Resilience and Collaboration in Franciscan Life and Mission in Myanmar

From 26 February to 1 March 2026, the Minister General, Br Massimo Fusarelli, and the Definitor General for Asia and Oceania, Br John Wong, visited the Foundation of St Francis in Myanmar. The Foundation now forms part of the Province of San Pedro Bautista in the Philippines.

The visitors spent two days with the friars in Yangon and a further two in Pyin Oo Lwin, a hill town approximately two hours by road east of Mandalay. In Pyin Oo Lwin they were accompanied by the President of the Foundation, Br Francis Saw Kay Zar Min, and were joined by the Provincial Minister, Br Lino Gregorio Redoblado, and the Provincial Secretary, Br Angelito Andig Cortez.

Myanmar, a South East Asian nation with more than 54 million inhabitants, is currently governed by a military administration following the coup d’état of 2021. According to recent data, around 88 per cent of the population is Buddhist, while Catholics represent just over 1 per cent. The people are largely deeply religious, gentle and hardworking, with rich and diverse cultural traditions among the various ethnic groups.

The reality of the ongoing civil conflict profoundly shapes daily life. Many parts of the country, especially rural areas, are zones of confrontation. Movement is restricted and there are numerous checkpoints. Some journeys that once took four hours can now last up to two days, if they are possible at all. Poverty and low levels of education are widespread, particularly in villages. There is suffering on all sides, especially among the poorest. There are tragic accounts of violence, abuse, human trafficking, abductions and the bombing of homes, churches and convents. Many of these incidents never reach the international media.

Within this context, the Order of Friars Minor maintains a small yet lively presence. The beginnings were as an international mission and were not without difficulty. With the intensification of the conflict, all foreign missionaries of the Order were required to leave the country. The five local solemnly professed friars, all under forty at the time, assumed leadership of the Foundation and ensured the continuity of Franciscan life and mission, responding to the needs of the People of God.

Today there is healthy growth in vocations, formation and mission. At present there are fifteen young men in various stages of initial formation in Myanmar and a further eleven postulants and novices in the Philippines. The friars own a small property in East Dagon, a working class suburb of Yangon, and land near Pyin Oo Lwin where they have planted trees and intend to cultivate coffee in order to provide future income.

In Pyin Oo Lwin they live simply in two small houses made available by a neighbouring diocese. They cultivate a garden for their own sustenance and to support an orphanage caring for forty to fifty children, many of whom are victims of war and some of human trafficking. They collaborate closely with the Franciscan Sisters of St Aloysius Gonzaga (FSAG) and with the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary (FMM), to whom the presence of the Order in the country is largely due.

The friars and those in formation also take part in pastoral service in a diocesan parish attended mainly by indigenous peoples and migrants. Despite difficulties and dangers, they have committed themselves to care for those in need, including emergency relief efforts following the earthquake that struck the Mandalay region in 2025.

During the visit, the Minister General and the Definitor met the Franciscan family in Yangon and Pyin Oo Lwin, including members of the Secular Franciscan Order (OFS), and were able to greet the Bishop Emeritus of the Diocese of Lashio, who has generously supported the friars’ mission.

During the visit, and in light of the 8th Centenary of the Easter (Transitus) of St. Francis of Assisi, the Minister General and the brothers planted trees in the garden of the Pyin Oo Lwin friary, marking the beginning of a project to plant 800 trees — a living sign of renewal and hope.

Br Massimo and Br John were deeply impressed by the vitality, unity of vision and resilience of the Foundation. Fraternity, minority and simplicity permeate their daily life. Their commitment to gradual self sustainability and their clear decision to promote Franciscan spirituality through the education and accompaniment of the poorest young people, especially indigenous adolescents, offer a concrete and well founded hope for the future of the Order in Myanmar.