Network Pastoral Asia Meet in Myanmar

The Network Pastoral Asia (NPA) meeting was held at Amber Palace Hotel in Myitkyina, Myanmar from 4 – 7 November 2018. Dr. Klaus Vellguth from Missio and other 20 NPA members from different Asian and European countries attended the meeting. Fr. Leo Gopal, the Director of St. Luke’s College (SLC) is one among the 20 participants who actively planned the event with the NPA Coordinator Fr. Cleophas Fernandes, India. This year’s meeting was held in Myanmar and was hosted by the Myitkyina Diocese. Bishop Francis Daw Tang, the Patron of St. Luke’s College was the host bishop and the Bishops of Banmaw – Bishop Raymond Sumlut Gam and Lashio – Bishop Philip Za Hawng and Emeritus Archbishop Paul  Grawng joyfully participated and graced the occasion. In this meeting Fr. Girish Santiago SJ, the Associate Director of SLC was one of the resource persons to present the Papal document on Gaudete et Exsultate.  The Staff and the students of St. Luke’s college generously participated in welcoming and serving the participants. On 6^th November, the Network Pastoral Asia participants were joyfully welcomed and were treated with a cultural evening and dinner at St. Luke’s campus. Dr. Klaus, while speaking to the Staff and students, appreciated the enormous contributions of St. Luke’s college in forming the Lay Faith Leaders to lead their communities and assured to continue the partnership of Missio with St. Luke’s college. While sharing of this day’s visit of the participants, he, as a father of a family, was shocked to see the pathetic living conditions of IDPs at Tanghpre, at the confluence site.  We too thanked Missio for their active partnership. We were very happy to welcome especially our EAPI Joint-Diploma partner Director Fr. Peter Pojol, SJ in our midst, for he too participated in this NPA meet. All that began well ended well. We thank God for this great occasion of building and maintaining relationship with NPA through Fr. Leo Gopal.