Greetings from Myanmar

The Mariapolis is one of the traditional gatherings of the Focolare Movement, where people of all ages and walks of life gather for a few days to experience the brotherhood that is born from the life of the Gospel, even when – as in Myanmar – they are not all Christians. At the conclusion of the Mariapolis in Myanmar they write: “Heartfelt greetings from the nearly two hundred people who have attended the sixth Mariapolis in Myanmar! The majority have travelled great distances to reach the seminary located in the mountains of the country’s eastern lands: a 12-hour journey from Yangon; 20 hours for people traveling from the south, including some who walked for three hours before reaching the buses that transported them for another 10 hours. There were Catholics, a small representation of other Christian denominations and several Buddhists.”

The message continues: “Tauggyi’s refreshing climate, compared to the 40 degree temperature (104 degrees F) of Yangon, made us feel like we were in a small paradise. But it was especially the temperature of our mutual love that increased as we performed personal daily acts of love of giving and receiving.” Some focolarini from Thailand and a few seminarians who are on holiday had arrived before the Mariapolis began to help with the preparations.

“I’m in charge of a mothers association in my village. Before coming here, there was a problem because some of the members were arguing among themselves. During this Mariapolis, my thinking changed and I decided to ask forgiveness of the mothers when I return, as a sign of love.”

“Even though I belong to the Baptist Church, I believe that I am here because of Mary, Our Mother,” declared 19-year-old Eden Htoo. “I will do my best to make this seed of reciprocal love that has been planted in my heart to grow, and I will share it with others.”  

Michael admitted that he felt “encouraged to have more respect for people of other religions.”

Eighteen-year-old Paulina: “I liked the statement: “If you want to be loved, you must first love.” I have never tried to apologise after having fought with a certain person, I thought it would have been too hard a blow to my ego. But now I realize that it is also important to apologise. Before I detested people who hated me, but now I’m going to try this: the more they hate me, the more I’ll love them.”

Among those who attended was also the local Ordinary, Archbishop Matthias U Shwe, who had met the Focolare Movement as a seminarian through some of the first focolarini who visited Myanmar in 1966: “He surprised us when he arrived several hours before the Mass and conclusion. He encouraged us and urged us to return again next year. We left happy and desirous to take the experience of unity that we had lived in the Mariapolis to our local environments.”