Diocese & Our Bishop

Catholic Church
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The Beginning

Creation of Banmaw Diocese

Banmaw Diocese was formerly part of Myitkyina Diocese.
On August 28, 2006, His Holiness, Pope Benedict XVI, seeing the need and for the good of local faithful, created a new Diocese of Banmaw suffragan to the Archdiocese of Mandalay.
On November 17, 2006, the Diocese was blessed and on the following day, Msgr. Raymond Sumlut Gam was ordained as the first Bishop of the Diocese of Banmaw and enthroned by His Grace, Archbishop Salvatore Pennacchio, the Apostolate Delegate to Myanmar.

Our Inspiration

“That They may have Life and have It Abundantly.”
(Jn. 10:10)

Our Vision

The Church that is a united and participatory people of God, working together with faith, hope and love to build God’s kingdom of peace and justice.

Our Mission

The Diocese of Banmaw seeks to empower as many people as possible in becoming fully developing followers of Christ.

Diocese Map

Our Bishop

 

His Excellency
Raymond Sumlut Gam

Bmo-Bishop

Brief Biography

Born on June 23, 1953, in Sadung, Panghkak Parish, Bishop Raymond Sumlut Gam completed his early education in Sadung, Sinlum, Loije, Banmaw, and Myitkyina. He pursued priesthood studies at St. Joseph’s Catholic Major Seminary in Yangon and was ordained on March 29, 1981.

Elected as Bishop on August 28, 2006, he was ordained for the Diocese of Banmaw on November 18, 2006, dedicating his life for the faithful, the Diocese and Church.

COAT OF ARMS & Its Descriptions

In accordance with the Roman Catholic Church’s heraldic tradition, the Coat of Arms of a Bishop is normally composed by:

♱ a Shield with its charges (symbols) coming from family, geographic, religious and historical meanings and/or referring to the name of the Bishop;
♱ a Golden Processional Cross, with one traversal bar, to represent the rank of the Bishop, “impaled” (vertically) behind the shield;
♱ a Green Hat (galero) with 12 (six on each side) attached tassels, graded 1, 2 and 3, from the top; and
♱ a Scroll with the motto, written in black, located beneath the shield.
Here a samnitic shape shield has been chosen, which frequently is used in Roman Catholic Church heraldry, and a botonny processional cross with five red stones to represent the Five Wounds of Our Savior, Jesus Christ.
CoArm-BspRaymond