between the government army and local resistance forces has caused a severe humanitarian crisis in recent years, forcing hundreds of thousands of people to flee their homes.
Villages, schools, places of worship and civilian infrastructure have been damaged or destroyed, whilst vast portions of the territory remain plagued by instability and armed clashes. In this context, the Catholic Church has continued to provide spiritual and humanitarian assistance to the population, supporting in particular the internally displaced people scattered across reception camps and the most remote areas of the region. The return of Christ the King Cathedral – occupied in November 2023 by the army, which had turned it into a military base – therefore represents a sign of hope for the local Catholic community, even in a situation that remains extremely fragile and precarious.
The Bishop tells Fides: “For the time being, however, I have not yet returned to live there. Two priests are looking after the cathedral parish. The building had suffered damage to the roof and we have carried out partial renovation work to allow for the resumption of celebrations and pastoral activities.” Celso Ba Shwe explains that the complex annexed to the cathedral still requires significant restoration work. “The pastoral centre requires extensive renovation and restoration work. We still have no electricity or water, so it is not fully accessible. We are working to make it usable again.
We are proceeding in small steps.” An encouraging sign is the return of some of the faithful. “Some Catholic parishioners are returning to the cathedral parish. For this reason, we are reorganizing our pastoral presence and support for the community,” he notes.
The Bishop, however, continues to live in the areas where the majority of the displaced population is concentrated: “The majority of the faithful in the diocese still live scattered across remote areas, in camps for displaced persons or in the forests. Many parishes are empty and closed.
As a Pastor, I feel a duty to remain close to my people and I reside in an area where thousands of internally displaced persons live.”
Currently, Bishop Ba Shwe lives in Shansu, at the Church of the Mother of God, and notes: “From there I can visit the parishes and the various refugee camps. We have hundreds of camps for internally displaced persons throughout the diocese. The number of displaced persons far exceeds 300,000. In some areas the fighting continues, in others the situation is relatively calmer.”
The Church’s presence alongside the displaced people represents a new form of mission today. “I visit the refugee camps regularly, and all the priests in the diocese do the same. Most of them live permanently in those camps alongside the displaced people. It is a different kind of mission, a different way of being a priest. Pastoral ministry is changing too: it is no longer carried out solely within a church or a specific area, but within the community, amongst people, wherever they may be.”
In this context marked by uncertainty, faith continues to sustain the people: “We do not know when God will allow us to return to our homes and our churches. But – he says – wherever we are and wherever our people may be, we maintain a deep faith in God. We hold onto the hope that one day we will be able to return. We always say that peace is possible, even if it will take time.”
Daily life in the camps is marked by precariousness but also by solidarity: “We face the difficulties of the refugee camps together, helping one another. We move forward thanks to the support of donors, who for us represent Providence. This spirit of sharing is a sign of God’s presence. Here we can put into practice Jesus’ invitation: “Love one another.” It is precisely there that we see and experience God’s presence,” he remarks. The Bishop also emphasizes the population’s deep spiritual need: “People need the Bishop, the priests and the consecrated persons. They want to meet them, see them, and bring their children to the sacraments. In the refugee camps, we continue to administer Baptism, First Communion and Confirmation. It is a great blessing for people who struggle every day for survival and who, through faith, nourish hope.”
Referring to the general situation in Myanmar, Bishop Ba Shwe reiterates the urgency of national reconciliation: “We desire peace and reconciliation. We want people to come together and unite. Without reconciliation, there will be no peace. For this reason, we propose and accompany with prayer a process of national reconciliation involving political leaders, armed groups and the country’s authorities. It depends on them, but today we must think first and foremost of the people, the nation and, above all, the poorest.” The situation facing the younger generations is a particular cause for concern. “We are very concerned about young people. They need a good education, and we try to do everything we can. Often, thanks to the dedication of the nuns, we organize informal schools and educational activities for children and young people, using the few resources and teaching materials available.”
“We cannot do much,” concludes the Bishop, “but our presence, our encouragement, our closeness and our concern are very important. Our hope is in God alone. We must constantly remember that everything comes from Him, who loves us and does not abandon His people.”
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