Pope Francis has appointed Msgr Saw Yaw Han as Bishop of the Diocese of Kengtung.
From 2014, Saw Yaw Han was serving as titular bishop of Buffada and Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Yangon.
The official announcement of his appointment was made public on Friday, 4 November 2022 at noon, Rome time (5:30 pm Myanmar Time).
On 30 December 2014, Pope Francis appointed him as titular bishop of Buffada and Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Yangon. He received episcopal ordination on 12 April 2015.
He is currently the Secretary-General and Treasurer of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Myanmar.
He is also the President of the Episcopal Commission for Ecumenism.
Bishop John Saw Yaw Han was born on 5th May 1968 in Homalim, Sagaing Division, now in the Diocese of Hakha. He is the only child of Saw Joseph and Daw Mary. He was baptized on 25th May 1968 in the Assumption of Mary Parish in Twante.
After his primary and secondary education in local schools, he attended St. Joseph’s Minor/Intermediate Seminary in Bago (1983-1988) and continued his studies in Philosophy and Theology at St. Joseph’s Major Seminary in Pyin Oo Lwin, Mandalay (1989-1991 and Yangon (1991-1995) respectively. He also obtained a bachelor’s Degree in Geography from the Bago College, Yangon (1997). He furthered his superior studies at St. Joseph’s Seminary in Yonkers, New York, USA obtaining a Master’s Degree in Moral Theology (2002-2004).
He was ordained a priest on 18th March 1995 for the Archdiocese of Yangon. After his Priestly Ordination, he was assigned as:
1995-1996 Assistant Parish Priest at St. Andrew’s Church Nyaungdone;
1997-1998 Missionary Fidei Donum in the Diocese of Kengtung;
1998-2000 Professor at the Institute of Philosophy, National Major Seminary in Pyin Oo Lwin, Mandalay;
2000-2001 Assistant Parish Priest at St. Lazarus Church, Insein and St. Mary’s Cathedral Yangon.
2004-2007 Professor at the Institute of Theology, National Major Seminary in Yangon;
2008-2010 Rector of St. Joseph’s Minor/Intermediate Seminary in Bago.
2011-2014 Rector of St. Joseph’s Major Seminary in Yangon.
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