Archbishop tells of Nation's New "Common Religion"

May's cyclone devastated Myanmar and aid restrictions from the ruling junta worsened the chaos. But in the midst of it all, compassion became the nation's "common religion," said the archbishop of Yangon.

In a statement Friday, Archbishop Charles Bo gave an inside look at the good news in Myanmar. "[Cyclone] Nargis taught us all that human tears have no color, no religion, and no tribe."

"As the waters raged in a pre dominantly Christian village, the monks from the nearby monastery were on the noble mission of saving people. A monk swam across the currents to pull out a woman who was about to be dragged by the marauding river. In far off Phyapon, where the Christian group Karuna was distributing aid to the survivors, they chose Buddhist monks as their partners in distributing aid to non-Christian villages."

"All religious groups were made victims by the cyclone," Archbishop Bo said. "In Aima, in the Pathein Diocese, Father Andrew Soe Win offered his life as a supreme sacrifice in trying to reach his marooned people. His body was found after 18 days.

"But nothing deterred them from the sacred duty of saving lives. In the predominately Buddhist Country, where Metta and Karuna -- mercy and compassion -- are the major tenets of a great religion, compassion broke forth like a healing stream after the demonic deluge."

The prelate mentioned how it was churches and monasteries that became shelters. And how needs and generosity crossed religious boundaries.

He explained: "With death and mayhem threatening them in their villages, thousands took refuge in sacred spaces, seeking mutual consolation. Even before the government could move in, or the do-gooders and NGOs could move in, spontaneous charity sprang forth with Buddhists feeding Christians and Christians feeding Buddhists.

"In Bogalay, the Hindu temple opened its portals to feed the multitude. In the ravished streets of Yangon, Muslim merchants were distributing food to the starving masses. More poignant was the response of many poor and lower-middle class people. They collected whatever they had and every weekend they treaded in aid convoy to far off Labutta.

Nargis stripped naked a nation with violence, but people of all faiths are clothing it now with compassion."

Archbishop Bo mentioned the Catholic contribution as well: "Many young men and women volunteered to go to the risky villages, strewn with the dead bodies of people and animals.

"The first psycho-social assistance came from nuns who risked their lives, by undertaking dangerous boat travels, without life jackets etc. They were the first ones to hold mothers who lost their children, to carry orphans and console a grieving community with prayer and simple presence.

"Hundreds of seminarians-monks were the first rescuers, clearing the villages of debris. All these are done under extreme restrictions. Through the national Caritas, assistance continues."

"Compassion is the common religion in the post disaster phase," Archbishop Bo affirmed. "In Myanmar people lived with various tags -- religion, color and tribe. But now Nargis taught us all, that human tears have no color, no religion and no tribe."