The Catholic Archdiocese of Yangon has officially established a new territorial parish, Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Sauk Wain Gyi Village, bringing the total number of parishes in the archdiocese to 53.

The decree erecting the parish was issued by Cardinal Charles Maung Bo, Archbishop of Yangon, on January 30, 2026, and took effect on February 14. Rev. Fr. Leo Kyaw Win has been appointed as the first parish priest of the new jurisdiction.

Sacred Heart Parish will serve Catholic communities across several villages, including Taw Lati, Zwe Mu, Yae Twin Gone, Saga Su, and Bawla Kau. The territory lies between Taik Kyi and Danubyu, and has been assigned to the Maubin Deanery.

The creation of the parish was marked by a solemn Thanksgiving Mass attended by approximately 800 faithful. The celebration held added significance as it coincided with the birthday of Bishop Noel Saw Naw Aye and the fifth anniversary of his episcopal ordination.

In his homily, Bishop Raymond Wai Lin Htun reflected on the meaning of love, noting that Bishop Noel was both born and ordained on Valentine’s Day. “Love is everywhere,” he said. “Parents love their children, children love their parents… We can say that love is the source of everything. God is love.”

Drawing from the Gospel account of Jesus feeding the multitude, Bishop Raymond emphasized that true compassion moves beyond emotion to action. He noted that the miracle occurred in a region of Gentiles and in a “deserted place,” showing that God’s love transcends boundaries and reaches into life’s most difficult moments.

The bishop explained that the new parish was born from practical necessity—transportation difficulties and the urgent need for sacramental access for the faithful in outlying areas. He introduced Fr. Leo as the first pastor, acknowledging the challenges ahead but expressing confidence that with faith, he would be able to “feed the multitude” even with limited resources.

His Eminence Cardinal Charles Bo of Yangon Archdiocese offered a brief message before the conclusion of Mass, drawing a parallel between Sauk Wain Gyi and Nazareth. Though Nazareth was once considered insignificant, it produced the Savior of the world. The Cardinal noted that this small village has already produced two priestly brothers, one of whom has become a bishop, and expressed hope that the new parish would become a center for holistic development.

Fr. Leo Kyaw Win delivered words of gratitude to the bishops, clergy, religious, faithful, and benefactors who contributed to the parish’s establishment.

The creation of Sacred Heart Parish continues the archdiocese’s mission to strengthen pastoral outreach and bring the Church closer to the faithful in developing and rural areas—a sign of growth and renewed commitment to evangelization in Myanmar.

By RVA Sgaw Karen Service