Fr. Roger Kyaw Thu

You helped him return home

“Home” is a word that can have many meanings. It can be a place, a state of mind, a feeling of comfort and a sense of security. For Fr. Roger Kyaw Thu, SVD, Myanmar is home. Given the tumultuous civil unrest in the country formerly known as Burma, it may be hard to understand why someone would choose to return there, but that’s exactly what Fr. Roger intends to do. 

After spending the past 10 years in formation with the Chicago Province of the Society of the Divine Word, Fr. Roger was ordained in May. Now he’s set to embark on his first assignment in Myanmar.

At the bishop’s request, he and another young man named Boromeo Soe, agreed to relocate to the United States for three years to improve their English proficiency and study Philosophy before returning to complete their formation. 

The pair arrived at Divine Word College in Epworth in 2014, unsure of what to expect. After two years, Fr. Roger felt a calling to shift to formation with the Divine Word Missionaries. In time, his Burmese classmate did the same. 

“The first impression I had here was that we’re all treated as family,” he recalls. “In Burma, we’re very hierarchical. The priests are separated from seminarians and they don’t really interact unless it’s necessary. But when we came here, everyone was treated as an equal.” The missionary aspect of the SVD was also attractive. Fr. Roger said he was drawn to the way the SVDs learn from each other’s cultural differences and work to enrich one another with their diversity.

Finding Freedom
When Fr. Roger arrived in the United States, he expected to improve his English skills and learn some philosophy. What he did not anticipate was the lesson he’d learn about freedom during his time there.  

Living in America taught him the importance of critical thinking and empowered him to express his opinions confidently, both in academic settings and in his personal life. As a child, he learned to stay quiet and accept others' opinions without protest to avoid criticism. This led him to suppress his talents and potential out of fear and shame for many years. Everything changed for him when he joined DWC, as he began to embrace his true self.

“It’s a freedom I’ve never experienced in my whole life – freedom to think, freedom to speak up,” he said. “Living in fear is something that I dealt with my whole life until I came here and I still have that trauma. I feel a liberation in a way. I’ve been afforded the freedom to be myself.” 

Fr. Roger emphasizes that his ability to explore new freedoms in the United States was enabled by the generosity of individuals who support the Divine Word Missionaries. Without this financial assistance, he would not have had the opportunity to attend Divine Word College or continue his formation in Chicago.

“It’s not just about me, it’s about all these people who have allowed me to be here,” he said. “Because of their decision to give and the choices they made, I’m here. I am really grateful for their sacrifice and their contributions to this college.”

About five years ago, Divine Word Missionaries from Vietnam and India started working in a region of Myanmar with less conflict. One of them provides social services, builds homes for poor families and constructs churches for small villages. The other teaches in the seminary and offers counseling services. 

Fr. Roger is aware of the risks, but despite the unrest in Myanmar, he remains steadfast in his decision. 

“I have a desire to go back,” he said. “I have been away from home since I came here almost 10 years ago. Honestly, I really wanted to be with the people in my home diocese because that's one of the most devastated areas by the war. About two thirds of the population there has fled. If I had the choice, I would prefer working there at least for a few years, but I know the SVDs have a plan for me in Yangon. Everyone there is struggling economically right now because of the political turmoil.”

Fr. Roger anticipates needing to adapt to the culture upon his return, despite it being his own. “People here like it when you are authentic and speak your mind,” he said. “That could be challenging when I return.”