Dozens of religious sisters gathered for a landmark seminar, “The Roles of Religions in Conflict Transformation,” held at the Kalay Diocese Pastoral Centre from November 10-13, 2025.

The four-day event, led by Rev. Fr. Dominic Savio Thang Suan Lang, Executive Secretary of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Myanmar (CBCM), and Rev. Fr. Noel Naw Lat, the National Director of Peace and Justice Commission.

The seminar was aimed to equip attendees with the theological and practical tools to become active agents of peace in their communities.

His Excellency Bishop Felix Lian Khen Thang of Kalay Diocese opened the seminar, framing the urgent need for peace and justice not just globally, but specifically within Myanmar and the troubled Kalay Diocese. He set a challenging tone for the 45 participants, urging them to be “active learners” and future “peacemakers.”

Fr. Dominic provided the theological foundation, exploring the concepts of peace and justice through the lens of the Bible, Church teachings, and papal encyclicals.

Fr. Noel, however, grounded these concepts in the harsh reality of Myanmar’s current situation. He described the conflict affecting the nation and outlined the vital role religions must play. He emphasized that a primary duty of faith communities is to be peacemakers and to provide concrete support for the poor and victims of war.

He highlighted the need to support the poor and the victims in terms of conflict and war. According to him, “the primary role of religion is to be a peacemaker and to help the poor.”

To make these lessons tangible, Fr. Noel used timeless biblical narratives of conflict—Cain and Abel, King Saul and David, and Joseph and his brothers—as case studies. Participants were then guided to analyze these stories and draw direct parallels to the current tensions in Myanmar’s Sagaing Region and Chin State.

The seminar moved beyond theory into practice through interactive workshops. Fr. Noel divided the sisters into four groups for discussions based on his teachings, followed by presentations from each group. Organizers reported that all participants were actively engaged in every session.

This seminar marks the second such initiative led by Fr. Noel in the Kalay Diocese this year, following a similar session for priests in June. The exclusive attendance of religious sisters, including novitiates from the Little Way Sisters of St. Theresa, underscores the critical role women religious are being called to play in fostering reconciliation and healing in one of Myanmar’s most challenging regions.

By RVA Tedim Chin Service