Last Updated on May 2, 2025 by Editor
ABOVE: Singers pay tribute in their native language to Father Jim on his 50th anniversary in 2024.
By FRAN PERRITANO
We Americans often take things for granted.
Need groceries? Head to the supermarket and choose from thousands of items.
Hungry? Go to one of the numerous restaurants or fast-food places.
Not feeling well? You can visit a doctor of your choice, an urgent care facility or even a hospital. Much of it is covered by health insurance.
Want to practice your faith? You can worship in a church, synagogue or mosque without fear of being arrested or persecuted.
Now, just imagine life without those and many other conveniences and freedoms we enjoy. What if you were forced to leave the United States, travel thousands of miles to a foreign country to live where you didn’t speak the language and the culture was entirely different? You would have to settle in, find a place to live and a job, all among strangers who might not be accepting of you.
That’s what Mar Koe and Khun Suaung and their families were forced to do along with many other people from Myanmar who had to abandon their native land due to war, violence, rebellion and dictatorship. And now, a deadly earthquake in March that killed thousands in that country and Thailand.
Both men and their families are among about 100 people from Myanmar who are parishioners of Mount Carmel / Blessed Sacrament. Though we refer to them as our Burmese community, they said they all speak the Myanmar language and are made up of Burmese, Kayan, Karen, Karenni, Kachin and many other cultures.
Mar Koe, 55, came to the United States in October 2009.
“I remember we were in a war zone and didn’t have much freedom,” he said. “We were constantly moving to other refugee camps. Our country was experiencing a military dictatorship, as government soldiers were fighting the people and still are to this day.”
Khun Suaung, 42, said he fled for the same reasons in 2014.
“For many years ago, the military coups and ongoing civil war has resulted in the deaths of countless citizens, leaving a permanent mark on our memories,” he said. “So, there are reasons for us to leave the country.”
Transitioning to the United States was challenging.
“It was very difficult to learn and understand the culture because of the language barrier,” Mar Koe said. “We also had a hard time adjusting to the harsh winter weather since it never snowed in my native country.”
“Culture and tradition are very different,” Khun Suaung added. “For example, language, food, lifestyle and behaviors.”
Myanmar struggles to be free
Their native land, once called Burma, has a checkered history.
Now known as Myanmar, the county gained independence from Britain in 1948, but its post-independence history has been characterized by unrest and conflict, according to the BBC.
It was long considered a pariah state while under the rule of a military junta from 1962 to 2011 that suppressed almost all dissent and stood accused of gross human rights abuses, prompting international condemnation and sanctions.
Gradual liberalization began in 2010, leading to free elections in 2015. But a 2017 army operation drove more than half a million Muslim Rohingyas to flee to neighboring Bangladesh, in what the United Nations called a “textbook example of ethnic cleansing.”
It damaged the new government’s international reputation and highlighted the military’s continuing grip. This was confirmed when Aung San Suu Kyi and her government were overthrown in a coup in February 2021, according to the BBC.
Many from Myanmar fled to the United States in the early 2000s, — more than 4,000 of them coming to our area by 2019, according to The Center in Utica, formerly known as the Mohawk Valley Resource Center for Refugees.
Though he knows he and his family had to escape Myanmar, Mar Koe still experiences sadness.
“I do miss my native land because my brothers and sister were left behind,” he said. “But it is difficult to return because there are still war conflicts. If there was peace, I would go back and visit for a bit.”
Faith sets them free
Khun Suaung and Mar Koe are eucharistic minsters who cherish their religious beliefs.
The Catholic faith was instilled in Mar Koe as a child, and he finds peace and strength at Mount Carmel / Blessed Sacrament.
“Each family had a tradition with whichever religion was practiced by the ancestors would be passed down for their future generations to learn,” he said. “In my family, it was the Roman Catholic belief that had started from my great-grandparents.
“When my family came to Utica,” he continued, “I saw a lot of churches, but they were always closed, which had always made me sad. But one day, an Oneida County social worker came to interview my wife and I about any mental health problems. I told them I didn’t have any mental health problems, but I was sad because I wanted to go to church. And then they introduced me to teacher David (Struz), who was working for the refugee center. Teacher David helped bring my family to St. Mary of Mount Carmel every Sunday.”
David is a lifelong parishioner who teaches at The Center in Utica
Khun Suaung — who is a school bus driver, is married and has a child — also credits David for guiding him to the parish.
“First of all, I arrived at this church with the help of my friend who got here earlier and with the assistance of teacher David,” he said. “As for why I am here to worship, my parents have been Catholic since my childhood, so I have also been Catholic since I was young, and I come here to worship for my spiritual reasons.
“Attending Mount Carmel / Blessed Sacrament church is truly a joy, as the beauty of the church and the music enhance the experience and provide great spiritual strength. Father Jim Cesta is very welcoming. The people at this church are also very friendly. It is a truly wonderful and joyful experience.”
Parish becomes home
Mar Koe works at Wynn Hospital. He and his wife, Rebalka, have two daughters, Skylynn Koe and Nan Zar; and two sons Bas Kar Reh and Richard Koe. He said the parish has become an integral part of the refugees’ life.
“Mount Carmel/ Blessed Sacrament is very important for the Myanmar community to stay together and help each other out,” he said. “My faith is very important to me and my family. I would like other parishioners to know that our Myanmar community is always eager to help, such as if they need a minister for communion service or would like us to sing for a festival.
“I would like to say families should gather every Sunday to go to church — elders, young people and babies. It is important that we raise our kids in Mass to help teach them respectful manners and patience.”
Khun Suaung said his faith is the bedrock of his life that has carried him through trials and tribulations.
“Belief is very crucial. No matter what you do, you need to have faith,” he said. “This is especially true for someone who is a Catholic, as it is even more significant for both the spirit and the body. … I believe we (Myanmar community) need to engage with other parishes so that our group can better know other parishioners.”
And what would he say to those in America who take everything for granted?
“It is essential to appreciate the freedoms and opportunities available,” he said. “Gratitude can lead to a more fulfilling life.”