Myanmar Cardinal told hundreds of religious men and women on Monday that the light of their faith must shine directly into the darkness of the nation’s current struggles.

The Catholic Religious Congregations in Yangon (CRCY) observed Candlemas, the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord, at the Yangon Archbishop’s House on February 2. The event drew 186 participants from 24 of the archdiocese’s 48 religious congregations.

In his homily, Cardinal Bo framed the biblical story of Mary and Joseph presenting the infant Jesus in the Temple as a direct parallel to the lived reality of Myanmar’s parents. “The Christ Child is not powerful, not rich,” he noted. “Yet, with obedience and faith, Mary and Joseph offered their Child to God.” He reflected that parents today raise children amid “fear, uncertainty, and hardship,” and true security is found only in surrendering to God’s hands.

He focused on the figures of Simeon and Anna, who waited faithfully to see the Savior. “Simeon knew how to wait, and how long to wait,” the Cardinal said, linking their perseverance to the longing of Myanmar’s people for peace. He acknowledged the pain of families who have lost children and the weariness of many, but stressed that “waiting in faith is never useless.”

Cardinal Bo described Candlemas as the “feast of light” and issued a clear call to action. The light of Christ, he said, “must shine where there are difficulties, anxieties, and opposition.” He urged religious to “consecrate themselves daily through untiring service,” safeguarding human dignity and spreading hope through small, consistent sacrifices.

The celebration also looked ahead. Bishop Noel Saw Naw Aye announced plans for a major Jubilee Mass on April 9, 2026, to mark the 50th anniversary of Cardinal Bo’s priestly ordination. He invited all religious to attend and called for exhibitions to highlight the Cardinal’s life and service across Myanmar’s dioceses.

The event served as a moment of spiritual solidarity, reinforcing the role of consecrated life as a steadfast source of hope and a call to carry light into the heart of the nation’s challenges.

By RVA Sgaw Karen Service