Roman Catholicism in Myanmar
Encyclopedia
The Roman Catholic Church in Burma is part of the worldwide Roman Catholic Church
, under the spiritual leadership of the Pope
and curia
in Rome
. The church is overseen by an Apostolic Delegate. As of 2006 the delegate is Salvatore Pennacchio, who is also the Apostolic Nuncio of Thailand.
There are around 450,000 Catholics in Burma - approximately 1% of the total population. The country is divided into thirteen dioceses including three archdioceses. Each of the archdioceses is also a metropolitan
.
Paul Zingtung Grawng, Metropolitan Archbishop of Mandalay (2006 - )
Past Prelates:
Chief mercenary Filipe de Brito e Nicote promptly established Goa-backed Portuguese rule at Thanlyin
in 1603. The country was in chaos. During that period, Portuguese Roman Catholic mission to Burma. Bayinnaung's grandson King Anaukpetlun
defeated the Portuguese in 1613 and mission work were stopped. During that period, Burmese wel-known crown prince and poet Natshinnaung was converted to Roman Catholicism and was baptized by a priest from Goa
.
In 1699 the Vicar Apostolic of Siam and the Bishop of Meliapur (Portuguese India) had a dispute concerning the jurisdiction over Pegu, and Charles-Thomas Maillard De Tournon
, Legatus a latere, decided against the vicar Apostolic.
The actual work of evangelizing Ava and Pegu began under the pontificate of Innocent XIII who, in 1722, sent Father Sigismond de Calchi, a Barnabite, and Father Vittoni, of the same order, to Burma. After many trials and tribulations they succeeded in obtaining permission to preach with full liberty the Gospel of Christ. In 1741, Benedict XIV definitely established the mission, appointing Father Galizia Vicar Apostolic, and placing the Barnabites
in charge of the work. The best-known of the Barnabites was Father Sangermano, who worked in Ava
and Rangoon from 1783 to 1808; his A description of the Burmese Empire was first published in 1833.
The Barnabites having given up the mission, Pius VIII sent Monsignor Frederic Cao, a member of the Congregation of Pious Schools, and titular Bishop
of Zama
(18 June 1830). Gregory XVI placed the mission under the Oblates of Pinerolo
, Italy, by appointing Monsignor Giovanni Ceretti, a member of this institute, and titular Bishop of Adrianople (Edirne), as first Vicar Apostolic. About this time, (the year 1845) Catholics of the two kingdoms numbered 2500. Monsignor John Balma succeeded as Vicar Apostolic on 5 September 1848, but the war with the British rendered his labours ineffectual, and the mission was abandoned around 1852.
The British had in reality begun to assume control of Burma in 1824, but it was not until 20 December 1852, that the East India Company
, after a bloody war, annexed the entire kingdom of Pegu, a territory as large as England. Many years later the kingdom of Ava was also taken by the British, and with the conquest of Rangoon the whole of Burma came into the possession of Great Britain. The Oblates of Pinerolo having withdrawn from the mission, the vicariate was placed under the control of the Vicar Apostolic of Siam in 1855. At this date the kingdoms of Ava and Pegu contained 11 priests and 5320 Catholics.
Burma, in the mid-nineteenth century was bounded on the east by China and Siam, and on the west by Assam and Bengal. Its area was approximately 444,001 km², while that of Great Britain and Ireland is 310,798 km², but it's not densely populated. For some ten years the mission remained under the administration of the Vicar Apostolic of Siam; but such a condition could not be indefinitely prolonged without compromising its future. A decree of Propaganda Fide on 27 November 1806, accordingly divided Burma into three vicariates, named respectively with references to their geographical positions, Northern Burma, Southern Burma, and Eastern Burma. The boundaries then fixed were abrogated on 28 June 1870, by another decree of Propaganda, which constituted these three vicariates as they now are.
, on the south by Karenni and Lower Burma, and on the west by Manipur, the Garo Hills, and the independent territories of Tipperah and Assam.
In an early 20th century population of 3,500,000 there were 7,248 Catholics, spiritually served by 22 European clergy of the Missions Etrangères of Paris and 3 native priests with 47 churches or chapels. The vicariate possessed 18 schools with 754 children, a seminary with 22 students, 2 boarding-schools with 160 pupils and 6 orphanages with 315 orphans. This is the most dense of the vicar Apostolic is at Mandalay
. The stations having one chapel and a resident missionary were Pyinmana
, Yamèthin, Magyidaw, Chanthagon, Myokine, Chaung-u, Nabet, Shwebo
, Chanthaywa, Monhla, Bhano and Maymyo. At Mandalay were, besides the cathedral, the Tamil church of St. Xavier, a Chinese church and that of St. John's Asylum. The language commonly used in this vicariate is Burmese, but residents ordinarily employ their respective native tongues, which accounts for the Chinese church at Mandalay. This city of 188,000 inhabitants was a bustling centre of traffic between Lower Burma
and the Province of Yunnan; hence the large Chinese element in the population.
, the subsequent course of which bounds Cambodia
and Annam; on the south, Karenni
and Shan; on the west, the River Salween and part of the course of the Sittang
.
The vicariate was made up of two quite distinct portions connected almost at right angles by a somewhat narrow strip of territory. The first of these portions comprised Toungoo and the regions lying between the Sittang and the Salween as far as 20 north latitude; from this parallel of latitude the second portion stretches north to the Tropic of Cancer, bordered on the east and south by China, Annam and Siam, and on the west by the River Salween.
The beginnings of the mission go back to 1868 when the Milan Seminary of Foreign Missions sent thither Monsignor Biffi as prefect Apostolic, accompanied by Sebastian Carbode, Conti and Rocco Tornatori. The last named of these was the present vicar Apostolic, and has resided for decades in the vicariate. There were 10,300 Catholics in this vicariate, the population of which amounted to something like 2,000,000. The vicar Apostolic resided in the Leitko HiIls and visited 130 villages in the Karenni district, with 10,000 Catholics—almost the whole Catholic population of the vicariate.
In the early 20th century there was a school with 65 children, a convent of the Sisters of Nazareth of Milan, with 40 girls, and in some villages the beginnings of schools with a few pupils. Toungoo, in the south of the vicariate, with 300 Catholics, had an English school of 130 children of various races, a Native school of 100 children, and a convent of the Sisters of the Reparation of Nazareth of Milan with 70 girls. There were 10 priests. In 1902 there were 140 conversions from paganism and 6 from Protestantism. The stations provided with were, besides the residence of the vicar Apostolic, Toungoo, Northern Karenni, Yedashe and Karenni.
(attached in 1879 to the Diocese of Dacca) and the Toungoo district (assigned to the abve Vicariate of Eastern Burma). It is bounded on the east by the Diocese of Dacca, on the north by Eastern Burma, on the west by Siam and on the south by the sea. It extends from the nineteenth to the tenth parallel of north latitude and beginning from Moulmein, forms a long and rather narrow strip of land shut in between Siam on the one side and the sea on the other.
In a population estimated in the early 20th century at 4,000,000 as many as 45,579 Catholics were found distributed among 23 stations, the most important of which in respect of Catholic population being: Rangoon, with 2336 Catholics; Moulmein, 1400; Bassein, 1040; Myaung-mya, 4000; Kanaztogon, 4482; Mittagon, 3000; Maryland, 2412; Gyobingauk Tharrawady, 2200. The seat of the vicariate Apostolic was at Rangoon. The clergy numbered 49 European priests, and the vicariate had 231 churches and chapels. The schools were conducted by the Brothers of the Christian Schools, the Sisters of the Good Shepherd, of St. Joseph of the Apparition, and of St. Francis Xavier, those known under this last name being natives. The vicariate supported 12 Anglo-native schools with 4501 children, and 65 Burman or Tamil schools which give instruction to 2200 pupils. The Little Sisters of the Poor, 9 in number, take care of 55 old people at Rangoon, and the Missionaries of Mary's asylum sheltered 100 children, besides which there were 21 orphanages, containing 790 children, under the care of the above mentioned religious communities. The vicariate thus was in further advanced in Christianity than the other two, due to its greater accessibility and the British influence, which developed faster in these regions. In 1845, as has been seen, there were only 2500 Catholics in Burma, sixty years later there were 59,127. The fact that there are still more Catholics in Burma today than in neighbouring Thailand is likely due to this missionary activity in a British colony; Thailand was never ruled by Europeans.
Monsignor Alexander Cardot, titular Bishop
of Limyra
, Vicar Apostolic of Southern Burma, born at Fresse, Haute-Saône, France, 9 January 1859, and educated in the seminaries of Luneil and Vesoul and of the Missions Etrangères, began his labours in the mission field in 1879, and in 1893 was appointed coadjutor to Bishop Bigandet, his predecessor in the vicariate, who consecrated him at Rangoon (24 June 1893). He succeeded to the vicariate on the death of Bishop Bigandet, 19 March 1894.
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
, under the spiritual leadership of the Pope
Pope
The Pope is the Bishop of Rome, a position that makes him the leader of the worldwide Catholic Church . In the Catholic Church, the Pope is regarded as the successor of Saint Peter, the Apostle...
and curia
Curia
A curia in early Roman times was a subdivision of the people, i.e. more or less a tribe, and with a metonymy it came to mean also the meeting place where the tribe discussed its affairs...
in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
. The church is overseen by an Apostolic Delegate. As of 2006 the delegate is Salvatore Pennacchio, who is also the Apostolic Nuncio of Thailand.
There are around 450,000 Catholics in Burma - approximately 1% of the total population. The country is divided into thirteen dioceses including three archdioceses. Each of the archdioceses is also a metropolitan
Ecclesiastical Province
An ecclesiastical province is a large jurisdiction of religious government, so named by analogy with a secular province, existing in certain hierarchical Christian churches, especially in the Catholic Church and Orthodox Churches and in the Anglican Communion...
.
Episcopal Conference of Burma
President: ArchbishopArchbishop
An archbishop is a bishop of higher rank, but not of higher sacramental order above that of the three orders of deacon, priest , and bishop...
Paul Zingtung Grawng, Metropolitan Archbishop of Mandalay (2006 - )
Past Prelates:
- President: ArchbishopArchbishopAn archbishop is a bishop of higher rank, but not of higher sacramental order above that of the three orders of deacon, priest , and bishop...
Victor Bazin, M.E.P. (1967–1969) - President: ArchbishopArchbishopAn archbishop is a bishop of higher rank, but not of higher sacramental order above that of the three orders of deacon, priest , and bishop...
Gabriel Thohey Mahn-Gaby (1969–1976) - President: ArchbishopArchbishopAn archbishop is a bishop of higher rank, but not of higher sacramental order above that of the three orders of deacon, priest , and bishop...
Alphonse U Than Aung (1976–1982) - President: BishopBishopA bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
Paul Zingtung Grawng (later ArchbishopArchbishopAn archbishop is a bishop of higher rank, but not of higher sacramental order above that of the three orders of deacon, priest , and bishop...
) (1982–1992) - President: ArchbishopArchbishopAn archbishop is a bishop of higher rank, but not of higher sacramental order above that of the three orders of deacon, priest , and bishop...
Alphonse U Than Aung (1992–1994) - President: ArchbishopArchbishopAn archbishop is a bishop of higher rank, but not of higher sacramental order above that of the three orders of deacon, priest , and bishop...
Matthias U Shwe (1994–2000) - President: ArchbishopArchbishopAn archbishop is a bishop of higher rank, but not of higher sacramental order above that of the three orders of deacon, priest , and bishop...
Charles Maung Bo, S.D.B. (60) (2000–2006)
Ecclesiastical Province of Mandalay
- Archdiocese of Mandalay
- Diocese of Banmaw
- Diocese of Hakha
- Diocese of Lashio
- Diocese of MyitkyinaRoman Catholic Diocese of MyitkyinaThe Roman Catholic Diocese of Myitkyina is a diocese of the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic Church in Burma....
- Diocese of Kalay
Ecclesiastical Province of Taunggyi
- Archdiocese of Taunggyi
- Diocese of KengtungRoman Catholic Diocese of KengtungThe Roman Catholic Diocese of Kengtung is a diocese of the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic Church in Burma....
- Diocese of LoikawRoman Catholic Diocese of LoikawThe Roman Catholic Diocese of Loikaw is a diocese of the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic Church in Burma.Erected in 1988, the diocese was created from the Archdiocese of Taunggyi, and remains a suffragan of the parent....
- Diocese of Pekhon
- Diocese of TaungnguRoman Catholic Diocese of TaungnguThe Roman Catholic Diocese of Taungngu is a diocese of the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic Church in Burma.Erected in 1870, the diocese has the distinction of being one of the oldest in all of Burma. Originally established as the Apostolic Vicariate of Eastern Burma, in 1927 the Vicariate was...
- Diocese of Kengtung
Ecclesiastical Province of Yangon
- Archdiocese of YangonRoman Catholic Archdiocese of YangonThe Roman Catholic Metropolitan Archdiocese of Yangon is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in Myanmar. The current Archbishop of Yangon is His Excellency Charles Bo, SDB, having been appointed by John Paul II on May 24, 2003....
- Diocese of Hpa-anRoman Catholic Diocese of Hpa-anThe Roman Catholic Diocese of Hpa-an is a diocese of the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic Church in Burma. The diocese was erected on January 24, 2009 from the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Yangon. The current bishop of the diocese is Justin Saw Min Thide....
- Diocese of MawlamyineRoman Catholic Diocese of MawlamyineThe Roman Catholic Diocese of Mawlamyine is a diocese of the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic Church in Burma.The diocese was erected in 1993, from its metropolitan, the Archdiocese of Yangon....
- Diocese of PatheinRoman Catholic Diocese of PatheinThe Roman Catholic Diocese of Pathein is a diocese of the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic Church in Burma.The diocese was erected as the diocese of Bassein in 1955, from the vicariate apostolic of Rangoon, which eventually became the Archdiocese of Yangon.In 1991, the name of the diocese was...
- Diocese of PyayRoman Catholic Diocese of PyayThe Roman Catholic Diocese of Pyay is a diocese of the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic Church in Burma.Originally erected in 1940 as the apostolic prefecture of Akyab, the prefecture has the distinction of being the only ecclesisiastical territory in Burma created from the Diocese of...
- Diocese of Hpa-an
Ecclesiastical history of Burma
The ecclesiastical history of Christianity in Burma begins before its annexation by the British, when it still consisted of the kingdoms of Ava and Pegu.Catholic missions
In 1548 St. Francis Xavier petitioned Father Rodriguez for missionaries to go to Pegu, but nothing is known as to the outcome of his request.Chief mercenary Filipe de Brito e Nicote promptly established Goa-backed Portuguese rule at Thanlyin
Thanlyin
Thanlyin is a major port city of Myanmar, located across Bago River from the city of Yangon. Thanlyin Township comprises 17 quarters and 28 village tracts. It is home to the largest port in the country, Thilawa port.-History:...
in 1603. The country was in chaos. During that period, Portuguese Roman Catholic mission to Burma. Bayinnaung's grandson King Anaukpetlun
Anaukpetlun
Anaukpetlun was the sixth king of Toungoo dynasty of Burma, and was largely responsible for restoring Burmese kingdom after it had famously collapsed at the end of 16th century. In his 22-year reign between 1606 and 1628, Anaukpetlun completed the reunification efforts of the Burmese kingdom begun...
defeated the Portuguese in 1613 and mission work were stopped. During that period, Burmese wel-known crown prince and poet Natshinnaung was converted to Roman Catholicism and was baptized by a priest from Goa
Goa
Goa , a former Portuguese colony, is India's smallest state by area and the fourth smallest by population. Located in South West India in the region known as the Konkan, it is bounded by the state of Maharashtra to the north, and by Karnataka to the east and south, while the Arabian Sea forms its...
.
In 1699 the Vicar Apostolic of Siam and the Bishop of Meliapur (Portuguese India) had a dispute concerning the jurisdiction over Pegu, and Charles-Thomas Maillard De Tournon
Charles-Thomas Maillard De Tournon
Charles-Thomas Maillard De Tournon was a papal legate and cardinal to the East Indies and China.-Biography:...
, Legatus a latere, decided against the vicar Apostolic.
The actual work of evangelizing Ava and Pegu began under the pontificate of Innocent XIII who, in 1722, sent Father Sigismond de Calchi, a Barnabite, and Father Vittoni, of the same order, to Burma. After many trials and tribulations they succeeded in obtaining permission to preach with full liberty the Gospel of Christ. In 1741, Benedict XIV definitely established the mission, appointing Father Galizia Vicar Apostolic, and placing the Barnabites
Barnabites
The Barnabites, or Clerics Regular of Saint Paul is a Roman Catholic order.-Establishment of the Order :It was founded in 1530 by three Italian noblemen: St. Anthony Mary Zaccaria The Barnabites, or Clerics Regular of Saint Paul (Latin: Clerici Regulares Sancti Pauli, abbr. B.) is a Roman Catholic...
in charge of the work. The best-known of the Barnabites was Father Sangermano, who worked in Ava
Ava
Innwa is a city in the Mandalay Division of Burma , situated just to the south of Amarapura on the Ayeyarwady River. Its formal title is Ratanapura , which means City of Gems in Pali. The name Innwa means mouth of the lake, which comes from in , meaning lake, and wa , which means mouth...
and Rangoon from 1783 to 1808; his A description of the Burmese Empire was first published in 1833.
The Barnabites having given up the mission, Pius VIII sent Monsignor Frederic Cao, a member of the Congregation of Pious Schools, and titular Bishop
Titular bishop
A titular bishop in various churches is a bishop who is not in charge of a diocese.By definition a bishop is an "overseer" of a community of the faithful, so when a priest is ordained a bishop the tradition of the Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches is that he be ordained for a specific place...
of Zama
Zama
-Places:*Zama, Numidia, a principal town of the Numidian tribe the Massylii*Zama, Kanagawa, a city of Kanagawa prefecture, Japan*Zama, Mississippi, an unincorporated community in the United States*Zama City, Alberta, a hamlet in Alberta, Canada...
(18 June 1830). Gregory XVI placed the mission under the Oblates of Pinerolo
Pinerolo
Pinerolo is a town and comune in north-western Italy, 40 kilometres southwest of Turin on the river Chisone.-History:In the Middle Ages, the town of Pinerolo was one of the main crossroads in Italy, and was therefore one of the principal fortresses of the dukes of Savoy. Its military importance...
, Italy, by appointing Monsignor Giovanni Ceretti, a member of this institute, and titular Bishop of Adrianople (Edirne), as first Vicar Apostolic. About this time, (the year 1845) Catholics of the two kingdoms numbered 2500. Monsignor John Balma succeeded as Vicar Apostolic on 5 September 1848, but the war with the British rendered his labours ineffectual, and the mission was abandoned around 1852.
The British had in reality begun to assume control of Burma in 1824, but it was not until 20 December 1852, that the East India Company
British East India Company
The East India Company was an early English joint-stock company that was formed initially for pursuing trade with the East Indies, but that ended up trading mainly with the Indian subcontinent and China...
, after a bloody war, annexed the entire kingdom of Pegu, a territory as large as England. Many years later the kingdom of Ava was also taken by the British, and with the conquest of Rangoon the whole of Burma came into the possession of Great Britain. The Oblates of Pinerolo having withdrawn from the mission, the vicariate was placed under the control of the Vicar Apostolic of Siam in 1855. At this date the kingdoms of Ava and Pegu contained 11 priests and 5320 Catholics.
Burma, in the mid-nineteenth century was bounded on the east by China and Siam, and on the west by Assam and Bengal. Its area was approximately 444,001 km², while that of Great Britain and Ireland is 310,798 km², but it's not densely populated. For some ten years the mission remained under the administration of the Vicar Apostolic of Siam; but such a condition could not be indefinitely prolonged without compromising its future. A decree of Propaganda Fide on 27 November 1806, accordingly divided Burma into three vicariates, named respectively with references to their geographical positions, Northern Burma, Southern Burma, and Eastern Burma. The boundaries then fixed were abrogated on 28 June 1870, by another decree of Propaganda, which constituted these three vicariates as they now are.
Northern Burma Vicariate
This vicariate, which has been entrusted to the Missions Etrangères of Paris, was bounded on the north by the Chinese province of Yun-nan, on the east by the River SalweenSalween River
The Salween is a river, about long, that flows from the Tibetan Plateau into the Andaman Sea in Southeast Asia. It drains a narrow and mountainous watershed of that extends into the countries China, Burma and Thailand. Steep canyon walls line the swift, powerful and undammed Salween, one of the...
, on the south by Karenni and Lower Burma, and on the west by Manipur, the Garo Hills, and the independent territories of Tipperah and Assam.
In an early 20th century population of 3,500,000 there were 7,248 Catholics, spiritually served by 22 European clergy of the Missions Etrangères of Paris and 3 native priests with 47 churches or chapels. The vicariate possessed 18 schools with 754 children, a seminary with 22 students, 2 boarding-schools with 160 pupils and 6 orphanages with 315 orphans. This is the most dense of the vicar Apostolic is at Mandalay
Mandalay
Mandalay is the second-largest city and the last royal capital of Burma. Located north of Yangon on the east bank of the Irrawaddy River, the city has a population of one million, and is the capital of Mandalay Region ....
. The stations having one chapel and a resident missionary were Pyinmana
Pyinmana
Pyinmana ) is a logging town and sugarcane refinery center in the Mandalay Region of Myanmar. The administrative capital of Myanmar was officially moved to a militarized greenfield site two miles west of Pyinmana on November 6, 2005. Pyinmana is approximately north of Yangon...
, Yamèthin, Magyidaw, Chanthagon, Myokine, Chaung-u, Nabet, Shwebo
Shwebo
Shwebo is a city in Sagaing Division, Myanmar, located 113 km northwest of Mandalay between the Irrawaddy and the Mu rivers. The city, also called Ratanasingha , was the capital of Myanmar from 1752 to 1760 during the Konbaung period....
, Chanthaywa, Monhla, Bhano and Maymyo. At Mandalay were, besides the cathedral, the Tamil church of St. Xavier, a Chinese church and that of St. John's Asylum. The language commonly used in this vicariate is Burmese, but residents ordinarily employ their respective native tongues, which accounts for the Chinese church at Mandalay. This city of 188,000 inhabitants was a bustling centre of traffic between Lower Burma
Lower Burma
Lower Burma is a geographic region of Burma and includes the low-lying Irrawaddy delta , as well as coastal regions of the country ....
and the Province of Yunnan; hence the large Chinese element in the population.
Eastern Burma Vicariate
The vicariate was entrusted to the Milan Seminary of Foreign Missions. Its boundaries, determined by decree on 26 August 1889, were: on the north the Chinese Province of Yun-nan; on the east, the MekongMekong
The Mekong is a river that runs through China, Burma, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam. It is the world's 10th-longest river and the 7th-longest in Asia. Its estimated length is , and it drains an area of , discharging of water annually....
, the subsequent course of which bounds Cambodia
Cambodia
Cambodia , officially known as the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia...
and Annam; on the south, Karenni
Karenni
Red Karen also known as Karenni, is a subgroup of the Karen people, a Sino-Tibetan people living mostly in Kayah State of Burma....
and Shan; on the west, the River Salween and part of the course of the Sittang
Sittang River
The Sittaung is a river in south central Myanmar in Bago Division. The Pegu Range separates its basin from that of the Irrawaddy. The river originates at the edge of the Shan Plateau southeast of Mandalay, and flows southward to the Gulf of Martaban...
.
The vicariate was made up of two quite distinct portions connected almost at right angles by a somewhat narrow strip of territory. The first of these portions comprised Toungoo and the regions lying between the Sittang and the Salween as far as 20 north latitude; from this parallel of latitude the second portion stretches north to the Tropic of Cancer, bordered on the east and south by China, Annam and Siam, and on the west by the River Salween.
The beginnings of the mission go back to 1868 when the Milan Seminary of Foreign Missions sent thither Monsignor Biffi as prefect Apostolic, accompanied by Sebastian Carbode, Conti and Rocco Tornatori. The last named of these was the present vicar Apostolic, and has resided for decades in the vicariate. There were 10,300 Catholics in this vicariate, the population of which amounted to something like 2,000,000. The vicar Apostolic resided in the Leitko HiIls and visited 130 villages in the Karenni district, with 10,000 Catholics—almost the whole Catholic population of the vicariate.
In the early 20th century there was a school with 65 children, a convent of the Sisters of Nazareth of Milan, with 40 girls, and in some villages the beginnings of schools with a few pupils. Toungoo, in the south of the vicariate, with 300 Catholics, had an English school of 130 children of various races, a Native school of 100 children, and a convent of the Sisters of the Reparation of Nazareth of Milan with 70 girls. There were 10 priests. In 1902 there were 140 conversions from paganism and 6 from Protestantism. The stations provided with were, besides the residence of the vicar Apostolic, Toungoo, Northern Karenni, Yedashe and Karenni.
Southern Burma vicariate
This vicariate, entrusted to the Missions Etrangères of Paris, comprised all the territory included in British (Lower) Burma before the annexation of Upper Burma, except the province of ArakanRakhine State
Rakhine State is a Burmese state. Situated on the western coast, it is bordered by Chin State in the north, Magway Region, Bago Region and Ayeyarwady Region in the east, the Bay of Bengal to the west, and the Chittagong Division of Bangladesh to the northwest. It is located approximately between...
(attached in 1879 to the Diocese of Dacca) and the Toungoo district (assigned to the abve Vicariate of Eastern Burma). It is bounded on the east by the Diocese of Dacca, on the north by Eastern Burma, on the west by Siam and on the south by the sea. It extends from the nineteenth to the tenth parallel of north latitude and beginning from Moulmein, forms a long and rather narrow strip of land shut in between Siam on the one side and the sea on the other.
In a population estimated in the early 20th century at 4,000,000 as many as 45,579 Catholics were found distributed among 23 stations, the most important of which in respect of Catholic population being: Rangoon, with 2336 Catholics; Moulmein, 1400; Bassein, 1040; Myaung-mya, 4000; Kanaztogon, 4482; Mittagon, 3000; Maryland, 2412; Gyobingauk Tharrawady, 2200. The seat of the vicariate Apostolic was at Rangoon. The clergy numbered 49 European priests, and the vicariate had 231 churches and chapels. The schools were conducted by the Brothers of the Christian Schools, the Sisters of the Good Shepherd, of St. Joseph of the Apparition, and of St. Francis Xavier, those known under this last name being natives. The vicariate supported 12 Anglo-native schools with 4501 children, and 65 Burman or Tamil schools which give instruction to 2200 pupils. The Little Sisters of the Poor, 9 in number, take care of 55 old people at Rangoon, and the Missionaries of Mary's asylum sheltered 100 children, besides which there were 21 orphanages, containing 790 children, under the care of the above mentioned religious communities. The vicariate thus was in further advanced in Christianity than the other two, due to its greater accessibility and the British influence, which developed faster in these regions. In 1845, as has been seen, there were only 2500 Catholics in Burma, sixty years later there were 59,127. The fact that there are still more Catholics in Burma today than in neighbouring Thailand is likely due to this missionary activity in a British colony; Thailand was never ruled by Europeans.
Monsignor Alexander Cardot, titular Bishop
Titular bishop
A titular bishop in various churches is a bishop who is not in charge of a diocese.By definition a bishop is an "overseer" of a community of the faithful, so when a priest is ordained a bishop the tradition of the Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches is that he be ordained for a specific place...
of Limyra
Limyra
Limyra was a small city in Lycia on the southern coast of Asia Minor, on the Limyrus River, and twenty stadia from the mouth of that river.It is mentioned by Strabo , Ptolemy and several Latin authors...
, Vicar Apostolic of Southern Burma, born at Fresse, Haute-Saône, France, 9 January 1859, and educated in the seminaries of Luneil and Vesoul and of the Missions Etrangères, began his labours in the mission field in 1879, and in 1893 was appointed coadjutor to Bishop Bigandet, his predecessor in the vicariate, who consecrated him at Rangoon (24 June 1893). He succeeded to the vicariate on the death of Bishop Bigandet, 19 March 1894.