Myanmar Mission members will meet on the GC35 on October 14 – 15 in Taunggyi. The facilitator will be Fr John Lee Hua, who was the delegate/elector from the Chinese Province. Besides the Jesuits residing inside Myanmar, it is hoped that the five scholastics form the Arrupe International residence will also be present. It is time for a “home apostolic visit” for Aung Zaw, Alex Pau Sian Zam, Augustine Pyae Sone, Michael Tu Aung and Stephen Marthay.
The Provincial of Korea, Fr Matthias Chae will mission Fr Antonio Jin-tae Lee to come to Myanmar. His immediate assignment will be to take the works that Fr Lorenzo Yom (KOR) is doing at present. Fr Lorenzo will leave for tertianship sometime towards the end of July or beginning of August.
Fr “Ipong” Purwantoro (IDO) leaves for his tertianship around the same time that Fr Lorenzo does. The Mission is still looking for his replacement.
Fr Tom O’Gorman (PHI) left Myanmar in the beginning of April for the Philippines, to move to his new mission in assisting in the parish of Mary The Queen, San Juan, Metro Manila.
On May 2, Michael Htar Thoo signed the papers sent by Father General allowing him to leave the Society. As Michael moves on in his life, let us keep him in our hearts and prayers. For now, he is living in Yangon and actively searching for a job. He leaves as a good friend. He can be reached by e-mail at michael12334@gmail.com.
A storm hit Myanmar on Friday night, May 02. By Saturday morning, Yangon was a devastation. Massive destruction to nature is most evident, because Yangon has so many trees. But this meant that the trees crashed onto the homes, the wind blew off the zinc roofings of the poor, (if the house was not already crushed by a falling tree). Billboards, telephone poles, electricity cables, all over everywhere. Most roads were also inaccessible, no buses, no taxis. No electricity. No phone. No running water. Eventually people started to help out, to cut and move trees, to get roads open. The 21 candidates at Canisius worked very hard under the supervision of Fr Ipong, to get our property back in shape, and also to help with the neighbors’ properties and access roads. Fr Lorenzo and Bro Htjaru were out trying to buy commodities before they disappeared from the market; Frs. Tro and Amal were out cutting branches all day. The three Jesuit houses in Yangon (Canisius/Candidates; Berchmans/Residence; Campion/Institute) have minor damage – mainly, leaking roofs, broken windows. But all our men are okay. The vow Mass for the six novices in Taunggyi on May 1, and the celebration with their parents, family, and friends, went so well. Five new scholastics and one new brother. On the previous day, four new novices entered the novitiate. So, for the vow Mass, there were actually THIRTY Jesuits in the small chapel of Phyaphyu: fourteen novices, six vovendi, three Myanmar scholastics (regency), one brother, and six priests. Much to be thankful for, despite the natural disaster which followed.