"The Church is one of the few organizations in the country that has always been 'national' in character. It is present in each tribe, in all races and in all nationalities. This is a privilege, from which we also derive great responsibilities ", writes Cardinal Charles Maung Bo, archbishop of Yangon, the first cardinal in the history of Myanmar, in the pastoral letter to the faithful for the Christmas holidays.
In the letter, also addressed to AsiaNews, the Cardinal mentions several times the crucial moment in the country’s history and the beginning of a new era for his people. He reminds Catholics Burmese "are always attentive to the marginalized", welcoming Pope Francis’s invitation and this is the reason why the Church is a "reliable partner" in the work of "nation building".
November 8 marked a historic transition in the recent history of Myanmar, with the election victory of the National League for Democracy (NLD) and its leader Aung San Suu Kyi, for years held under house arrest by the military junta. The Cardinal, in this Christmas season and to coincide with the Jubilee of Mercy, insists on the need for national reconciliation and rebirth of the nation, still marked by deep divisions.
He writes that "it is time to heal, not to take revenge," this "is a time for forgiveness. It is time for national reconciliation. " The task of building a new Myanmar "is immense," warned the cardinal, but also notes that "the dream of a new world started right in a humble manger of Bethlehem", in the family of a poor carpenter who "did not even have a place for his son. But faith can move mountains. "
"Christmas is not only a mere outward celebration and holiday - explains the Archbishop of Yangon - but it is a challenge. And it is also an invitation to go out of our darkness and live in the light of Christmas. " The vote last November marked "the dawn of a change" and it is "up to us" transform "into a day full of light" and so "minorities can not be excluded." Forgetting the past, the dark, the cardinal added, "we can make the message of peace of Christ."
In a pastoral letter for the feast, Cardinal Bo mentions seven categories of people, institutions and national organizations "of good will" - one of which is the Burmese Church - which has the task of participating in the reconstruction of the country. Because "good will" is an essential component to complete "a work that is not finished, but has only just begun."
The cardinal calls on “all men and women of good will, of every race and creed" that belong to the nation and who are called to work for "peace and prosperity". "We base our code of conduct – he writes - on the teachings of our faith." Next, he appeals to those who have won the election to show "wisdom" in creating a government "national reconciliation" that will receive the support of the Church. He also has words for those who have "lost" and who “done much for the country" over the past five years to ensure greater "inclusiveness" and a peaceful transition of power.
The powers that have recently shown "goodwill" include the army, which is changing from "a junta mentality " to become "a guardian of the process of democratic transition”.
There are also the leaders of the various religions in Myanmar , who are tasked with repressing abuses committed by people of faith in the political sphere. "The good will inherent in religions - says the prelate - is the ability to live in harmony" with the faithful of other religions.
Finally, speaking to those who belong to different tribes and ethnic groups, he encourages them to help “resolve the crisis of identity" that has crossed the nation, with its wars and displaced persons, and to promote "a federal solution to all problems ".
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