By Deborah Castellano Lubov
Myanmar’s military has bombed a Catholic pastoral center in the northern Kachin State.
According to the Vatican’s Fides news agency, the St Michael’s Catholic Church pastoral center in the rural area of Nan Hlaing in the Diocese of Banmaw was struck and destroyed on Mar 3 by a bombing carried out by the Burmese army. The church has over one hundred years of history.
Jesuit Fr Wilbert Mireh, who assists the parish priest, told Fides that five shells and two air bombs were fired at their church complex, hitting and causing damage to the structure, but without any casualties.
The local Catholic community in Kachin State is enduring a fierce conflict that continues between the regular army and the ethnic Kachin forces, which have taken over positions near the city of Banmaw.
The Kachin Independence Army (KIA), which fights for self-determination in the state, is one of the best-organized ethnic militias, active for decades, and has joined the resistance against the ruling military junta.
Ongoing tensions and fighting
In Kachin State, the Burmese army has been forced to withdraw from much of the territory and continues to rely heavily on artillery and air bombardments.
According to local sources, due to the ongoing battle for control of Banmaw, most of the city’s inhabitants have fled, leaving only about 20,000 residents remaining.
The displaced have taken refuge in forests and surrounding villages, where resources for survival are scarce.
In recent years, even before the 2021 coup, the conflict between the Myanmar army and the KIA had already displaced over 120,000 people.
The war has intensified, and in the past two years, it has affected nine out of the thirteen parishes in the Diocese of Banmaw, increasing the number of refugees.
Despite destruction, faith remains strong
Fr Mireh explained that to report the incident, he had to travel to a distant location to find a place with electricity and an internet connection.
“Electricity, phone service, and utilities,” he explained, “have been completely cut off in our area since July 2024.”
The priest expressed his gratitude that there were no casualties in this attack, but he warned that “people here struggle to survive—there are no schools, clinics, or trade.”
Even following this latest tragedy, he shared, “the faithful entrust themselves and pray for Archangel Michael to protect us. Even the children and young people sing and invoke St Michael to be our shield and defense.”
He explained that they usually celebrate Mass under the trees “because staying in the church is too dangerous.”
“Despite the suffering and harsh conditions,” he said, “our faith and spirit remain strong.”
