“Pope Francis related to all, with the broken, the forgotten, and the earth itself. He made room in his heart for those the world pushed aside. And so now, as the world mourns him, we feel the sorrow that always follows great love.”
In a wide-ranging interview with Vatican News, Cardinal Charles Maung Bo, Archbishop of Yangon and President of Myanmar’s Bishops’ Conference, who served two terms as the President of the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences, remembered the late Pope Francis in this way following his return to the Lord on 21 April.
Cardinal Bo had the joy of being named by Pope Francis as the first-ever Cardinal of Myanmar, and of welcoming the Holy Father to his nation in November 2017.
Remembering Pope Francis’ historic Apostolic Journey to his nation, the Cardinal said, “Despite significant pressure from various quarters urging him not to visit our country, and despite the many challenges that loomed large, Pope Francis chose to come. And in doing so, he shone a great light upon the suffering of our people.”
In fact, the Cardinal remembers, “Pope Francis had a profound affection for the people of Asia,” adding, “he fell in love with the people of Myanmar.”
Over the years, the Pope has made constant appeals for Myanmar, for peace and for aid, and even before his passing, not only did he express his condolences for all those affected by the tragic quake, but he also offered sustenance to help the suffering population.
As of April 19, 2025, the death toll from the 7.7-magnitude earthquake that struck Myanmar on March 28 stood at 3,726, with 5,105 injured and 129 still missing. The disaster has compounded Myanmar’s existing humanitarian crisis, with nearly 20 million people in need of aid due to ongoing civil conflict.
Spanish bishops speak out after leaks of their meeting with Leo XIV
The executive committee of the Spanish Bishops’ Conference, (CEE, by its Spanish acronym) meeting in Madrid this week, issued an official statement regarding the leaks
