A LETTER FROM LAOS
G reetings from Vientiane – Laos
I am a past pupil of the missionary
aspirantate Cardinal G. Cagliero
where I studied for four years, and then, I ap-
plied to be a Missionary and, in 1958, I was sent
to Thailand, where I worked in different fields,
especially in school and in houses of formation.
In 1989 I was involved in a special work for refu-
gees from Cambodia and Laos. Then in 1991, we started the first
technical school in the capital of Cambodia, Phnom Phen, for the poor local
youth.
In 1994 we were invited to start a technical school for poor local youth in
Laos. We tried our best but we faced many difficulties.
Finally, in 2004, we tried a second project in the capital of Laos, Vientiane.
Since the beginning, we knew that it would be very difficult, because Laos is a
communist country. So we started of May 24, to ask the protection of our
Lady. We were helped by first five Laotian past pupils and a teacher, who is
also a Salesian cooperator.
With the help of our Lady and Don Bosco, we have overcome many difficulties
and now Don Bosco Center continues to help poor youth who come from
many provinces of Laos. We give them a good salesian education and teach
them a trade to help them to gain their living honestly as well as help their
family and their local society.
Fr. Tito Pedro
Italian missionary, In-Charge of the Salesian work in Laos
Asia Welcomes and Sends Missionaries!
«Today, in most of our Asian lands the need continues for
missionaries who come in service from other local churches.
We welcome them from other countries into ours, asking
only that they make themselves truly part of the local Church
and truly one with the people. More and more, we trust, our
own local churches can send some of our best sons and
daughters to serve our sister churches, in Asia and other con-
tinents as well».
Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences
Catholics in Laos are about
42,000 , in a population of
5.4 million inhabitants, the
vast majority of whom are
Buddhists. The Church enjoy
relative freedom for some years now. Currently,
there are four existing Apostolic Vicariates in the
country.
In 1994 the Ambassador of Laos to Thailand, at-
tended the opening of the Salesian Technical School
in Phnom Penh (Cambodia). After a few weeks he
asked the Apostolic Nuncio’s help in order to estab-
lish a similar technical school in Laos. The Nuncio
forwarded this request to the Salesians of Thailand.
Visits and contacts with representatives of the Lao-
tian government immediately began but no decision
was taken by the government. In the meantime in
1994 a sister in Laos requested scholarships for five
young Laotian Catholics who wanted to attend the
technical course in the Salesian school in Thailand.
They obtained their technical diploma in March
2004. The following May 24, Fr. Pedron, the teacher
Mr. Sanya and the five Laotian, now, past pupils
arrived in Vientiane the capital of Laos. It was de-
cided to start our work as a legally recognised or-
ganisation whose members were our five Laotian
past pupils with financial support and supervision of
the Salesians. The organisation was named Mitra
Samphan (friendly relations) which is our motto as
well as our method in our relations with others. The
number of apprentices began to grow. There had
been also several visits by government officials who
wanted to know and see what we were doing as well
as the scope of Mitra Samphan. After many difficul-
ties, including a brief closure, in 2007 the govern-
ment finally gave the certificate of recognition of our
Technical Centre.
In May 2007 A delegation of representatives of vari-
ous Laotian ministries visited the Don Bosco Techni-
cal Schools in Phnom Penh and in Bangkok
(Thailand), to see the educational method as well as
the administrative and management system of
the Salesian schools. In 2008 ,with help
from the authorities of the Association
of Young Communists, the government
gave the required permission to purchase
a piece of land for the new campus since
Mitra Samphan was no longer sufficient. In
2009 Don Bosco Center Laos was inaugurated
in this new site.
Salesian Missionary Intention
Salesians in South and East Asia
That the Salesians in South and East Asian countries may live each day their
witness of faith and loyalty 'to the Church with courage and perseverance
especially in the educational and social works.
In the Asian continent, where the Church is 'a small minority, the works of formal
education (schools, vocational training centres) and social works (street children,
orphanages, youth at risk, works for people with HIV) offer the best opportunity
to stay in touch with thousands of young non-Christians. The prayer intentions is
directed mainly towards India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, China, Myanmar,
Vietnam - so that 'the Salesians may take this opportunity to share their faith
through the witness and dialogue of life.
Send your suggestions and contributions to cagliero11@gmail.com
