Burmese celebrate 500 years of Catholicism this weekend

MUMBAI: Thousands of Catholics arrived in Yangon, Myanmar (Burma), on Friday to celebrate the 500th anniversary of the arrival of Catholicism in that country. The festivities will continue over the weekend.
Cardinal Oswald Gracias, archbishop of Mumbai, attended the opening ceremony at St Mary's Cathedral in Yangon on behalf of Pope Francis. "Today is not just a day of great joy and festivities but also one of reflection on what we can do or not do, how much more we can dedicate ourselves to the Gospel, how we can transform society and how we can better serve the people of Myanmar," Cardinal Gracias said in his speech.
In his welcome address to the Indian cardinal, Archbishop Charles Bo of Yangon celebrated the endurance of the Myanmar Church amid difficult times. "Poverty and persecution, even death, have met our people, but never did they flinch from bearing witness to their faith," he said. "The faith that was cemented with tears and blood unites us today from every corner of Myanmar."
"He brought with him the good tidings and love of the pontiff to the people of Myanmar," said Mumbai church spokesman Fr Nigel Barrett.
Christians are a small minority in predominantly Buddhist Myanmar. Catholics number about ,750,000 out of a population of 50 million, according to a recent census. However, the faith is spreading and now Myanmar in fact exports priests to other countries, Archbishop Bo told a news web site.
Myanmar has 300 seminarians preparing for priesthood. "Typically of developing countries, you will get whole villages of 10 to 20 people joining the Church all at once. The headman makes a decision to join, and everyone else follows," he said.