An Episcopal Commission-sponsored formation program for priests ordained in 2018 and 2019 was held from September 11 to 18, 2026, at the St. Peter and St. Paul Church compound in Insein, Yangon Archdiocese, bringing together 42 priests from across Myanmar.

The program aimed to support the priests’ continuing spiritual, pastoral, and human formation in response to the changing realities facing the Church and society.

At the conclusion of the program, His Eminence Cardinal Charles Bo, Archbishop of Yangon, addressed the participating priests and encouraged them to see ongoing formation not simply as another Church program, but as part of their lifelong vocation as disciples of Christ.

Cardinal Bo expressed gratitude to God for calling the priests to the demanding vocation of priesthood and thanked the participants for their time, effort, and sacrifice. He also expressed appreciation to the formators who shared their knowledge, experience, wisdom, and love for the Church and the priesthood.

“These days have not been simply another program in our calendar. They have been an invitation from the Lord,” Cardinal Bo said, recalling the invitation of Jesus: “Come away and rest a while.”

He emphasized that a priest is always a disciple and that priestly formation does not end with ordination. Rather, ordination marks the beginning of a lifelong journey of learning and conversion.

“Even after fifty years of priesthood, I can say that the Lord is still forming us,” Cardinal Bo said, explaining that every parish, person, experience, and difficulty can become a place of formation. He encouraged the priests to continue praying, “Lord, teach me again.”

Ongoing Formation Essential for Today’s Priesthood

Cardinal Bo stressed that ongoing formation is a necessity for priests serving in a rapidly changing world. Families and young people face new challenges, while technology, artificial intelligence, and social media are transforming the ways people communicate and understand themselves.

He noted that Myanmar’s pastoral situation has also become increasingly complex. “We cannot respond to today’s wounds with yesterday’s answers,” he said, calling priests to continue reading, studying, listening, reflecting, and discerning.

At the same time, he emphasized that formation must go beyond intellectual knowledge. Priests need to grow in holiness, humanity, and compassion, becoming men whose minds are enlightened by truth and whose hearts are transformed by the Gospel.

Priests Called to Accompany a Wounded People

Reflecting on Myanmar’s difficult situation, Cardinal Bo said many people have experienced fear, displacement, poverty, loss, and separation. Families have been divided, while many young people face uncertainty about their future.

He reminded the priests that behind statistics are human faces and stories of wounded people.

“The people do not simply need priests who can administer the sacraments. They need priests who can stand beside them,” he said.

He called priests to listen to people’s pain, pray with them, accompany suffering families, and remind those who have lost hope that God has not abandoned them.

Cardinal Bo distinguished between knowledge and wisdom, saying that formation of the heart must help priests become more patient, compassionate, humble, and attentive to their people.

Priestly Fraternity and Reconciliation

Cardinal Bo also highlighted priestly fraternity as an essential part of formation. He encouraged priests not to carry the burdens of ministry alone but to support one another as brothers.

He urged priests to celebrate one another’s successes, accompany one another in difficulties, forgive one another, and avoid unnecessary criticism and gossip. He particularly called for unity beyond ethnic, cultural, linguistic, and personal differences.

“Our unity as priests is itself a witness to the Gospel,” he said.

Cardinal Bo further emphasized the need for priests to become ministers of reconciliation in Myanmar. He said reconciliation begins not only among political leaders but also within human hearts, families, communities, and the Church.

“The priest should be a bridge-builder, not a wall-builder,” he said.

Accompanying Young People in the Digital Age

The Cardinal called for special pastoral attention to young people, who are growing up amid uncertainty and in an increasingly digital environment. He encouraged priests to listen to young people and seek to understand their hopes, fears, wounds, and questions rather than simply criticizing them.

He described the digital world as a new missionary field, noting that technology can assist ministry but cannot replace human presence.

“A computer can give information. Only a human heart can accompany another human heart,” he said.

A Call to Become Priests of Hope

As the formation program concluded, Cardinal Bo urged the priests to make the experience a new beginning. He encouraged each priest to make at least one concrete commitment, such as deepening prayer, strengthening fraternity, listening more carefully to young people, or working more intentionally for reconciliation.

“Christian hope is not optimism that everything will automatically become easy,” Cardinal Bo said. “Christian hope is the conviction that God remains with His people even in the darkest valley.”

He entrusted their priestly journey to Mary, Mother of Priests, praying that she would teach them the humility of the servant, the courage of the disciple, and the tenderness of a mother.

“When our people encounter us, may they encounter not merely a priest performing a ministry, but the compassionate face of Christ who walks with them,” Cardinal Bo said.

By RVA Sgaw Karen Service