Myanmar’s faithful celebrate the inauguration of St. Patrick Parish in the Diocese of Kalay, an occasion offering hope to local Catholics in the embattled region of northwestern Myanmar as the nation continues to endure a humanitarian crisis.
By Deborah Castellano Lubov
The inauguration of a new parish in northwestern Myanmar, in the Diocese of Kalay, is offering hope to the country’s faithful amid an ongoing humanitarian crisis.
According to the pontifical news agency Fides, more than 600 Catholics, most of them internally displaced, gathered in the town of Khaikam Myo to celebrate the historic inauguration of St. Patrick Parish during a Mass presided over by Bishop Felix Lian Khen Thang and concelebrated by twelve priests.
Humanitarian and social crisis
The Diocese of Kalay is situated between the Sagaing Region and Chin State and lies in one of the areas hardest hit by the civil conflict that erupted following the military coup in February 2021.
The region continues to endure a severe humanitarian and social crisis.
A suffragan diocese of the Archdiocese of Mandalay, the Diocese of Kalay serves approximately 60,000 Catholics. Most of its territory lies in the Sagaing Region, while a smaller portion extends into Chin State.
Centered in the city of Kalay, the diocese is home to St. Mary’s Cathedral and the diocesan see. Bordering India, it has an ethnically diverse population that includes a large Chin community and other minority groups.
Damaging impact on young people and Christians
The civil war that followed the 2021 military coup devastated the Kalay area. According to Fides, the region remains engulfed in a multifaceted crisis, with communities continuing to struggle under the effects of the conflict.
The agency notes that many young people have fled to avoid forced military conscription, while the humanitarian emergency continues to worsen.
Fides also reports that, according to local sources, government soldiers have on several occasions targeted churches, convents, and Catholic schools, suspecting them of providing logistical support or shelter to resistance forces.
In recent years, airstrikes, air raids, and heavy fighting have damaged several churches in the Kalay area.
