Myanmar Cardinal Bo Tells 1,650 Children They Can Be Missionaries Today

More than 1,600 children gathered in Twantay, in Myanmar’s Yangon Archdiocese, on October 18 to mark World Mission Sunday, as Cardinal Charles Maung Bo urged them to share the love of Jesus through everyday acts of kindness, Vatican News reported.

Cardinal Bo, archbishop of Yangon and president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Myanmar, presided over the Mass at Assumption Catholic Church in Twantay Parish, organized by the Yangon Archdiocesan Pontifical Mission Societies (PMS).

In his homily, the cardinal told the approximately 1,650 children that they did not need to wait until adulthood or become priests, religious sisters or bishops to participate in the Church’s missionary mission.

“You can be a missionary today!” he told them, encouraging them to share their love of Jesus wherever they live, study and meet others.

Cardinal Bo urged the children to become “little lights of Christ” through simple gestures, including welcoming classmates, befriending children who feel lonely or excluded, sharing food with those in need and helping others.

He emphasized that children could be missionaries in their homes, schools, parishes and local communities without having to accomplish extraordinary deeds or become famous.

The cardinal also asked them to remember children affected by conflict, displacement and hunger in Myanmar and other parts of the world.

The celebration coincided with World Mission Sunday, observed by Catholics worldwide on October 18, marking the 100th anniversary of the annual observance.

The gathering highlighted the role of children in the Church’s missionary life, encouraging them to witness to the Gospel through compassion, solidarity and practical care for others, even amid the challenges facing communities in conflict-affected Myanmar.