Fr Cyril Francis
Life story by MYM Superior of the Viceprovince
25th November 2020
Rev.Fr. Cyril Francis Edgar sdb , whose bright star was shining all over Myanmar has now shifted its orbit into the eternal celestial home land, on the ( 25th November 2020) at the Provincial House, Anisakan. Our sincere condolences to his bereft relatives and friends. It is certainly a great loss for the Church and the Salesian Congregation in Myanmar. We lost him on earth, but we gain one hero and intercessor for us in heaven. Although The Good Lord has taken him into His eternal home, nevertheless we accompany him with our prayers and sacrifices toward his Eternal home land.
About the man who spent ninety one years on earth, even if we were to write voluminous pages about his life story, it will count but little, compared to the hard and laborious works he had done for the Church and the Congregation.
His life story in gist.
Fr. Cyril Francis was born on 10th.June 1929 in Mawlamyine (Myanmar) . His parents being Mr. A.M. Francis and Mrs. Annie Francis. He was baptized on 24th.June 1929 in the Holy Family Church in Mawlamyine. He was number 5 of the 6 siblings. In 1946 young Cyril Francis was sent by the Salesians to India to pursue his High School studies and the college graduations in the Salesian College, Sonada Darjeeling , West Bengal. In 1949 after his graduation in the University of Calcutta , he entered the Novitiate at Kotagiri (May 1950 to May 1951.). Soon after his Novitiate, he continued his I.A and B.A. Calcutta University ( India)
He finished his philosophical studies at the Sonada College in 1954. As for his practical training, he did two years in Sonada and one year at the Lafon Memorial High School, Mandalay, Myanmar. After his six years of initial formation, he took his perpetual vows on 24th.May 1956 in Anisakan. Anisakan then was an insignificant hamlet, not known in the history of the Salesian Congregation as yet. It was going to be the Valdocco of Myanmar in the near future. Anisakan was going to be the cradle where the Salesian Congregation in Myanmar will strike its Salesian roots in the years to come.
His perpetual profession in 1956 at Anisakan, foreshadowed the many professions and Ordinations of the Salesians in the years to come. Everything was still hidden in the embryo. His profession was surrounded by just a handful of Confreres and a few faithful. And yet it was a prophetic pointer of the future of the Salesian Congregation in Myanmar. He was one of the first pioneers of the native Salesians of Myanmar. After dedicating himself perpetually in the service of the Lord, in 1956 he was sent to the Sacred Heart College, in Mawlai, Assam, for his Theological Studies. As a student of Theology, he excelled himself in various skills such as music, flute, art, decorations, above all an Oratorian heart for the youth and the people.
Throughout his theological studies he was all the time in India, as there were difficulties in going in and out the Country. After four years of Theological studies, he was ordained priest on 24th.June 1961, Shillong. ( Assam.) at the hands of Msgr. Ferrando SDB. And his Priestly motto was :
“ Surely Goodness and Mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever .” (Ps.23:6)
With this well chosen, lifelong motto, Fr. Cyril Francis forged ahead through thick and thin throughout his Salesain life. His whole motto (Ps. 23:6 ) was based entirely on Psalm 23, where he saw in it the picture of the Good Shepherd , under whose care, nothing will be wanting, meadows will be green, in the waters of repose, he will revive him, he guides him in the path of virtues, traversing the gloomy valleys , he fears no harm, His presence with the rod and staff to hearten him, despite the presence of the foes, sumptuous meal will be set, anointing his head he brims his cup to overflowing. With all these comforting strength , Fr. Cyril Francis chose this motto , with the last verse of Psalm 23: “ Surely Goodness and Mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever .”
With the backing up of the Lord , as pointed out in Psalm 23, Fr. Cyril Francis felt energized and convinced that his whole dedicated life as a pastor will be always filled with the Goodness of the Lord and His mercy at his every fall. He lived out his motto which really gave him strength and energy throughout his life.
Soon after the Ordination, the young, full-fledged new priest, prepared himself to go back to his beloved mother land, Myanmar, where the Spirit of the Lord awaited him in the aspirantate in Anisakan, the cradle of the Salesians in Myanmar. It was in 1962 that he was appointed as the Catechist of the Nazareth aspirantate in Anisakan. Right from his first appointment as the Catechist in Nazareth in 1962 till the year 1966, he was acting one year as Catechist and another year as Perfect of Studies and the third year as the bursar, till in 1966 he was appointed as the Rector of Nazareth aspirantate. These changes of responsibilities within short periods pointed out his readiness to go wherever Obedience called him. He had an enormous capacity for hard work. During those years in the sixties, the political situations of Myanmar was getting shaky with the rumours that the schools would soon be nationalized and that the foreign missionaries would soon be expatriated from the Country. In spite of all these shaky and unstable rumours, our Nazareth aspirantate was filled to capacity, with determined youngsters to follow the footsteps of Don Bosco.
In 1965 on the first of April, the rumours of the Nationalization of Schools took place drastically without mercy. With the nationalization of schools, all our scopes of educating the youngsters ended up in smoke. And in 1965 itself our aspirantate was empty. And it would be standing empty for many years to come. All these teething troubles, the young Rabbi Rev. Francis Cyril had to shoulder them and take lessons from the steep learning curve to master the new procedures and events of life.
The worst responsibility to shoulder was the expatriation of the foreign missionaries from the Country. All the foreign missionaries were expatriated from the Country in 1966. So everything fell on the shoulders of a few Salesian priests. And young Fr. Cyril Francis was one of them. As the foreign Missionaries were sent away by the Government, the local nationals had to take up the lead. And in 1966, he was appointed as the Rector of Anisakan. As the Rector of Nazareth, he had to take charge of the clerics in the studentate of Philosophy too. Although the schools were nationalized, nevertheless the Salesian clerics had to carry on pursuing their philosophical studies. All the teaching of Philosophy and taking care of the aspirants were taken care of, by all the local few Salesians. All the religious Congregations were hit from all sides. For the Salesians, Fr. Cyril Francis went through many hardships. But he went through all these hardships strengthened by his priestly motto, where the goodness and mercy of God will support him all the days of his life.
Then in 1969 the parish of St. Joseph in Thingangyung became vacant, with the departure of a foreign Salesian, and so Fr. Cyril was sent as the Parish Priest of St. Joseph , Thingangyung , Yangon. There he took up the parish activities with the spirit and touch of Don Bosco’s “ Give me souls, and take away the rest.” The St. Joseph’s parish of Thingangyung was a very poor parish. Prior to him there was a foreign Salesian parish priest, who was taking care of the parish. Fr. Cyril Francis was all for the poor. He organized all the Liturgical programs , fixed up all the parish activities, visited the slum areas of the parish and in short he put life into the whole parish, in the Salesian style.
Fr. Cyril Francis was in this St. Joseph’s Parish for about six years and in 1975, Fr. Cyril Francis was transferred to Kyaukme parish in the Lashio diocese. In 1976 the Lashio Prefecture was created and entrusted to the Salesians to develop it, under the leadership of Rt. Rev. Monsignor Jocelyn Madden sdb. Prefect Apostolic. With this new responsibility given to the Salesians, in the Prefecture of Lashio, Fr. Cyril Francis was posted as the Parish Priest of Kyaukme. Kyaukme parish was just a newly created parish, where he had to start everything from the scratch. Life was tough, with almost nothing in hand. His first experience as the parish priest of St, Joseph Parish in Thingangyun taught him many things. Experience is the best teacher. There again with the backing up and energized by his Ordination motto, nothing deterred him from overcoming all the little problems that came his way. Although he was the parish priest of Kyaukme, he had to take care of the nearby parishes. He had to take charge of many neighboring towns and villages. He was taking care of Lisu villages in the neighborhood of Pamaichyun. Then the Kachin villages around Pang Pau. And the Shan villages in the vicinity of Thibaw. He was truly a mobile missionary, with never consuming energy, as his energy source was “ Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me, all the days of my life.” To pave new ways and new strategies in the wilds, where rays of the light of Christ has not reached them, calls for undaunted courage.
From 1975 to 1990, Fr. Cyril Francis laid the Christian foundation in the villages around Kyaukme, Pangpau, Pamaichyun and Thibaw, he was appointed to be the Vicar General of the Diocese of Lashio. Being the Vicar General, he was the closest and chief coordinator and Master mind to the Bishop of Lashio, His Excellency Rt. Rev. Monsignor Charles Bo ( now His Eminence Cardinal Charles Bo.) The Vicar General put heart and soul into his work as the Vicar General of Lashio. With his joviality and cheerful mood, he put life in the Clergy and the religious and in the life of the various tribes-people in the diocese of Lashio. In this way life in the Mission was wonderful and enjoyable.
In 1999, he was already weighed down by heavy works in the Mission, his religious Superior thought of giving him a bit of rest by transferring him to Anisakan, both in the Novitiate and aspirantate to be the confessor to the Novices and the boys. Although he was in Anisakan with less work , nevertheless he busied himself with the Oratory works. Oratory works means gathering the children from the nearby villages on Saturdays and Sundays, and organized all sorts of games and sports for the children. During Christmas seasons and summer vacations, when the children were on holidays, He organized various kinds of games and funs.
In 2011, on 26th.June , he celebrated his Golden Jubilee of his Priestly Ordination in Anisakan at Nazareth. The whole Salesian Family gathered together at Nazareth for his Jubilee Mass. On his souvenir picture, he expressed his joy and happiness thus:
“ My heartfelt gratitude to the Almighty God, Mary help of Christians, St. John Bosco , my Dad, my Mom, my brothers and Sisters, my Salesian confreres, the daughters of Mary help of Christians and to all my friends far and near, for all your love and affection you have showered on me these past 50 years of my priestly life. I love you all.” ( Fr. Cyril Francis. Sdb. ) ( 26th.June 2011.)
In his advanced age he took up a very charitable apostolate on behalf of the poor and the widows for their daily sustenance. Monthly Fr. Cyril Francis would distribute to very poor families and the widowed families, one month’s quota consisting of rice, oil, some dry ration, salt, and chilly. This help to the poor was done monthly without fail. The number of these poor families numbered about 150. And every month he has to collect a lump sum of money to purchase these items for the poor. Besides whenever there was a mishap of some turbulent storm taking place in the neighborhood, Fr. Cyril would hasten his steps to the fallen houses and damaged huts to prop up again to the original state. It was more than twenty years that the poor around Anisakan and Pyin Oo Lwin were being helped by Fr. Cyril Francis. He did this helping the poor till his last breath.
Besides showing his love for the poor, many wayfarers and beggars would find a generous Father in Fr. Cyril Francis. In 2019, Fr. Cyril Francis was already too weak to move about, so he was looked after by at least two persons day and night. He was not suffering from other ailments, except the old age and inability to move by himself. His last years of his life, he could not celebrate the Holy Mass, but Fr. James Luke brings Holy Communion to him. On 18th.October 2020, he received the Holy anointing at the hands of Fr. James Luke and was well prepared for his voyage to eternity. Everyone who comes to see him was aware that Fr. Cyril Francis was making his penance and restitution in his bed of suffering, united with the sufferings of Christ. He really sanctified himself especially during the last two years of his life, on his bed of suffering. All the time, the Rosary was in his hands and in his heart. When he was able to walk guided by Josephine Bernard and Saya Anthony, he would be seen at the little grotto of Our Lady, praying and making his love to Our Beloved Mother. And when he was unable to walk, he would visit the grotto of Our Lady on wheel chair, and expressed his great love to Our Blessed Mother.
As Fr. Cyril Francis ended his earthly sojourn on the (……………..), we are proud of his final entry into the eternal home with the words of St. Paul “ I have fought the good fight to the end : I have run the race to the finish: I have kept the faith. “ (2 Tim 4:7 ) Going through his whole Salesian priestly life, he was one of the first salesian pioneers of the Myanmar soil. He was not only the pioneer but was an affective and effective exemplar to all his young and old confreres. He lived out his Ordination motto to the full. “ Surely Goodness and Mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever .” (Ps.23:6)
Though “Gray’s Elegy” said:
“ The boast of heraldry, the pomp of power
And all that beauty, all that wealth e’er gave
Awaits alike the inevitable hour
The paths of glory lead but to the grave.”
But the Bible says: Death is not the end of the story for those who know the Lord. The Bible tells us what lies ahead for those who know Jesus. As we come to 2 Corinthians 5, we discover wonderful truths that give us hope as we face death with all its dark fears. The Pulpit Commentary says : “ There will be “victory on the last battlefield.” Life is a series of battles for all of us ,and we all “take it on the chin” sooner or later. But in the last battle, the struggle with death, there is victory for the children of God. “Death is not the End of life. Rather it is the beginning of Eternal life.”
But Fr. Cyril Francis had known Jesus for 91 beautiful years. He was daily fed with the body and blood of Christ. “ Anyone who does eat my flesh and drink my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.” ( Jn.6:54.)
“ I am the living bread which has come down from heaven. Anyone who eats this bread will live forever.” ( Jn.6: 51)
“ I tell you most solemnly, whoever keeps my word will never see death.” (Jn 8: 51)
Who is this that is making such statements ? Who is talking? The judge of the Universe is talking. That’s the Ethical teacher. That‘s the Divine Master. That‘s him right here. If you keep his words, you never die. Our beloved “ Ah Pho Cyril ” as he was commonly known in the vicinity of Aniskan, is certainly enriched with the comforting and consoling promises of the Lord, to enter the Eternal Home of the Father.
Our beloved Fr. Cyril Francis has passed from death to life.
It is sometimes said that nothing is certain in life except death and taxes. But that is not wholly true. A clever man with a good lawyer can find a way around most if not all of his taxes, but no one escapes death. As George Bernard Shaw remarked, “The statistics on death have not changed. One out of one person dies."
Believers in Jesus have passed already from death to life. That’s over. That’s done. The passing from death to life is over. They already have eternal life. Eternal life cannot by definition stop, right? Eternal life can’t stop. Believers don’t see death. They don’t taste death. Their bodies die, they lie there in the coffin and they look like they’re asleep. That’s why the Bible frequently treats death as sleep. It looks like sleep and it is as simple as sleep for God to take care of. Their bodies are there. The trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable and they should be changed. The bodies die but we don’t die. We’ve passed from death to life. We have eternal life. Eternal life is unbroken and in unending life.
The message left by our beloved “ Ah Pho Cyril “
Life is short and so uncertain. 91 years have come and gone. All of us who have heard the demise of Our Beloved “ Ah Pho Cyril “ will certainly have our own personal message from the many years we have lived with him. But the following message could be taken from his 91 years of life.
“What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes” (James 4:14b). Moses said to the Lord in Psalm 90:5-6, “You sweep men away in the sleep of death; they are like the new grass of the morning-though in the morning it springs up new, by evening it is dry and withered."
God blessed him with 91 years of life. And he had known and loved God for so many years. He had many long experience with the Triune God. Don Bosco had taught him how to be a true son of Our Blessed Mother. And who ever had known “ Ah Pho Cyril ” will certainly be aware of his devotedness to God and His Heavenly Mother. He will certainly leave the same message that had given him energy and strength throughout his life. “ OUR GOD WHO COMFORTS. MARY WHO PROTECTS.”
Yours in Our Blessed Mother,
Fr. Saw Charles. Provincial.
Fr Robert Falk (1932-2022)
