Meet Fr. Jerome

My name is Father Jerome Saw, M.S. I am presently part of the International Shrine community on the Holy Mountain of La Salette. I arrived from Myanmar (formerly Burma) to serve here in France for a few years at the kind request of our Superior General.

 

Having lived at La Salette for three years, the place chosen by the Virgin for her appearance 165 years ago, is a real grace for me. I am constantly edified by the faith of pilgrims who come here from around the world. My faith and vocation are strengthened by the Shrine community as we minister here on the Holy Mountain.

 

I also come to share my ministry experience and relationship with our Buddhists brothers in my country of Myanmar. Eighty-five percent of the population is Buddhist. They are also part of “People of God” about which the Virgin was speaking in her message and part of those to whom we pass on her “good news.”

 

 

Parish Church of Myauk Kine, near Mandalay, Myanmar

I spent my years of study and seminary training in the Philippines with my La Salette confreres. After my ordination to the priesthood on May 4, 2004, I spent the next two years serving at the seminary in the Philippines with the idea of dedicating myself to the training of young Missionaries of La Salette when I eventually returned to my homeland of Myanmar. At the same time, I also worked part time in several neighboring parishes. 

 

The first small group of La Salette Missionaries began to minister in Burma in 1937. After many years of faithful service, the larger group of La Salettes were unfortunately ordered to leave our country by the Communist Burmese government in the early 1970’s. In November of 2005, our La Salette community, coming full circle, was encouraged by Archbishop Paul Grawng, Archbishop of Mandalay, to return to serve in our country, now known as Myanmar. 

 

 

After my long stay of thirteen years in the Philippines, I returned with some fellow La Salettes to reestablish our La Salette ministry in my native land. When we returned, we felt like strangers in our own country. In the Philippines, we were serving in a deeply Christian country, and now we came back into a strong Buddhist context. The first months were an opportunity for our reorientation. In addition, we established ourselves in Mandalay, a very different region than our native area from our regions of origin. 

 

Parishioners of Myauk Kine

Share about your experience as a parish priest in Myauk Kine…

 

I returned with the other La Salettes to my homeland and worked for two years in the parish of Myauk Kine. The village of Myauk Kine is 7.5 miles south of the main city of Mandalay, in the central part of our country. I worked there for two years. This is where I continued my readjustment to a different cultural, social, and ecclesial situation. This village is divided into four hamlets. There are about 2,000 people, of which only about 350 are Christians, members of our parish. Our friends, the Buddhists, are in the majority. In fact, our parish is surrounded by several monasteries and one of them is located near our rectory.

 

The neighboring Buddhists monks are invited into the parish church

One day I decided to visit the monks of the nearby monastery and invite them to share a meal with us. We soon became friends, and our relationship began to deepen, especially once I told them that one of my cousins is a Buddhist monk, a teacher, and recently appointed superior of his monastery.

 

I also took the initiative to invite twenty of their monks with their ten novices to participate in the celebrations for our parish feast-day. This was the first time in the life of the parish that Buddhists participated in our celebrations and a first experience for our parishioners of welcoming the Buddhists into our church building. 

 

This wonderful event was highly appreciated by all the members of the village. Later, many expressed their joy: “It was an extraordinary event, the first in our village’s history. It allowed an interaction between Buddhists and Christians.”

 

 

We, along with our Buddhist brothers, have learned that, despite our differences of belief, we have many common points of reference:

 

• We are all Burmese citizens, and all belong to the same country.   We therefore need not be strangers to one another.    • We all have a deep faith, expressed in various ways.   • Both faith communities have a strong desire for unity and peace.   • All of us are ready to work for the development of our village and   engage in collaborative efforts with each other for the benefit of all.

Parishioners and neighboring Buddhist monks together inspect the damage from the floods

In what project did you collaborate with the Buddhist monks?

 

Our friendship and strong bonds have developed due to our shared efforts in helping the members of our town. In 2006, due to the excessively severe rainy season, the village was flooded. There was a lot of damage in the village. In fact, the road leading to Mandalay was washed away, effectively cutting off all communication with the nearest city. In addition many houses were destroyed and damaged. Several families in the parish were left homeless. 

 

Action was needed to remedy this disastrous situation. The monks and myself organized ourselves and asked for help from everyone. Thus, with the help of the village officers, we began to repair the road and rebuild some damaged homes. It was really a great example of how Christians and Buddhists can work together. We were all very happy and proud of what we did together. 

 

 

Fr. Jerome welcomes the Buddhist monks with his parishioners to the Parish feast-day table.

Mary at La Salette encourage and inspire me deeply. They are the words of a mother who calls us with love and tenderness. She reassures us with her words: “Do not be afraid.” She encourages us to listen with confidence when she says: “I'm here to tell you great news.” She came as a prophet to announce the good news of life and hope to all!

 

Having just returned to my homeland in July of 2011, I am very pleased to have had the opportunity to deepen my own knowledge of the message of Our Lady of La Salette by living on the Holy Mountain. Also reflecting on her message and my experience in the parish of Myauk Kine, I am convinced that the message of the Virgin of Reconciliation was addressed not only to Christians but to everyone. When Mary said, “all my people,” she included all peoples of the earth. All of us are all her children, given to her by Christ at the foot of the cross. And we are still called to make her message of faith and reconciliation known to everyone we meet.