SIX YEARS in NCYC

Six years with the Sheep of Catholic Church in Myanmar

According to Catholic Directory of Myanmar (2007), the population of Catholics in Myanmar is nearly 621,706. The Catholic Church in Myanmar consists of 14 dioceses; namely-Yangon, Pathein, Pyi, Mandalay, Hakar, Myitkyina, Taunggyi, Loikaw, Taungngo, Mawlamyaing, Lasho, Pekhon, Banmaw and Kengtung. At present, there are 17 bishops, more than 677 priests, and over 2000 Religious. Catholic Bishops' Conference of Myanmar (CBCM) is the highest decision-making body of Catholic Church in Myanmar.

All the Catholic associations and organizations are under C.B.C.M. They are basically categorized into pastoral and laity organizations. National Catholic Youth Commission (NCYC) is one of laity organizations. The list of youth, not registered in the book yet it is at least 20 percents of the faithful of the country. Some are working, some studying, and some are jobless but they are the present factors of the time.

The most dynamic generation is the age of the youth that I ever noticed. As a youth, I wanted to be a free man in thinking, talking and acting with creative idea. In my mind, the youthfulness is the most attractive and happiest stage in the life of human.

I was with the youth for six years as a national Catholic Youth coordinator in Myanmar. It was a good chance to learn the life of the youth as a young priest. I found something in the youth that are invaluable for life. I simply like to say that I was not much involved with the youth ministry in my village, parish and the Diocese before the appointed to be the national youth coordinator in the year 2000 after three years of my priesthood. I had not very much experience about the youth in my life before. It is only after with the youth for six years, I learned something about the youth together with the youth especially in my country.

I am not a graduate. I just finished two years of Philosophy and four years of Theology in the Catholic Major Seminary after the post-tenth. I did not have idea to lead the youth with my poor ability. But I noticed that they love music and attached to technical media of the modern world. I did not teach them, but they taught me for life. I went around all dioceses in the whole of Myanmar to see what the youth were doing in their respective dioceses. I have found different skill, abilities, education, and all different situations of places and mentality of the different races and clans. However, different in something, they have the same spirit that is a hope of dynamic progress for their life as well as in the community and in the Church.

One of my friends from Thailand asked me “Is there any freedom in your country?” and I replied “Yes…… we are free to breath.” I don’t want to say that somebody is not good, and even sometimes they would be good and better than us as view of Christian love. I know that there should be no hidden thing to write the truth and to say the reality of the past and present not of the future if that harms nobody.

So, this is the view that I found in the hearts and the real situation of the youth of Myanmar. It was the collected facts of some youth and we analyzed together.

Situation Analysis (Catholic youths today in Myanmar)

External

Under the repressive and totalitarian military junta, Myanmar has been suffering enormously in all aspects. Since the junta seized the political power in 1988, education of young people has been undergoing setbacks resulting from political instability and manipulations. In the early and mid 1990s, academic institutes, particularly Universities were opened and closed on and off by the junta at its whim and on the pretext of protecting peace. It doubtlessly affected education of young people. The worst of all, the so-called experimental educational system its education ministry has used proves little quality. This has been planned on purpose to not educate youths but to close their eyes to what young people must see and know.

Affected by economic sanctions by the west and mismanagement of the junta itself, the overall economy of Myanmar has been stagnating and faring badly. In the wake, high inflation, high rate of unemployment and poverty and corruption come. There are many young people who are university graduates, yet jobless. It seems as if there is no future for them.

There comes the danger of drugs. Many youths resort to drugs such as heroine, marijuana, cocaine, and amphetamine. This is followed by social illnesses such as crimes, family problems, and HIV/ AIDS. Many young people are but victims of circumstances and a heavy burden on their society.

Young people are also vulnerable to evil effects of globalization such as many unhealthy media influences, technological and economic impacts, and imported culture(s) that sabotage and are against the long-standing culture of Myanmar.

Internal

Problem identification:

In many places in Catholic community in Myanmar, there are many young people inactive and uninterested in church activities and the progress of youth's movements is slow and unsatisfactory. There are some factors that cause them.

Leadership factors

1. Failing to organize, lead, guide, motivate, and encourage young people to participate in church activities and movements
2. Lack of understanding of the need and purpose of youth movements and lack of recognition of the fact that young people are potential leaders and members who will serve the Church and their community in the future
3. Lack of understanding and recognition of the role that youths can and should play in church activities and apostolic movements
4. Too little input and intake of religious and spiritual values and principles, that causes shallow faith and lack of serious attitude toward the Church
5. Lack of good parenting and spiritual formation resulting in low or loose moral character of young people
6. Lack of role models in the church causes lack of interest of young people in church activities
7. Failing to organize or implement formation programs and courses for young people
8. Type of leadership and management that denies young people a significant role in diocesan activities and decision-making

Youth factors

1. Poverty causes young people from poor families to engage fulltime in making ends meet.
2. It is also one of the main causes of low education and low moral character among young people.
3. Materialism supersedes religion due to lack of spiritual formation of youths.
4. Material aspirations cause spiritual disinterest among young people.
5. Lack of sense of responsibility for the Church and community and lack of motivation to be active in youth movements due to lack of effective leadership and being in need of awareness and formation programs
6. Inability to resist morally, psychologically, and spiritually destructive inputs that come through modern advances and the media resulting from weak faith and infirm formation
7. Weak network, affiliation, and cooperation among youth organizations in the Dioceses and lack of effective leadership of youth's organizations

Recommendations

• To organize and conduct awareness and formation programs for the youth
• To conduct courses and programs that are conductive to the present days
• To promote and encourage the existing youth movements and organizations at various levels
• To promote and encourage new youth movements at diocesan and regional levels
• To promote and establish youth animation, information, organization and formation teams at diocesan and regional levels

To do all these thing in the Church is not an easy task yet I still want to encourage the young people to go on with a explosive enthusiasm and to be united each other for the all round development of future life.

I want them to be ready for the rapid modernization of the system of the day in every minute. The youth must know the danger and the side-effect of a rushing life in the present time as the progress and declination are parallel. They need to take care of their spiritual life as they are like sheep in the midst of wile wolf.

Finally, I hope that there will be many different colorful flowers blooming in the garden of Myanmar Catholic Church soon. My prayer and spirit will go on with the enthusiasm of the youth of Myanmar forever.

Fr. Albert Pho Kwah.