More Missionary Schools in remote areas

Myitkyina (AsiaNews/Ucan) - Education for remote villagers and formation for young Catholics are the two main goals of the Mykityina diocese, the largest in Myanmar.

"Our objective is to open more missionary schools in remote places where there are no government schools," said Father John Naw Lawn, rector of the diocesan intermediate seminary.

According to Father Lawn, the missionary schools already established have volunteer teachers who are not paid regular salaries but are given "whatever the bishop can afford". Still, the schools "are functioning well," he added.

He said the priests also decided to run summer camps featuring biblical studies to foster vocations among young Catholics and to organize English-language courses based on religion.

Fr. Lawn added that the diocese "wants more empowerment for laypeople in the work of evangelization". For that reason, in their latest meeting, Bishop Francis Daw Tang, auxiliary bishop of Myitkyina and the priests of diocese went over the draft of a constitution for a diocesan pastoral council. The priest  explained that laypeople have long been active in the diocese through a lay council, but the formation of a diocesan pastoral council will "allow greater participation and collaboration among the priests, religious, catechists and laypeople."

Myitkyina diocese, 78,000 square kilometres, Kachin State (968 km north of Yangon), is the largest diocese in the country in terms of Catholic population as well as area, with 99,509 Catholics and about 50 priests.

• Myanmar
• catholic
• church
• mission
• education