It’s not every day you get to host a Cardinal! In May we were blessed with the enormous privilege of hosting Cardinal Charles Maung Bo on a visit to the UK, along with several other organisations.
Last year he became Burma’s first ever cardinal, and has proven to be one of the most outspoken voices for religious freedom and human rights in that country. In his Easter message in 2014, he said “The task of Christians is to move fences, to tear down walls.” His country, he said, has been through “our way of the Cross for the last five decades”.
Cardinal Bo had a packed schedule that included celebrating Mass in churches up and down the country- including Westminster Cathedral! He also had the chance to address many people about the situation in Burma following the recent election. Cardinal Bo shared his hopes for the future of his country, that though “Burma is just emerging from over half a century of cruel, brutal military dictatorship, a country torn apart by war”, it is, hopefully, now emerging “into a new Easter dawn of democracy.”
We were inspired and moved when he spoke at our staff daily devotions. He talked about the importance of solidarity between faiths in the struggle for religious freedom. He reminded us that, “those of us who share the values of freedom of religion, democracy, peace and justice must work together against the merchants of hatred. Anyone who is not against us is for us.”
Cardinal Bo meets with representatives of the Catholic Church in the UK. During the visit, he also met with the Archbishop of Canterbury.
Cardinal Bo also attended a reception at Speaker’s House and a meeting of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Burma, a great opportunity to raise the profile of religious freedom in Burma – including the plight of Rohingya Muslims, who are one of the most persecuted people groups in the world.
Cardinal Bo has now returned to Burma, and his -and CSW’s- work promoting religious freedom in the country continues.
Cardinal Bo celebrates Mass at Westminster Cathedral - and becomes the first ever Cardinal from Burma to preach there. 