Myanmar Catholics pray for ailing Pope Francis

YANGON - In a cathedral’s hush in Myanmar’s biggest metropolis, Catholics bow their heads in prayer for Pope Francis – returning the good wishes the ailing faith leader often sends the war-riven nation.

“He takes care of those despondent and weak. So he always remembers and prays for Myanmar,” said Bishop Francis Than Htun, the rector of St Mary’s Cathedral and auxiliary bishop of Yangon archdiocese.

“I feel saddened like he is my own father since he has been sick,” he told AFP ahead of a Rosary prayer for the Pope attended by dozens on the evening of March 9.

The 88-year-old Pope was “resting” on March 10 after spending a “quiet night” in hospital, the Vatican said in a bulletin.

He has spent the last three weeks suffering a string of respiratory crises, prompting fears the road to recovery for the leader of the world’s nearly 1.4 billion Catholics would be long, or might force the elderly pontiff to resign.

The Argentine pontiff missed the traditional Angelus prayer he leads on Sundays but issued a written one renewing calls for peace in Myanmar and other conflict zones – a regular refrain in his services.

“Together let us continue to invoke the gift of peace, in particular in tormented Ukraine, Palestine, Israel, Lebanon, Myanmar, Sudan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo,” it said.

“He always speaks out for peace,” said 67-year-old worshipper Simon Hla Win. “I wish him a speedy recovery.”

After the military seized power in a 2021 coup, Myanmar has been gripped by worsening civil conflict between the junta, ethnic minority armed factions and pro-democracy guerillas.

Fighting has killed more than 6,000 civilians, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners monitoring group, and displaced more than 3.5 million, according to the United Nations.

Myanmar is