His Eminence Cardinal Charles Bo has called on Catholics in Myanmar to seek healing, reconciliation, and peace through the intercession of Our Lady of Velankanni, urging the faithful to reject hatred and revenge and become builders of bridges in a wounded nation.

The 129th annual feast of Our Lady of Velankanni, Mother of Good Health, was celebrated on September 8, 2026, at St. Anthony Catholic Church in Kandawkalay, Yangon Archdiocese. The day also marks the Birthday of the Blessed Virgin Mary, observed throughout the Catholic Church worldwide.

Cardinal Bo, Archbishop of Yangon, was the main celebrant of the solemn Mass, delivering a homily that resonated deeply with the faithful gathered for the occasion.

Mary: Mother of the Suffering

In his homily, Cardinal Bo reflected on Mary’s role as a mother who accompanies people in their physical, emotional, and spiritual suffering. He noted that millions of Catholics turn to Mary with their wounds, fears, burdens, and hopes, but emphasized that Mary ultimately leads them to Jesus.

“The message is very simple: ‘Do as He says,'” Cardinal Bo said, referring to Mary’s words at the wedding feast of Cana. He urged the faithful to entrust “the wounds of the civilians and the wounds of our country to Jesus through Mary.”

The Cardinal observed that Myanmar is experiencing many forms of suffering. People are struggling with illness, poverty, and lack of access to medical care, while families are burdened by displacement, violence, fear, and uncertainty. Many people, he noted, carry wounds that cannot be seen physically.

“Although we smile outwardly, we are carrying deep wounds in our hearts,” he said, adding that Mary understands these wounds because she herself stood at the foot of the cross and witnessed the suffering of her Son.

Mary could not remove the nails from Jesus’ hands or stop the violence, the Cardinal observed. Yet she did not abandon her Son.

“Mary was there in the great sufferings,” he said. “This teaches that, ‘I, your Mother, am with you.'”

Healing Wounded Hearts

The Cardinal said Myanmar urgently needs healing of the human heart. Fear, anger, hatred, suspicion, and sadness have deeply affected society, he said, with people increasingly seeing one another as enemies rather than as brothers and sisters.

“Blessed are those who are working for peace, for they will be called children of God,” he recalled from the Gospel of Matthew (5:9).

Cardinal Bo stressed that healing the country must begin with healing individual hearts—from hatred, revenge, and hopelessness.

“Wherever there is Jesus Christ, there is hope,” he said.

He also acknowledged the spiritual wounds carried by people whose faith has been weakened by prolonged suffering. Christians may ask where God is amid their trials, but Mary’s life demonstrates that faith does not mean understanding everything.

“Faith means we continue trusting God despite what we do not understand,” he said.

‘O Mary, Heal Our Land’

Cardinal Bo prayed for the people of Myanmar, including displaced persons, refugees, children, young people who have lost hope, families separated from one another, and those living in fear. He appealed to Mary to watch over the country’s cities and villages and to intercede for those whose homes have been destroyed or unjustly occupied.

“O Mary, heal our land,” he prayed.

The Cardinal emphasized that genuine peace means more than simply ending armed conflict. Peace, he said, involves healing relationships, restoring trust, living together as brothers and sisters without fear, respecting justice and truth, acknowledging wounds, and offering forgiveness.

Called to Build Bridges

Drawing on the Gospel account of the wedding at Cana, Cardinal Bo highlighted Mary as one who recognizes the needs of others and brings those needs to Jesus. He urged Catholics to look beyond their own communities and recognize the suffering of all people as the suffering of brothers and sisters.

“Every person has human dignity,” he said.

Myanmar, he added, needs people who can build bridges among ethnic communities, generations, and faith communities, particularly among those whose hearts have been wounded by conflict and division.

A Message to Myanmar’s Youth

Addressing young people, Cardinal Bo reminded them that they are not only the future of Myanmar but also its present. He urged young people not to allow the darkness surrounding the country to enter their hearts or allow hatred to determine their future.

Instead, he encouraged them to learn, pray, serve others, and protect human dignity, choosing dialogue over hatred and forgiveness over revenge.

“May you be the instruments of healing,” he said.

Reflecting on Mary’s youthfulness and her response to God—”Let it be with me according to Your Word”—Cardinal Bo encouraged young people to say “yes” to love and peace, just as Mary’s “yes” became part of salvation history.

Concluding his homily, Cardinal Bo entrusted Myanmar to Our Lady of Velankanni, invoking her as Our Lady of Health, Healing, and Peace.

“O Our Lady of Velankanni, you are our Lady of health, healing, and peace, pray for us. Pray for our country, Myanmar. Queen of Peace, pray for us,” he prayed.

By RVA Sgaw Karen Service