Roman Catholic Diocese of Lashio
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Diocese of Lashio Dioecesis Lashioensis |
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|---|---|
| Location | |
| Country | Myanmar |
| Ecclesiastical province | Mandalay |
| Metropolitan | Mandalay |
| Statistics | |
| Area | 30,000 km2 (12,000 sq mi) |
| Population - Total - Catholics |
(as of 2004) 2,300,000 30,998 (1.3%) |
| Information | |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
| Sui iuris church | Latin Church |
| Rite | Roman Rite |
| Established | 20 November 1975 (As Prefecture Apostolic of Lashio) 7 July 1990 (As Diocese of Lashio) |
| Cathedral | Cathedral of the Sacred Heart in Lashio |
| Current leadership | |
| Pope | Francis |
| Bishop | Philip Lasap Za Hawng |
| Metropolitan Archbishop | Paul Zingtung Grawng |
The diocese of Lashio is a Roman Catholic diocese of Myanmar centered at Lashio. The diocesan territory covers a land area of 61,266 square kilometers. Philip Lasap Za Hawng (1945- ) is the current Bishop of Lashio (from 1998).
The mission territory of the Northern Shan State was first evangelized around 1869 by MEP Fathers, then directing the Apostolic vicariate of Northern Burma.
At a later phase in 1930, the PIME Italian Fathers took over and much expansion was made both east and west of the Salween River. A two-pronged mission drive was made at that early stage from the two Prefectures of Lashio and Kengtong. Under the aegis of the Italian Missionaries, who were joined by a group of zealous diocesan priests, much headway was made. From the very start, a tough little group of Italian Reparation sisters worked alongside the priests. They helped open schools, boarding houses, nurseries and clinics.
The nationalization of all mission and also private schools was a terrible blow. The Church lost all of her schools overnight. However, it was also a blessing in disguise. The Religious now turned to direct mission apostolate. The Holy See entrusted Lashio to the Salesians in 1975, making it a Prefecture. Monsignor Jocelyn Madden, the Salesian Delegate, was the first Apostolic Prefect. On his early retirement, another Salesian, Monsignor Charles Bo, succeeded him. More development end further expansion took place. In 1989, twin celebrations were held: the golden jubilee of the start of the mission and the reopening of the Wa State Mission (the extensive area east of the Salween River).
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