A two-month intensive preparation course for 19 temporary professed sisters from four religious congregations concluded on September 14, 2025, with a Eucharistic celebration presided over by His Excellency Bishop Noel Saw Naw Aye.

The closing mass, held at the Catholic Religious Conference of Myanmar (CRCM) on the Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross, marked the end of the formation program designed to prepare the sisters for their perpetual vows.

The course, which ran from July 19 to September 14, brought together members of the Sisters of St. Francis Xavier (SFX), Institute Sisters of Reparation (ISR), Missionary of St. Paul (MSP), and Zetaman Sisters of the Little Flowers (ZSLF). One sister was absent from the closing ceremony.

Auxiliary Bishop of Yangon Archdiocese, Bishop Noel’s homily centered on the profound significance of the Cross, linking the day’s feast to the sisters’ vocational journey.

Drawing from Philippians 2:6-11, he emphasized Christ’s humility (kenosis) in taking human form and enduring death on the cross.

“The cross is not a shame, not a defeat, but God’s great love and great divine wisdom. Cross is the endless love of God,” Bishop Noel stated.

He encouraged the sisters to meditate on the cross and wear their crucifixes meaningfully as they prepare for a lifelong commitment.

The preparation course, themed “Here I am Lord, I come to do your will” (Heb 10:9), covered a wide range of subjects critical to religious life.

These included consecrated life, spiritual accompaniment, leadership, pastoral work, the religious vows, and the role of media.

Instruction was provided by invited priests and experienced religious sisters. Participants also visited several local churches as part of their formation.

Sister Rita Cing Don Niang, MSP, General Secretary of the CRCM, highlighted the importance of the inter-congregational aspect of the course.

“It is really agreeable to the Synodality,” she said. “They can share their charisms among themselves… It can be a sort of occasion that inspires one another to help each other in mission territories.”

Following the mass, Bishop Noel spent an hour in a private session to advise and encourage the course participants.

He also requested prayers for Pope Leo on his 70th birthday.

The sisters will now return to their communities to continue their journey toward making their final, perpetual vows.

By RVA Sgaw Karen Service