Matters India reporter
Yangon, April 29, 2019: In a freak incident of history a cardinal of a small country that has witnessed decades of conflict and natural calamities reached out in compassion not only in his own country but also beyond the confines of his continental borders, four times in just seven days, last week.
Charles Maung Bo, head of the Catholic Church in Myanmar, and first cardinal of the mineral rich nation scarred by years of military rule is President of the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conference (FABC) since 1st January 2019.
Bishop of Lashio since 1990, Salesian Charles Bo became archbishop of Yangon in 2003, and is cardinal of Myanmar since 2015. Myanmar’s 71 year old cardinal, no stranger to calamities and relief works, recalled the “huge tragedies” reminded him of the pain and suffering when Cyclone Nargis struck Myanmar 10 years ago when he was archbishop of Yangon, in which some 140,000 lives were lost and 800,000 were displaced.
That explains why the head of 19 Episcopal Conferences of Asia was quick to respond with compassion to four tragedies which struck nations, including his own country, four times last week.
It all started with the tragic fire in Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris which brought down the spire and roof of the 850 year old icon of French Gothic architecture due to an accidental fire, 16 April 2019.
Incidentally, there was no loss of human life in the fatal Notre Dame Cathedral fire.
The Cardinal from Asia was quick to reach out in prayerful solidarity and words of comfort to the people of France saying, “At this moment of deep sorrow and tragedy, the entire Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conference, bow our heads in prayer and join the Ecumenical Church groups the world over in Intercessory Prayer for the Church in France which has suffered this great loss.”
Coming on the heels of the tragedy that struck the world Catholic iconic cathedral was the multiple bomb blasts which occurred on Easter Sunday (21 April) morning on three prominent churches and three luxury hotels in Sri Lanka claiming 253 innocent Church goers and guests including some 50 foreigners.
The President of Asian Episcopal Conferences representing 27 countries, Cardinal Bo was quick to write to Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith of the island nation with prayer assurance of Brother Bishops and Faithful of all FABC member countries stating, “As I place my humble prayers for all the victims of this senseless violence, I also pray for the care givers and relief agents.”
The Cardinal further prayed saying, “We need to plead the mercy seat of the Risen Lord Jesus, the Prince of Hope and Peace, to strengthen all people of good will to help stabilize the situation of fear and suspicion that has arisen following the blasts.”
The third tragedy in the same week, struck the cardinal’s own people in the jade mine tragedy killing 54 migrant workers and burying 40 pieces of heavy machinery made him wrote to fellow Bishop Francis Daw Tang of Myitkyina in Kachin state in northern Myanmar saying, “Sorrow and sadness engulf the hearts of Myanmar people in the Easter week (22 April night) as hope is fading of finding anyone alive as mountains of mud swallowed these poor souls who were looking for pieces of jade in the garbage mountains.”
No sooner than the biggest human tragedy which struck Asia in the Sri Lankan multiple bomb blasts engineered allegedly by Islamic terrorists than earthquakes hit the Philippines on two consecutive days (22 and 23 April). Cardinal Bo quickly wrote to Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle of Manila, “Allow me to express my sincere anguish at this tragedy that has taken the toll on so many human lives in your country just as we are coping with heinous attacks on Christians in Sri Lanka which has left us all numbed of comprehension.”
In the two earthquakes that rattled the Philippines 16 people died while some 90 people were injured, and 14 persons reported missing.
The Myanmar cardinal, who has experienced both natural and national disasters, was quick to respond saying, “As I place my humble prayers for all the victims of this natural calamity, I also pray for the victims, survivors, care givers and relief agents.”
Responding to disasters and appealing for humanitarian assistance seems to be the legacy of the soft spoken and gentle cardinal who took charge as FABC President making urgent appeal to the Asian Church to reach out in solidarity and support to the survivors of the devastating tsunami that struck Indonesia’s coastal areas of Sunda Strait between the islands of Java and Sumatra on 22 December 2018 killing some 430 people, injuring 1,500 and leaving nearly 22,000 displaced. END