Karen Community welcomes new chaplain

The Cathedral is blessed to have a significant number of Karen Christians in our 11am congregation. They bring a richness and diversity to the worship and fellowship that we share, despite some difficulties with the language and culture of Australian Anglicanism.

Since the beginning of December, with assistance from a Trust grant, the Cathedral has been able to employ a Community Worker for the Karen community.  The Revd Baw Mu Htoo has come to us from Melbourne Diocese, a new priest and known to many in the Karen community here already. He, along with his wife Bee and their five children, have relocated to Bendigo and are making themselves part of the wider community.

Baw Mu Htoo brings many gifts to this role: his Karen culture, deep faith and gentle nature, enabling him to come alongside people and share their journey. He is currently engaged three days per week, focussing on building relationships, encouraging individuals, assisting with navigating the secular agencies and providing a link between the Karen congregational members and the Cathedral leadership. He assists with the children’s Saturday programme and with new English-speaking classes. Baw Mu Htoo is also gathering a group for Confirmation later this year.

I am looking forward to the day when the Cathedral can employ Baw Mu Htoo full time, for ordained ministry alongside his community worker role. To do this, we need the support of others to partner in funding him. If you would like to join with us in this, please contact the Dean or Cathedral office for details.

Dean Elizabeth Dyke
St Paul’s Cathedral, Bendigo