St. Francis Xavier’s nuns in Myanmar elect new superior general

The Congregation of St. Francis Xavier’s Sisters (SFX) in the diocese of Pathein in the Ayeyarwady Region of Myanmar elected a new superior general on March 31.

“The Congregation of the Sisters of St. Francis Xavier holds new chapter and general election for a new superior general,” Sister Patricia May Oo Khaing told RVA News.

The new superior general is Sister Ann Teresa who is currently a member of the councilors. 

“Sister Teresa is a humble, cordial, gentle, and mother-like nun,” said Sister May Oo Khaing. 

The newly elected superior general has been serving the Church and the Congregation for 26 years. 

She was elected as the first councilor for two terms before, according to Sister May Oo Khaing.

The election took place at the Novitiate of the Xaverian Sisters in Mayanchaung village in the township of Pathein.

The superior general will serve her community for four years from March 22 to March 2026 as one term.  

The new leader’s team members who are known as general councilors are Sister Rose Philip, Sister Lucian, Sister Martha Ah Paing, Sister Patricia May Oo Khaing, Sister Theresa Ja Seng, and Sister Julie Khin Htay Yi. 

According to Sister Patricia, any nun above 35 years of service can be a candidate for superior general of the Congregation. 

The-57-year-old new superior general was born in Yangon, the former capital of Myanmar. 

The Sisters of St. Francis Xavier’s Congregation are serving the Church in Myanmar, America, Italy, the Philippines, and Thailand. 

They work in the apostolic ministries in 13 Archdioceses and dioceses in Myanmar.

The Congregation was founded by Bishop Alexander Cardot, a French missionary, MEP in 1897 in Myanmar, a country formerly known as Burma.

There are seven novices, six postulants, and six pre-postulants in number in the Congregation. The population of the Congregation is 454 including 31 nuns working abroad and 423 in the country. 

The Congregation is the first local religious community in the Diocese of Pathein where Karen people are found as the Catholic majority who are living in a Buddhist environment.

The Mother’s House (headquarters) of the Congregation is located in the City of Pathein in the Ayeyarwaddy Region, which is known as the delta area.

Burmans, Karen, Chin, Rakhaing, and Mon live in the Ayeyarwady Region. The Burmans are the first majority, followed by the Karens.

Sister Ann Teresa is the first Burman nun who becomes a new superior general of the Congregation of the Sisters of St. Francis Xavier.