Six priests of the Diocese of Pathein celebrated a shared milestone on Saturday, marking 25 years of ordination in a Silver Jubilee Mass that emphasized perseverance, grace, and the ongoing pursuit of peace.

The celebration on January 3 at Hinthada Parish brought together 19 concelebrating priests, religious, and a large crowd of faithful to honor the six men ordained together by then-Bishop Charles Bo, now His Eminence Cardinal Charles Bo, on April 1, 2001.

In his homily, Fr. Firmin Soe Htun Kyaw set a tone of humility, stating that the jubilee was not a celebration of personal achievement but of divine gift. “These priests know very well that they were chosen by God not because of their worthiness, but because of His mercy,” he said. He acknowledged that the priestly journey is marked by struggle and that reaching this milestone signified faithfulness through trials.

The six jubilarians are: Fr. Patrick Zaw Lin Thant, Fr. Bonaventure Tay Tay, Fr. Gilbert Sune Sune, Fr. Albert Aung Naing, Fr. John Bosco Saw Lar Htoo, and Fr. Albert Nyan Soe Nyein.

Personal testimonies revealed the foundations of their ministry. Fr. John Bosco Saw Lar Htoo, whose motto is “The Lord is my refuge,” spoke candidly about the challenges of his vocation, attributing his endurance solely to God’s grace. Fr. Albert Aung Naing, guided by the motto “Don’t be afraid,” credited his devotion to the Blessed Sacrament and his mother’s prayers for sustaining him. “If we surrender to God, everything is possible,” he said.

Fr. Firmin also wove in a call for peace, describing it as an essential virtue for the Church and the world, echoing prayers emphasized during the recently concluded Jubilee Year 2025.

Speaking on behalf of the group, Fr. Patrick Zaw Lin Thant offered heartfelt thanks. He expressed gratitude for their formation, the support of the faithful, and the parents who offered their sons to the Church. He also gave special thanks to Hs Eminence Cardinal Charles Bo, their ordaining bishop.

The jubilee Mass, presided over by Msgr. Pious Win Than, served as both a thanksgiving for a quarter-century of service and a public reaffirmation of the priestly mission—one defined not by ease, but by grace-sustained fidelity in the midst of hardship.

By RVA Pwo Karen Service