His Eminence Cardinal Charles Maung Bo, SDB, will visit Australia to raise awareness of the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Myanmar and to give voice to the millions affected by conflict and displacement.
Since 2021, internal violence and instability have displaced more than three million people across the country, including 1.8 million in the past year alone. With a population of over 57 million, Myanmar continues to face significant challenges as conflict disrupts daily life and limits access to healthcare, education and economic stability.
Families across the country have been forced from their homes, seeking refuge in temporary shelters, forests, and neighbouring regions, often without reliable access to food, clean water, healthcare, or schooling. Entire communities have been deeply affected, particularly in already vulnerable rural areas.
As Archbishop of Yangon and Myanmar’s first cardinal, Cardinal Bo has long been a leading voice for peace, justice and human dignity. For decades, he has accompanied communities through hardship and has consistently advocated for those most affected by conflict.
During his visit, Cardinal Bo will bear witness to the realities faced by the people of Myanmar and seek to amplify their voices on the global stage. His presence highlights the urgent need for solidarity and action in support of vulnerable communities.
A key focus of his visit will be the Ecological Farming Project led by the Missionaries of St Paul (MSP), a congregation he founded in 1990. The initiative provides practical, sustainable responses to food insecurity while forming future generations through education and leadership development.
“The whole Myanmar Church made education a priority. Without the education of the children, Myanmar will not have a future at all,” Cardinal Bo said.
Through this project, communities are supported with access to food and essential resources, while young people are trained in sustainable farming practices that can be shared and expanded across the country.
Catholic Mission is proud to welcome Cardinal Bo. Having first welcomed him in 2018 to share about the challenges facing education in Myanmar, we continue to stand alongside him in highlighting the importance of unity in responding to global challenges and in the face of new challenges.
“By welcoming His Eminence to Australia this May to share his lived experience with our friends and supporters, we hope that this time again it will raise awareness of the situation faced by our sisters and brothers. His hope-filled and faith-filled witness is a reminder that we are one in Christ, and that our unity is one of the strengths of our missionary Church,” shared Peter Gates, Catholic Mission National Director.
The visit will include a public event hosted in partnership with the St Xavier Social Justice Network, bringing together Cardinal Bo, Cardinal Mykola Bychok C.Ss.R, and Archbishop Peter A. Comensoli for an evening of dialogue on peace, humanity and justice.
Together, let’s answer the call of Cardinal Bo “Let us hope. Hope is the stream that runs through the desert of pessimism.”
