The Salesians came to Myanmar in 1939, in January of that year they arrived in Rangoon or Yangon, and to Mandalay. In Mandalay, Fr. Leo Lafon, a very zealous French MEP Father handed over his school, orphanage, and parish of St. Joseph to the Salesians. The School was later named “Lafon’s Memorial High School” to honour this our first benefactor, Fr. Leo Lafon. During the war years, many Salesians were interned in India, Madras Dehra Dhun. After the war, they came back and started the school again, practically from its ashes because Mandalay was bombed by British, and later by Japanese in turns.

The second House and school were opened in 1951 in Thingangyung, a suburb of Yangon or Rangoon. In 1957, Anisakan opened as an Aspirantate. Of course, the property had been Salesian since 1948. Anisakan is Salesian Alma Mater. Many of the Sons of Don Bosco were trained there. The first batch of Salesians were six: two priests, two clerics, and two coadjutors. Fr. Anthony Alessi was the pioneer and founder. It was he who bought the property at Anisakan.

With the Nationalization of the schools by the military revolutionary council government in April 1965, Salesians lost two prestigious schools: one is in Mandalay, Lafon’s academic and professional school teaching stitching, carpentry, and shoe-making, and one in Thingangyung, Don Bosco.

The following year, 1966, there was the exodus of missionaries and the young people lost good missionaries and educators. Foreigners were no more allowed to come in. Like that, without any future, without any schools and also without the two parishes, because the local clergy requested Salesians to hand over them to the local church. With no hope, no future, they remained in Anisakan until this little flock of Salesians was given “the Lashio Prefecture” by the Holy See in 1975.

In 1976 April, with the installation of our first Salesian Prelate Msgr. John Jocelyn Madden and the ordination of Charles Bo and Edward Sein Myint, the Prefecture started its work. With just seven priests and a coadjutor, Salesians run the whole Prefecture of Lashio, Northern Shan State, bordering on China. Thus, they developed their works and got many vocations. 

After the death of Msgr. John Jocelyn Madden in Australia in the car accident, the new Prefect Apostolic was Charles Bo. Lashio became a Diocese in 1990 with the first consecrated Bishop Charles Bo who is now the Cardinal. He was transferred to the other Dioceses. Then another Bishop took his place, Msgr. Philip, a diocesan and a very zealous Bishop. After him, now the third Bishop, counting from Bishop Charles Bo, is a Salesian Msgr. Lucas Dau Ze.

Right now, Salesian presences and Houses are all together nine: 8 canonical erected Houses with Rectors and one presence.

So, what is Salesian work or apostolate? With no formal school, they run informal boarding houses, parishes and youth activities; especially during the summer, Salesians teach them music, computer, and other activities in the Salesian Spirit. In that way, they spread the love of Christ, and educational works of Don Bosco through the Preventive System: reason, religion and loving kindness. Indirectly, they are helping the young and the poor of the locality through our Houses and presences.

Now there are 68 Salesians including the two bishops. “We would like you to pray for us. When the country is more or less stabilized, we can extend our works and our apostolate for the good of society and the Church in Myanmar. Thank you so much!” finally states Fr. Edward Sein Myint, SDB, one of most senior confreres in Myanmar.

For a better understanding of the Salesian reality of the MYM Vice-Province, an illustrative video is available on the ANS YouTube channel.

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