Meet Sr. Theresa Hkawn Htoi Kareng, SNDS

Sr. Theresa Hkawn Htoi Kareng, SNDS

Pope Benedict XVI meeting with Archbishop Paul Z. Zinghtung Grawng

Where were you born and raised?

I was born in Myitkyine, Kachin State, North Central Myanmar, I was born and raised as a Catholic, along with my three brothers and one sister. I am the eldest. My youngest brother passed away while he volunteered with youth in a mission on the mountain. He got sick with malaria and died at the age of 18, while I was a novice in the Philippines. 

 

My father is a very religious man and goes to Mass every morning and always prays for me to be faithful to my call. My mother is very supportive of me being a La Salette religious sister. I am fortunate that my parents and grandmother (aged 95) are very accepting of my vocation and are always praying for me.

 

When I decided to join a congregation in Myitkyine. I learned about the La Salette Sisters from my cousin, Margaret, who at that time was also thinking of joining the same community in the Philippines. She received information about them from our bishop, Archbishop Paul Z. Zinghtung Grawng and passed that onto her. I also expressed to our bishop that I’d like to join the La Salette Sisters in the Philippines as well. 

 

Cathedral Church for Diocese of Myitkyine, Myanmar

Another woman, Mary Yun Ja, my cousin and I joined the two of us. We travelled together to the Philippines in 1995. Since then, we went through the formation program together and made our first profession together on May 13, 1999 at the novitiate in Cubao, Quezon City, Philippines. And then we went for “community integration” to various La Salette communities around the area. 

 

Sr. Marie Victoire, SSND, past Superior General of La Salette Sisters

My first assignment was in Santiago City for six months at the Women’s Foundation Center, a facility for abused women and girls. I enjoyed my experience there, accompanying the girls and teaching catechism. After a few weeks of vacation back in Myanmar, I went back to St. Paul’s University in the Philippines for a bachelor’s degree in Religious Education. While studying, we also had community ministry teaching catechism and feeding the children in the neighborhood.

 

With my other two friends, we did various ministries. Before returning to Myanmar, we met with our previous Superior General, Sr. Marie-Victoire. She asked us if we would like to go for mission service in other countries or return to our homeland and establish ourselves there. We chose to go home. I was very happy to go back and serve in our homeland. In the beginning we all had many challenges in this new adventure but we did well and the results were overwhelming positive. 

 

After we returned to Myanmar and professed our perpetual vows, immediately I was assigned as a Postulant Directress and then became the Novice Directress and local Superior and soon became the Regional Superior.

 

Sr. Sonia Silverio, SSND, and Sr. Mary Hka Raw, SSND

Can you tell us about the La Salette Sisters’ ministry in your homeland?

We are all involved in formation work and for the diocese we teach catechism and hold seminars on bible sharing as a team. We also train facilitators for bible sharing groups. In addition we work with blind families to get them housing and healthcare and meet their other needs. In our five years of ministry, the La Salette Sisters have taught several thousand people.

 

At present there are ten La Salette Sisters in Myanmar, involved in Caritas ministry, Religious Education, Formation with children, youth and catechists, family ministry, ministry to women in parishes. We also do formation work with the diocesan seminarians and our own community. 

 

When we returned from the Philippines in 2005, we had only two sisters working in our homeland: Sr. Sonia Silverio and Sr. Mary Hka Raw. We soon welcomed some young women who joined us and now have 7 juniors, 7 novices, 3 postulants and 2 aspirants. I am very grateful for all these women applying to our community and thank God for the blessings we have received as a congregation. We still have more women interested in joining us and that’s a very hopeful sign for our future.

 

St. Timothy Catholic School in Chantilly, VA.

What does the La Salette message mean to you?

The first time I heard the words “Come near, my children, do not be afraid,” I was encouraged by Mary’s words and made the decision to join the La Salette Sisters, despite the fact that I knew no English and had never previously left my homeland. 

 

School children of St. Timothy Catholic School

Our charism of reconciliation has been very meaningful for me because it is central to our life and remains a great challenge to live in our daily life. In my experience as a formator accompanying the novices and my own sisters, I must be humble and relate well with others. I thank God for his grace to live this charism within our community life. 

 

We are very united in our spirit and action (ministry) and want to share that same spirit with those we serve. Despite the fact that we have three separate houses, we gather regularly for prayer, adoration, sharing, common meals and regular monthly meetings for processing various topics of daily living and ministry. 

 

Recently I have moved to our house in Virginia and am now working in St. Timothy Catholic School in Chantilly, VA, as a coordinator of RCIA, as a volunteer Catechist preparing First Communicants, pre-school assistant teacher and I am also mission treasurer for our Community in the United States. I’m enjoying my work with the children. I live a very fulfilling life.