The Diocese of Mawlamyine commemorated the 100th anniversary of the death of its pioneering missionary, Bishop Alexander Cardot, with a memorial Mass at St. Patrick Church on October 19, 2025, reflecting on his life as a “bridge” between God and humanity.

The 8 a.m. Mass, presided over by the current Bishop of Mawlamyine, Bishop Maurice Nyunt Wai, centered on the enduring legacy of the French-born bishop who served in Myanmar for nearly five decades.

In his homily, Bishop Nyunt Wai drew a stark contrast between the growing divisions in the modern world and the unifying mission of Christ, which he embodied through Bishop Cardot.

“The walls in the world are getting longer and the bridges are getting shorter,” Bishop Nyunt Wai stated. “To heal the divisions… God sent his Son into the world to be used as a bridge.”

He explicitly connected this theological concept to the honoree, stating, “Bishop Alexander Cardot, a true disciple of Christ, came to Myanmar to build a bridge. By coming to Myanmar from France to serve as a missionary, he built a bridge between the East and the West.”

The homily highlighted Bishop Cardot’s most lasting contribution: the founding of the St. Francis Xavier Congregation in 1897. Bishop Nyunt Wai emphasized that the Bishop’s legacy “continues to live on” through the indigenous sisters of the congregation. “Although he has passed away, he lives on in these sisters,” he said. “As long as the St. Francis Xavier Congregation exists, the bridge built by Bishop Alexander Cardot will remain.”

The memorial also recalled Bishop Cardot’s profound personal commitment. After going blind from diabetes in 1920, he continued his service until his death on October 18, 1925. His final wish, to be buried in the church walkway so that the faithful would literally walk over him on their way to God, was cited as the ultimate symbol of his life’s work.

“His wish was to use his life as a bridge between God and people,” Bishop Nyunt Wai told the congregation, urging them to emulate this example. “Therefore, we too must strive to be bridges of salvation like the great abbot.”

Bishop Alexander Cardot was born in France on January 10, 1857, in Fresse, Archdiocese of Besançon, to Charles Cardot and Madeleine. He was the eldest of six children. He was ordained a priest for the Paris Foreign Missions Society (MEP) on September 20, 1879, at age 22. He arrived in Burma just three months later, in December 16, 1879. He was ordained the Bishop of Southern Burma in 1894 and served for 46 years as a priest and 32 years as a bishop before his death in Mawlamyine a century ago. Bishop Alexander Cardot died on October 18, 1925.

By RVA Pwo Karen Service