The funeral of Sr. Alberta Khai Za Dim, SJA, a member of the Sisters of St. Joseph of the Apparition, brought together 26 priests, numerous religious sisters, and more than 1,000 faithful at St. Mary’s Cathedral in Kalaymyo on August 16.

Sr. Alberta, who was born in Suangpi Village, Tedim Township, died on August 14 at the age of 82. She had made her religious profession on April 22, 1972, and served the Church for more than five decades.

Funeral Rites Begin at Convent

The funeral rites began at 1 p.m. at St. Joseph’s Convent. Students from St. Joseph’s Boarding School offered a farewell song, followed by memorial remarks from U. Nicholas Langh Suan Kam, one of Sr. Alberta’s relatives. Rev. Fr. James Lian Sian Kham led the funeral psalm.

After the prayers and tributes, the sisters carried Sr. Alberta’s body in procession from the convent to St. Mary’s Cathedral. Priests, religious sisters, and hundreds of faithful accompanied the procession.

At the cathedral entrance, the parish priest welcomed the deceased according to the Catholic funeral rite. A prayer was offered, followed by the sprinkling of holy water and the use of incense before the body was carried into the church for the Funeral Mass.

Msgr. John Deng Cin Khup, parish priest of St. Mary’s Cathedral, presided over the Mass, while Rev. Fr. Joseph Thang Nen Zo Mung delivered the homily.

A Life of Service and Care

In his homily, Fr. Joseph recalled Sr. Alberta’s significant place in the history of religious life in Chin State. He particularly highlighted her service in Saizang Village, where she served during two periods totaling 16 years.

According to records of the congregation, Sr. Alberta was the first religious sister from Suangpi Village and the fifth sister from Chin State to join the Sisters of St. Joseph of the Apparition.

Fr. Joseph described her as a faithful and generous religious sister who served people through medical care, prayer, and spiritual assistance. He said she was approachable and readily available, particularly to those in need of medical and spiritual support.

Throughout her religious life, Sr. Alberta also cared for many boarding students. More than 10 of those students later became priests or religious sisters.

Before her death, Sr. Alberta received the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick, together with the Church’s final spiritual blessings and indulgence. During her illness, she was visited frequently by Bishop Felix Lian Khen Thang, priests, catechists, former boarding students, and other faithful.

Many of her former students, some of whom had become priests, religious sisters, government officers, and professionals, continued to visit and pray for her during her final days. Members of the Catholic community also contributed financial assistance toward her medical treatment and funeral expenses.

Fr. Joseph said the large number of people who attended the funeral, together with the support offered during her illness and after her death, reflected the affection and respect Sr. Alberta had received throughout her life.

A Funeral Marked by the Hope of Christian Vocation

The funeral coincided with the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, giving the celebration a particular spiritual significance.

In his homily, Fr. Joseph reflected on Mary’s “yes” to God’s call and connected it with Sr. Alberta’s own response to her vocation to consecrated life. The Assumption, he said, points Christians toward the hope of the resurrection and eternal life.

He also described the funeral as a witness to vocation. The presence of so many priests, religious sisters, and faithful, he said, could encourage young people to consider a vocation to the priesthood and consecrated life.

Fr. Joseph emphasized that the funeral also demonstrated the Church’s mission of accompanying her members throughout their lives and entrusting them to God at the end of their earthly journey.

He praised the Sisters of St. Joseph of the Apparition for their care of their elderly and sick members, noting that Sr. Alberta had received spiritual, emotional, and physical care during her final days.

Tributes from the Congregation and Former Students

At the conclusion of the Funeral Mass, Sr. Rose Mary Myint Myint Htwe, community superior, expressed gratitude to Bishop Felix Lian Khen Thang, Bishop of Kalay, and Rev. Fr. Raphael Suang Cin Khup, procurator of the Diocese, for their pastoral care and support.

She particularly thanked them for visiting Sr. Alberta during her hospitalization and at the convent and for the financial assistance provided by the Diocese.

Sr. Rose Mary also expressed gratitude to Msgr. John Deng Cin Khup for providing Sr. Alberta with spiritual care, to the priests who participated in the Funeral Mass, and to the faithful who offered prayers and financial assistance to the sisters during their time of mourning.

Sr. Assumpta Niang Tawng, a former student of Sr. Alberta, presented her biography and recalled her various assignments and her service as a nurse. Wherever she was assigned, she devoted herself to caring for the sick and serving the people entrusted to her care.

Sr. Marie Theresa Phe Ling Ya, provincial of the Sisters of St. Joseph of the Apparition in Myanmar, also paid tribute to Sr. Alberta. She recalled her as a peaceful member of the community who rarely complained, remained friendly and joyful, and faithfully observed the congregation’s constitutions throughout her religious life.

Sr. Maria expressed gratitude for Sr. Alberta’s witness of consecrated life, saying that the fruits of her vocation could be seen in the priests, religious sisters, and faithful who had been touched by her ministry. Her life, she said, testified to the Christian belief that life comes from God and ultimately returns to God.

Final Farewell

After the final prayers and blessing, Msgr. John Deng Cin Khup spoke of Sr. Alberta’s joyful character and missionary spirit. He recalled that she was always smiling and full of zeal for mission. He also noted that she did not speak negatively about priests and encouraged other sisters not to blame or speak negatively about them.

Sr. Alberta’s body was then taken in procession to the cemetery for burial. A large number of priests, religious sisters, and faithful accompanied the procession, with many vehicles travelling to the cemetery.

At the cemetery, the final funeral rites were conducted by Rev. Fr. Bosco Dim Khawl Thang, SJ, a Jesuit priest and former student of Sr. Alberta.

For Catholics in the Diocese of Kalay, the funeral was remembered as one of the largest and most significant funeral celebrations in the diocese in recent years, particularly because of the number of priests, religious sisters, and faithful who participated.

Beyond mourning the death of a beloved religious sister, the celebration became a public witness to Christian faith, consecrated life, and the Church’s commitment to accompanying its members from life to death.

For those who gathered, Sr. Alberta’s funeral was not only a farewell but also a testimony to vocation, fidelity, service, and Christian hope in the resurrection.

By RVA Tedim Chin Service