Biography Myanmar Christian Writers

Ba Yin, Stephen, U

(b. Sagaing, northern Burma, 12 Oct 1903; d. Sep 1987). Editor of the Sower, the bilingual Catholic monthly newspaper in Burma (now Myanmar).

   Ba Yin was the fifth of the six children of U Pan Bon and Daw Nyein. U Pan Bon passed away when Ba Yin was only three years old, and his mother, a nurse, took her family along with her when she was transferred to Nyaunglebin in Bago Division.

   Ba Yin studied at the Roman Catholic mission in Nyaunglebin (conducted by Michael Mignot, a French missionary) through middle school. He completed his high school education at St. Patrick's High School in Mawlamyine, run by the Brothers of the Christian ployed by Mignot as a mission catechist, religious in structor, music master, and all around bandyman. After Mignot's death in 1937, Ba Yin continued serving in the Nyaunglebin Mission under Mignot's successor, Fr. Mathew.

   During World War II, Nyaunglebin Mission was destroyed by bombing. Ba Yin was invited to Pathein by Fr. Perrin in 1947 and employed in the publication of the Sower, Myanmar's only Catholic newspaper. In 1949 he went to Yangon (Rangoon), capital city of Burma, when the Sower office was transferred there, He became editor of the publication, put out in English and Burmese. He continued in this post until 1979. In spite of his management for the Roman Catholic Church in Myanmar, taught the Myanmar language to seminarians at the Catholic Major Seminary in Rangoon, and published serveral religious books in the Burmese language.

   Om 1054 Ba Uom was awarded the Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice Medal for distinguished and faithful service to the church by Pope Pius XII. After jos retirement as editor of the Sower, he spent his time publishing religious tracts. His health deteriorated in 1986, and in Sep 1987 he died.

   Ba Yin is remembered for his years of unremitting service to the cause of disseminating God's Word through the medium of a regular monthly Catholic newspaper.

PETER THET LWIN

A Dictionary of ASIAN Christianity
Scott W. Sunquist, editor
David Wu Chu Sing and John Chew Hiang Chea, associate editors.
@2001 Wm, B Berdmans Publishing Co. Michigan, USA