Cardinal Charles Maung Bo of Myanmar urged the new prelate of Pyay Diocese, Bishop Peter Tin Wai, to become a “shepherd of hope” amid the country’s ongoing conflict and displacement crisis.
The cardinal, speaking at the bishop’s consecration and installation on Feb. 22, 2025, said the appointment comes during “challenging times when it appears that darkness has prevailed.”
Addressing the congregation at the consecration Mass, Cardinal Bo said the new bishop is called to “set a fire of hope in the land of trial.”
The cardinal highlighted the bishop’s connection with the struggles of the people in Rakhine State, where he was born and raised.
“Just like Jesus, who was an internally displaced person and refugee, your new bishop truly understands what you’re going through. He lived a simple life among the people of Rakhine state and Pyay. He knows your tears, your joys, the pain of displacement, and the pain of poverty. He’s one of you,” Cardinal Bo said.
Bishop Tin Wai’s mission, according to the cardinal, is rooted in the prophecy of Isaiah: “The Spirit of the Lord God is on me, because the Lord has chosen me…” (Isaiah 61:1).
Cardinal Bo outlined five core responsibilities for the new shepherd:
- “To bring good news to the poor, thousands of whom are impoverished.”
- “To heal the brokenhearted, including those affected by war and displacement.”
- “To proclaim liberty to the captives, those trapped in hopelessness.”
- “To spread the Gospel in places of brokenness and despair.”
- “To bring peace and healing where there is conflict within our hearts and within our diocese and the nation.”
The homily also stressed how Bishop Tin Wai’s leadership must mirror the sacrificial love of Christ. “The bishop is the lamb of peace, willing to sacrifice to bring healing in this country,” Cardinal Bo said, noting that the new bishop’s experience as an internally displaced person equips him to empathize with the suffering faithful.
Reflecting on the ongoing conflict in Myanmar, the cardinal described the current situation: “The air, once filled with the joyous laughter of children and the comforting hum of daily life, now carries the deafening echoes of gunfire, the anguished cries of the wounded, and the heart-wrenching wails of mothers mourning their lost ones.”
In this context, Bishop Tin Wai’s consecration symbolizes resilience and renewal.
“Today, when the world is engulfed in fear, you are anointed as the shepherd of hope in this jubilee year of hope,” Cardinal Bo said. “Where there is pain, you will bring healing. Where there is division, you will build bridges of peace. Where the young flee from the flames of war, you will remind them that their future is not lost.”
As Bishop Tin Wai takes up his new mission, Cardinal Bo assured him of the prayers and support of the faithful. “The Good Shepherd is with you. And where He walks, hope rises like the dawn, unstoppable and eternal,” the cardinal said.
