austraLasia #2363

Crises have not diminished Myanmar's devotion to BVM

YANGON: 19th February 2009 -- Archbishop Charles Bo, Yangon, reports on the 107th national Marian feast of Our Lady of Lourdes at Nyaunglebin, some 90 miles from the capital, on 14th February last. Expectations were that numbers might be down due to the global financial crisis and other difficulties, but the event drew 60,000 faithful, 4 bishops, 75 priests and hundreds of Religious.
    The midnight Marian Mass was presided over by Archbishop Paul Grawng, Mandalay. The homilist was Archbishop Charles Bo, who preached on the 'Art of listening to the Word of God'. He told the assembled congregation that "there are three things people mostly want - to be listened to, to trust in the words after listening to them, and for someone to side with them". He went on to explain that Jesus Christ listens to us, trusts in our words, takes our part and is always with us. He also challenged people to ask themselves if they, for their part, still listen to God speaking to them, and exhorted them to eradicate whatever is a hindrance to this listening such as sin, selfishness, distraction, being afraid of life - and listening to too many voices. He then showed how Mary is the model for listening to God, pondering the Word, praying and living the Word.
    At the conclusion of the Mass, Archbishop Bo greeted the people in 12 local dialects, to which they responded with cheers and claps. Local Catholics in Nyaunglebin are in the minority but they have lived in peace and unity over time with Protestants, Muslims, Buddhists and Hindus.
  _________________
 AustraLasia is an email service for the Salesian Family of Asia Pacific.  It also functions as an agency for ANS based in Rome.  For queries please contact admin@bosconet.aust.com . Use Bosconet-wiki to be interactive. RSS feeds - just go to Bosconet, click on austraLasia 2009 in the sidebar. You will see the RSS orange icon in your browser address bar - add it from there.  Avail yourself of the Salesian Digital Library at http://sdl.sdb.org

Title: australasia 2363
Subject and key words: EAO Provinces MYM Marian Festival
Date (year): 2009
ID: 2000-2099|2363