He replaces Card Oswald Gracias, archbishop of Bombay (India), who will finish his second term on 31 December.  Member of the Salesian Society of St John Bosco, Bo is the first bishop of Lashio and the first Myanmar cardinal in history.

Hong Kong (AsiaNews) – Card Charles Maung Bo (pictured) will be the new president of the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences (FABC) On 1st January 2019.

The archbishop of Yangon (Myanmar) was elected last Friday in Bangkok (Thailand), at a meeting of the FABC Central Committee.

The Myanmar cardinal replaces Card Oswald Gracias, archbishop of Bombay (India), who will end his second term as FABC head on 31 December. Gracias was also FABC general secretary between January and December 2012.

A member of the Salesian Society of St John Bosco, Card Bo was born on 29 October 1948 in Monhla, a village in the Archdiocese of Mandalay.

After studying at the Nazareth Aspirantate in Anisakan, Pyin Oo Lwin, from 1962 to 1976, he made his temporary vows on 24 May 1970, followed by perpetual vows on 10 March 1976.

He was ordained as a Salesian priest in Lashio (Shan State) on 9 April 1976. He served as pastor in Loihkam (1976-1981) and Lashio (1981-1983). From 1983 to 1985, he taught in the seminary of Anisakan.

Card Bo was apostolic administrator in Lashio from 1985 to 1986 and apostolic prefect from 1986 to 1990. When the prefecture was elevated to the status of diocese (7 July 1990), he was appointed as its first bishop. He received the episcopal consecration on 16 December of that same year.

On 13 March 1996, Pope John Paul II appointed him bishop of Pathein, Ayeyarwady. On 24 May 2003 he became archbishop of Yangon and was installed on 7 June 2003.

From 2000 to 2006 he led the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Myanmar and on 21 October 2015 became Myanmar’s first cardinal.

On 14 July 2018, Pope Francis appointed him as president delegate of the 15th Ordinary General Assembly on Youth, Faith and Vocational Discernment (October 2018).