Bishop John Saw Gawdy is the new pastor of Taungngu, the diocese founded by PIME missionaries in the second half of the 19th century. From there come five young men who for a little over a year have continued their preparation for the priesthood at the Monza seminary. Happy for the appointment, they dialogue with and tell of the difficulties that Christians and the Church in Myanmar continue to face.
Milan () – Pope Francis accepted the resignation of the Bishop of Taungngu, Msgr. Isaac Danu, and on July 16 he named Msgr. John Saw Gawdy, who since 2020 served as coadjutor bishop of the diocese, as his successor. Born in 1955, he studied in Rangoon and the United States and was ordained in 1983. Taungngu, in Pegu Division, is a local church founded by the first PIME missionaries in Myanmar after 1868. Today, more than two years after the military coup that overthrew the government led by Aung San Suu Kyi, this diocese is not much affected by violence, unlike other regions of the country. But its inhabitants live in fear and tension due to the presence of the Burmese military.
This is what they say two of the five seminarians staying at the PIME seminar in Monza. It is about Graziano and Giustino – such are the first names they have chosen. “The diocese of Taungngu is surrounded by mountains, so the situation is not like in big cities or in the jungle,” the 22- and 23-year-olds explained to . Both remained for more than a year in the Leikhto minor seminary, about half an hour from Taungngu. Because of the civil war, they were unable to continue their studies at the national seminary in Rangoon. “In 2021 we practically never went out, because it was too dangerous: the fact of being young men could get us labeled as suspected of being part of the resistance.”
Two years ago, after the coup and the seizure of power, it was mainly the younger generation in Myanmar who took to the streets and opposed the military junta. After an attempt at peaceful protests, led by the Civil Disobedience Movement, the violence of the soldiers ignited the conflict: young men and very young boys “went to the forest”, as they say in the jargon, to join the ethnic militias or the Popular Defense Forces, the armed wing of the Government of National Unity in exile.
Even today, the Burmese military junta does everything possible to crush the resistance, including attacking civilians. “Last week they bombed the parish where my father was born. All the inhabitants fled the town, the army burned down the houses,” says Giustino. Contacting the families from Italy is complicated: “In general, the population uses the telephone and the Internet little because the army controls communications, but in my town – continues the seminarian – it is even more difficult: it is in the mountains and to get a connection, we would have to climb to a higher height because all the surroundings are full of military checkpoints”.
In the village of the other seminarian, the soldiers have set up a camp: “In some places it is no longer possible to cross. Most of the people, including our families, used to go to work in the fields on foot or by bicycle, but now they don’t.” It’s possible. They’re terrified, they don’t feel safe.”
Both seminarians expressed their joy at the episcopal appointment of Monsignor John, whom they met in November 2020. Both have great esteem for the figure of Monsignor Isaac Danu because it was he who asked the superior of PIME last year to welcome at least two would-be priests due to uncertainty in Myanmar. The Monza seminary, for its part, was willing to receive the five young people, belonging to the Karen and Kayan ethnic groups.
They landed in Italy in April 2022. “We are still divided into two groups to arouse less suspicion, but obtaining the passports was not easy,” they continue. “During the high season, the military authorities ask for more money for travel permits. They advised us to give the soldiers everything we had to get the documents and be able to leave the country.”
The seminarians are enthusiastic and grateful for the opportunity to continue their theological studies in Italy. But they look at the future of their country with uncertainty: “It is difficult to find something positive: the Church has lost a lot, all the Christian towns have been bombed. The priests have lost their apostolate or have been forced to collaborate with the military,” he says. Giustino.
“Among the refugees, the number of young people who want to commit suicide is growing. The future of the country is fading, people are thinking about how to survive day by day,” adds Graziano. The internally displaced number nearly two million, according to UN figures, but local sources do not trust those numbers. Perhaps Myanmar’s strength lies precisely in its people, who have found a way to continue living even in the midst of tragedy and fear.”
