Myanmar refugees bring new life to St. Bernard

Father Mike Anderson waited patiently on the front steps of St. Bernard in St. Paul last Sunday morning, his purple vest­ments cloaking him from the Novem­ber chill. Clanging church bells heralded the 10:30 Mass, but only a smattering of parishioners prayed silently in the pews.

Minutes later, a yellow school bus pulled up to the curb, then another one behind it. The priest’s face lit up as he greeted dozens of people pouring off the buses into the church.

About 400 Myanmar refugees have found a spiritual home at St. Bernard in recent months. For Father Anderson, the refugees’ arrival has been nothing short of a miracle, he said.

“I think it’s the best thing that could have happened to us,” Father Anderson told The Catholic Spirit. “For 15 years, we’ve watched our parish rolls drop from 1,000 families to less than 400 families.

. . . [The refugees] are a sign of new life.”

source: http://thecatholicspirit.com