The SVD AUS Province is preparing to send a team of missionaries to Myanmar by the beginning of next year to establish a brand new Divine Word Missionary presence in the South-East Asian nation.
Provincial, Fr Henry Adler SVD, says that Cardinal Charles Bo invited the SVD into his diocese of Yangon to pursue Bible ministry there.
“I visited Myanmar earlier this month to follow up on the plans being put in place as we prepare a team to go and set up for our missionaries,” Fr Henry says.
“Two of our confreres, including Mission Secretary, Fr Truc Quoc Phan, will go and set things up and we will start preparing the first group of missionaries for their assignment to Myanmar – we are expecting somewhere between three and five missionaries will go.
“We’re hoping that by the beginning of next year, they should be in Myanmar.”
Fr Henry says his conversations with Cardinal Bo have been going on for about two years to reach this exciting new stage.
“Cardinal Bo has invited us into his Diocese of Yangon and offered us a place we can use in the Sacred Heart Parish, about 1.5 hours from Yangon itself,” he says.
“The building is in an unfinished condition, so hopefully we can make it liveable, so that we can arrive there and our missionaries can start learning the language and the culture and getting to know the people.”
Fr Henry says that having been present in neighbouring Thailand for several years now, the SVD AUS Province is delighted to now be able to respond to the needs of the people of Myanmar.
“In particular, Cardinal Bo has asked us to do what our name, Divine Word Missionaries denotes – that is, to help develop the Biblical ministry in Myanmar,” Fr Henry says.
“The Church in Myanmar is blessed to have good numbers of local clergy and religious, but they are more in need of professional Bible formation and formation in interreligious dialogue and mission. “That’s where we hope to get involved.
“Beginning any new missionary endeavour is exciting and perhaps a little daunting, but we are looking forward to getting to know the language, the culture and the people. We have much to learn from the people of Myanmar and we hope it will be the start of a wonderful relationship.”
PHOTO: Yangon, where the SVD AUS Province is to establish a new Mission (Shutterstock)