Sr. Mary Lourdes Jennifer Kay Thi Kyaw permanently dedicated her life to God and service, professing her Perpetual Vows with the Congregation of Our Lady of Charity of the Good Shepherd on November 21.

The Eucharistic celebration, held on the Feast of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary at St. John the Baptist Church in Yangon, was a moment of profound joy and commitment for the local Catholic community.

The Mass was presided over by Bishop Francis Than Htun, Auxiliary Bishop of Yangon Archdiocese, to whom Bishop Noel Saw Naw Aye, Auxiliary Bishop of Yangon Archdiocese, joined, and about 25 concelebrating priests.

In his homily, Bishop Francis Than Htun described the day as a “special and unforgettable” defining moment in Sr. Jennifer’s life. He reflected on the faith of biblical figures like Abraham and the Virgin Mary, assuring the congregation that God calls not the perfect, but the willing.

“A person without vocation says, ‘I cannot live that life,’” the bishop explained. “But the one who is called tries, even in unworthiness.”

He emphasized that Sr. Jennifer’s commitment was a courageous response to this call and urged the community to pray for her lifelong faithfulness. Following her profession, all the perpetually professed Good Shepherd Sisters renewed their vows in a powerful show of solidarity.

In a heartfelt message of gratitude, Sr. Jennifer praised God for her journey, noting the day also marked the anniversaries of her novitiate entry in 2013 and her first profession in 2015. She extended thanks to the bishops, priests, her religious congregation, and her parents for nurturing her faith.

She also gave a special thanks to media partners who live-streamed the event, allowing religious communities and supporters from across Asia—including Thailand, the Philippines, and India—to join the celebration in spirit.

Born in 1987 to Stanislaus U Kyaw Thu and John Mary Daw Mi Mi Khaing in Dadaye Town, Irrawaddy Region, Sr. Jennifer graduated BSc. (Biology) who entered the Good Shepherd Congregation in 2008. Her years of formation have been marked by both service and study. She has served women and abandoned children in Mandalay, Loikaw, and Yangon, and furthered her education with a degree in Gender and Development Studies from the Asian Institute of Technology.

After recent international formation in the Philippines and theological studies in India, her perpetual vows mark the beginning of a new, lifelong chapter in her mission of compassion and care. She concluded her speech with a simple request to the faithful: to continue praying for her vocation.

By RVA Sgaw Karen Service