Deacon Stephen Aung Zay Zey Ya Moe, OSM, was ordained to the priesthood by His Excellency Bishop Raymond Wai Lin Htun, Auxiliary Bishop of Yangon Archdiocese, on August 15, 2026, at St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church in Thanlyin.

The priestly ordination began at 9:00 a.m. on the feast day commemorating the birth of the Order of Servants of Mary, commonly known as the Servites. Priests, religious men and women, family members, parishioners, and friends gathered for the Eucharistic celebration and ordination ceremony.

A Journey of Faith

At the beginning of the ceremony, the biography of the candidate was presented. Rev. Deacon Stephen Aung Zay Zey Ya Moe was born on October 1, 1995, in Daydaye Town, Yangon Archdiocese. He is the second of three siblings and comes from St. Sebastian Parish in Daydaye.

He joined the Order of Servants of Mary in 2012 and underwent his postulancy and pre-novitiate formation at the Seven Holy Founders Friary in Kya In Village from 2012 to 2017. He completed his novitiate in Tamil Nadu, India, from 2017 to 2018, and made his first temporary profession on May 31, 2018.

From 2018 to 2020, he studied philosophy in Bangalore, India. He then spent two years in practical pastoral formation, known among the Servites as Regency. From 2022 to 2025, he studied Theology and Mariology at the Pontifical Theological Faculty established by the Order of Servants of Mary in Rome, Italy. On May 3, 2025, he made his perpetual vows in the Servites International Community in Rome.

On January 20, 2026, he was ordained a deacon by Auxiliary Bishop Francis Than Htun at St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church in Thanlyin. He subsequently carried out his diaconal ministry for five months at Infant Jesus of Prague Church in Hlaing Tharyar, Yangon Archdiocese, together with the Salesian priests.

The Bishop’s Homily

In his homily, Bishop Raymond Wai Lin Htun described the ordination as a joyful occasion for the entire Church, especially for the Servite congregation and the newly ordained priest’s family.

“What does it mean to be ordained a priest?” the bishop asked. He emphasized that priesthood is fundamentally a vocation of service. A priest is called to teach, proclaim God’s word, sanctify the people through the sacraments, and shepherd the faithful by guiding and governing them according to the Gospel.

Bishop Raymond stressed that a priest does not belong only to himself, to one community, or to one congregation. Rather, he belongs to the universal Church. Therefore, a priest is called to be a sign of unity and hope and must never become a cause of division.

Reflecting on the biblical image of the Church as one body with many parts, the bishop reminded the faithful that although there are many religious congregations, dioceses, and parishes, Christ remains the one center. “Congregations are not to compete with each other. We are to work together in the name of Christ,” he said.

The bishop also reminded the newly ordained priest that ordination is for mission, not personal convenience. Like the disciples who were sent out two by two, a priest is sent to serve God’s people, console those who are suffering, give hope to the discouraged, and promote unity and peace.

Bishop Raymond further encouraged Fr. Stephen to live what he preaches, faithfully teach the Church’s doctrine, and remain obedient to the bishop and his religious superiors. As a Servite, he is also called to remain faithful to the vows of chastity, poverty, and obedience and to live according to the constitutions of the congregation.

The bishop also appealed to the faithful to support their priests through prayer, encouragement, and understanding, even when they experience human weaknesses. He encouraged everyone to pray for more priestly vocations.

Expressions of Gratitude

In a word of thanks, Fr. Maria Soosai, OSM, Community Supervisor of the Servites, expressed gratitude to God for the new priestly vocation. He thanked the Father General and Regional Superior of the Servites, Bishop Raymond Wai Lin Htun, Msgr. Andrea Ferrante, the papal representative, parish priest Fr. Anthony Terrance, priests and religious sisters, and all those who contributed to the preparation of the celebration through cleaning, decoration, cooking, and choir ministry.

The newly ordained priest also expressed his gratitude to all who participated in the ordination. First of all, he proclaimed Ps 118:24, “It is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad.” He particularly remembered the Servite priests and others who had played important roles in his vocation journey, including priests who had already passed away. He thanked his retreat preacher, Fr. Deva Sahayam, SVD, his parents, his religious superiors, Fr. Dominic Thet Tin, Yangon Zone priests, and all the priests and religious who supported him.

Cultural Traditions and First Mass

At the conclusion of the ceremony, Bishop Raymond Wai Lin Htun, Msgr. Andrea Ferrante, and the parents of the newly ordained priest were specially honored according to Tamil cultural tradition.

Fr. Stephen’s first Thanksgiving Mass is scheduled to be celebrated on August 19 in Daydaye, his native town. He has invited the faithful to join him in giving thanks to God for the gift of his priestly vocation.

The ordination celebration concluded with the traditional Servite practice of honoring the Blessed Virgin Mary, entrusting the newly ordained priest and his ministry to the maternal care and intercession of Mary.

By RVA Sgaw Karen Service