Sisters of St. Francis Xavier in Myanmar
Sister Ann Rose Nu Tawng’s Courageous Stand for Peace
By Father Girish Santiago, SJ, LiCAS.news
On July 17, 2025, Pope Francis made a heartfelt appeal for peace in Myanmar during his general audience, stating: “I too kneel down on the streets of Myanmar and say: Stop the violence. I too reach out my arms and say: May dialogue prevail!” This powerful statement was inspired by the courageous actions of Sister Ann Rose Nu Tawng, who knelt before police and soldiers in Myitkyina on February 28 and March 8, 2021, pleading for peace and dialogue during Myanmar’s anti-coup protests.
Sister Ann Rose Lasang Nu Tawng, a member of the Jinghpaw clan of the Kachin ethnic community, was born on November 7, 1975, in Mai Wi village to devout Catholic parents, Luke Brang Tawng and Rosa Hkawn Jan. The fifth of thirteen children, Ann grew up in the parish of Muse, Lashio Diocese, in Shan State, upper Myanmar. Her parents, both retired government middle school teachers, instilled a deep faith in their family. Her father later trained as a catechist, while her mother nurtured their large family.
From an early age, Ann felt called to religious life. Encouraged by her parish priest, Father Fidelis Zau Nan, she joined the Sisters of St. Francis Xavier (SFX) despite two of her aunts being part of the Reparation Sisters. After completing grade 7, she enrolled in the SFX pre-aspirant program and finished high school in Pathein. She then trained as a nurse at the Muslim Ku Thu Pyit Hospital in Yangon from 1999 to 2001. Ann continued her formation, pronouncing her first vows in 2005 after completing the Aspirant and Novitiate program in Mayan Chawng, Pathein Diocese.
As a young nun, Sister Ann served in various communities, including Ye Nan Tawng, Kabe, and Pyapon, while pursuing distance education in psychology. Her nursing skills proved invaluable during the 2008–2010 Cyclone Nargis crisis, where she provided emergency care and comfort to those affected at a small clinic in Pathein. She also tended to senior priests and sisters, earning a reputation as a compassionate caregiver.
In 2011, Sister Ann was assigned to the St. Francis Xavier Orphanage Centre in Palana, Myitkyina Diocese, to support internally displaced persons (IDPs) affected by the conflict between the Burmese military and the Kachin Independent Army. She cared for orphans and semi-orphans, visited IDP families, and served as a midwife, assisting with deliveries and later teaching catechism to children in the camps.
Since 2017, Sister Ann has served at the Myitkyina-Aungnan SFX community, working at the diocese-run Mali Gindai Clinic near the city’s cathedral. Amid the COVID-19 pandemic and the 2021 military coup, she faced significant challenges. On March 8, 2021, she fearlessly knelt before security forces, pleading with them not to harm civilians. Three police officers knelt in response, promising not to kill and asking her to leave for her safety. This moment, witnessed by her provincial superior, Sister Mary John Paul, SFX, and emeritus Bishop Francis Daw Tang, captured global attention.
On March 1, 2021, Bishop Francis Daw Tang honored Sister Ann for her bravery. Her actions not only inspired Pope Francis but also highlighted the Sisters of St. Francis Xavier’s commitment to peace and justice in Myanmar. Sister Ann’s courage continues to resonate, serving as a beacon of hope in a nation facing ongoing turmoil.
Sisters of St. Francis Xavier