Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Kalay Myo (Fides Service) - On May 5 in Kalay Myo, diocese of Hakha (north of Yangon, close to the border with India) crowds of people, Catholics, other Christians, and members of other religions welcomed Archbishop Salvatore Pennacchio papal nuncio to Thailand and apostolic delegate in Myanmar who had come for the ordination of the new auxiliary Bishop of Hakha Felix Lian Khen Thang.
People gave the “papal envoy” a warm welcome with applause and waving of flags. The Bishop of Hakha, Bishop Nicholas Mang Thang, welcomed the Nuncio and briefly traced the history of evangelisation in that part of Burma, thanks to missionaries of the Paris Foreign Missions and the first Bishop Paul Bigandet, the creation of the diocese of Hakha in 1992, by Pope John Paul II. Today the diocese has 82,000 Catholics, 58 priests, 74 seminarians 121 minor seminarians, 482 catechists. Very active the local congregation of the Little Sisters of Santa Teresa (today 120 nuns and 29 novices), founded by Mgr. Nicholas Mang Thang.
The Ordination Mass was celebrated on May 6. A memorable and first time event for the diocese. The Liturgy was presided by Archbishop Salvatore Pennacchio and concelebrated by Archbishop Pual Zinghtung of Mandalay who is president of the Myanmar Bishops’ Conference and Bishop Nicholas Mang Thang. Present also other Bishops from different parts of the country, over 100 priests, 250 religious, 110 catechists and 25,000 local Catholics. The event was also ecumenical with the presence of representatives of other Christian confessions who came for the local Church’s first ordination of a Bishop.
Mass was celebrated with devotion and attention and in his homily Archbishop Pennacchio passed on to all present an apostolic blessing from Pope Benedict XVI praising the dedication and apostolic zeal of Bishop Felix as a parish priest. Commenting the motto chosen by Bishop Felix, the nuncio said - “Here I am Lord I have come to do your will” (Heb 10,7) - the apostolic delegate urged the new Bishop to place himself with confidence in God’s hands and added that nothing can take the place of silent prayer in front of the altar encouraging those present to spend some time every day in Adoration of the Eucharist.
At the end of the Mass there was a reception for the local Catholic community with singing and dancing that continued far into the night. (Agenzia Fides 9/5/2006 righe 32 parole 325)
