In a ceremony blending modern inspiration with personal humility, the Catholic community in Myitkyina installed a statue of the millennial saint Carlo Acutis on Monday, as Bishop John Mung Ngawn La Sam of Myitkyina Diocese marked the first anniversary of his episcopal ordination.

The statue, blessed by Bishop John and His Eminence Cardinal Charles Bo in the presence of around 35 priests, religious sisters, and a large number of lay faithful, at St. Columban Cathedral on January 12, depicts the recently canonized Italian teenager in jeans, with a phone and backpack.

Bishop John emphasized that the saint’s ordinary appearance carries a powerful message: “Holiness is not distant or reserved for a few, but possible for everyone.”

The installation preceded a Mass celebrating both the bishop’s first episcopal anniversary and the tenth anniversary of his priestly ordination.

In a reflective homily, Bishop John spoke candidly about his own perceived weaknesses and reliance on divine grace.

“There has never been a single moment in my life when the Lord was absent,” he told the congregation of clergy, religious, and lay faithful. He described finding strength in moments of fear or hardship through prayer to Mary and saints like Carlo Acutis, whom he called a favorite intercessor.

He shared a parable told by another bishop about creation, where a lamb, given no physical weapons, is told by God that its defenses are “meekness, mercy, and love.” Bishop John said this story reflected his own ministry, having “nothing to rely on except love and mercy.”

Quoting St. Carlo, he reminded attendees that “sadness comes when we look at ourselves, but joy comes when we look at God.” He urged the community to make a meaningful New Year’s resolution: “to turn their faces toward God and seek His Will above all else.”

Expressing gratitude for the support of priests and faithful, the bishop concluded by stating the only reward he would ask for on his anniversary: that his people would seek God’s face and live according to His Will.

The day served as a dual testament—to a modern model of sainthood accessible to youth and to a bishop’s leadership rooted in publicly acknowledged dependence on grace.

By RVA Lisu Service