Future looks bright for Chin Catholics

by Moira Cullings
moira.cullings@theleaven.org

KANSAS CITY, Kan. — Life was full of unknowns for Catholic refugees from Chin State in northwest Myanmar (formerly known as Burma) when they first arrived here more than a decade ago.

Now, the community is thriving.

Bishop Lucius Hre Kung of the Diocese of Hakha in Chin State said witnessing the transformation from his first visit to the community in Kansas to now has been remarkable.

“Today, they are quite sure of themselves with the pastoral care provided from the archdiocese and their journey together,” he said.

Bishop Hre Kung visited the archdiocese from June 12-16.

He and Father Michael Van Lian, who is from the Diocese of Hakha and ministers to the Chin community at St. Patrick Parish and the Burmese community at Holy Family Parish — both in Kansas City, Kansas — can see a bright future ahead.

Once afraid to even dream of something like this, said Bishop Hre Kung, now  “this is coming into the view — our vision for the future.

“And God is so good.”

A joyful visit

In Myanmar, a decades-long conflict sparked by military dictatorship was exacerbated by the Feb. 1, 2021, coup, when a democratically elected government was overthrown by the military.

According to United Nations sources, the ongoing struggle has caused the displacement of millions of people internally and increased the number of refugees who have fled to other countries.

A group from Myanmar settled in Kansas City, Kansas, and established a community at Sts. Cyril and Methodius Parish (later part of All Saints Parish) in 2009. They’re now at Holy Family.

In 2013, a community from Chin State was established at St. Patrick under the leadership of then-pastor Msgr. Michael Mullen.

The Myanmar community now has some 64 families at St. Patrick and 70 students at St. Patrick School, and 85 families at Holy Family and 40 students at Resurrection School in Kansas City, Kansas.

It boasts four students at Bishop Miege High School in Roeland Park, four at Bishop Ward High School in Kansas City, Kansas, and 11 at St. James Academy in Lenexa.

The community will also have seven students at St. Lawrence High School Seminary in Milwaukee this year.

“It is really good, because if they choose to become a priest, they can serve the community here and also the archdiocese,” said Father Lian.

Bishop Hre Kung was delighted by the faith of the Chin community in Kansas and to see how much the youth have grown.

“The first time when I came during the time of Msgr. Michael, [there were] small kids running from wall to wall,” he said. “Now, they’ve become teenagers.”

His latest visit included a meeting with Archbishop Shawn McKnight at the church offices in Kansas City, Kansas, on June 13.

Bishop Hre Kung wanted “to congratulate him [on his appointment] and tell words of thanksgiving for [his] pastoral care to our people here,” he said, and share with the archbishop about the current situation in Myanmar.

Bishop Hre Kung also spent time with Msgr. Mullen.

“He’s still sharing the past experience [we’ve had] with his natural smiling face,” said Bishop Hre Kung. “[He’s a] wonderful man.”

Bishop Hre Kung has traveled to the archdiocese a handful of times, and Father Lian said his presence is always encouraging.

“All of our people, they’re really happy to see him,” he said. “The community from St. Patrick — when [the] bishop was a pastor in a village — these are some of his students.

“It makes the community very happy to have him here.”

A promising future

The challenges the Myanmar community faced in the beginning of their establishment in Kansas included overcoming cultural and language barriers, finding work and learning to drive.

Now, families have come across a new obstacle.

“The parents are still in Burmese culture, and the children are brought up in the American culture,” said Father Lian. “So, these two cultures are really difficult for the parents — how to handle the children, how to teach them.”

Bishop Hre Kung said the children’s ability to attend Catholic school is a blessing that likely would not be possible in Myanmar, where many young people are unable to attend school.

“They’re very fortunate,” he said. “This is really our joy and our hope — in the future, they will be able to maintain their faith, and if the time and situation allows them, they may have a relationship with the local place in Myanmar.

“We hope in the future they can share their education [with] our school there.”

Having a Chin priest is also an unusual gift for a Chin community in the United States, and Father Lian said some families have moved to Kansas from other states because of his presence.

He celebrates two Masses in Burmese every Sunday — one at Holy Family and one at St. Patrick.

And he’s working on incorporating the community fully into parish life.

“I encourage them to try to support our church and have a better community, to have a better faith,” said Father Lian. “Our goal is [to] become part of the archdiocese, better parishioners, better Catholics.”

Bishop Hre Kung is grateful the archdiocese has welcomed the Chin community and continues to help them flourish.

“All this love and care, supporting our people — we are really encouraged,” he said.