The escalating civil war in Myanmar continues to devastate civilian populations, particularly in the Sagaing region, where intense fighting, airstrikes, and displacement have left communities in ruin.
Newsroom, June 16, 2025, Gaudium Press – Fr. Peter Sein Hlaing Oo, Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Mandalay, Myanmar, described the dire situation to Fides News Agency, highlighting the toll on civilians. “Many villages have been abandoned or reduced to rubble due to constant bombing,” he said. “The helpless people do not know where to find refuge.”
The Catholic Church in Myanmar, particularly in the Diocese of Mandalay, is grappling with the challenges of supporting communities caught in the crossfire. Fr. Sein Hlaing Oo noted that Catholic churches and parishes in Sagaing face severe difficulties, with believers scattered across regime-controlled areas, resistance-held territories, and zones of active conflict. “Our priests are courageously working for the people, especially the elderly, women, and children, who often lack even the bare necessities,” he said. Alongside religious leaders and catechists, they provide critical social services in dangerous conditions.
The Vicar General expressed gratitude for Pope Leo XIV’s remarks during his June 15, 2025, Angelus prayer, in which he drew attention to Myanmar’s suffering. “We thank him for his words and his attention to the suffering of the civilian population,” Fr. Sein Hlaing Oo said. The Pope’s acknowledgment has resonated deeply with Myanmar’s Catholic community, offering a sense of solidarity amid the crisis.
Joseph Kung, a Catholic academic from Yangon, echoed these sentiments, emphasizing the widespread destruction of civilian infrastructure. “The most painful thing is when schools are attacked, when pupils and students are attacked, young people who only wanted to continue their education,” he told Fides. Kung referenced a recent tragedy in Sagaing’s Oe Htein Kwin village, where an airstrike killed 20 pupils and two teachers, underscoring the war’s devastating impact on the nation’s youth.
The conflict, now in its fourth year since the military coup in February 2021, has left millions displaced and countless communities destroyed. Sagaing, Rakhine, Chin, and Kachin States are among the hardest hit. Reports from the dioceses of Bamaw and Myitkyina in Kachin State indicate that villages have been razed, and civilians continue to flee violence. “The population is exhausted and scarred,” Kung said. “When the Pope mentions Myanmar, it gives us hope because we know we are not alone.”
In Mandalay, the crisis is compounded by the lingering effects of a recent earthquake, further straining resources and resilience. Despite these challenges, the local Church remains steadfast, organizing daily Masses and prayer vigils for peace. “We continue to trust in God in this terrible situation,” Fr. Sein Hlaing Oo said, emphasizing the community’s reliance on faith.
As Myanmar’s civil war persists, the international community’s attention remains critical. Pope Leo XIV’s calls for peace have uplifted Myanmar’s Catholics, who continue to pray for an end to the violence and a brighter future for their nation.
Raju Hasmukh with files sourced from:
– Fides News Agency, “Myanmar: The Church in Mandalay, ‘We Are Grateful to the Pope for His Words,’” June 16, 2025.
– Statements from Fr. Peter Sein Hlaing Oo, Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Mandalay, to Fides News Agency.
– Statements from Joseph Kung, Catholic academic from Yangon, to Fides News Agency.
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