austraLasia #2102

Evangelisation: Thai province shows how to do it in practice

ROME: Easter Sunday 23rd March 2008 -- Yes, we said that GC26 coverage would resume on 24th - and it will! But over lunch on Easter Sunday the Thai Provincial revealed how diabolical digital machinations had prevented him from writing down a 'Good News' story several days ago that might well have made a Chapter intervention when discussion was about evangelisation (meaning: his email wasn't working). Basically, it's a story that puts things into perspective.  A General Chapter may argue, agonise, and eventually hope to evangelise - meanwhile people out there are doing it. Read on....
    Just two weeks ago, Fr Andrew Ekasit of the Thai province graduated with his Licentiate in Catechetics from the UPS (read B.A. for many parts of the Anglo-Saxon world, though where this writer comes from the only institute that grants a Licentiate is the Australian Musical Examinations Board...which makes it rather special!).
    His Provincial, Fr John Bosco Thepharat Pitisant, informs austraLasia that the now graduated Fr Andrew will be the director of the Catechetical Centre in Chiangmai Diocese, where most Catholics are tribals belonging to one of twenty or more local mountain tribes.  Many of them are either of Chinese or Burmese descent, but the Thai Government gives them Thai citizenship so they may receive both education and health care.
    In recent times (2006) the Salesians have set up a House in Chiangmai catering to around 60 tribal youth. offering them technical education and formation in the Faith.  The Diocese has offered the direction of the Chiangmai Catechetical Centre to the Salesians, and Fr Ekasit will be its Director.  The Centre will offer two year courses to people so they can go back to their tribes with the apposite skills, and a Salesian approach it now seems.
    The area, being mountainous, is difficult terrain to traverse. Parts of it border Burma (Myanmar).  Many Catholics in this area would not see a priest more often than once every year or two.  The formation of catechists is of prime importance..  We may argue the toss about evangelisation 'ad gentes', but meanwhile there is a real task in our region which is being enthusiastically and competently met, and Thailand offers just one example of this. Thank you Fr Thepharat, and Fr Ekasit!
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 AustraLasia is an email service for the Salesian Family of Asia Pacific.  It also functions as an agency for ANS based in Rome.  For queries please contact admin@bosconet.aust.com . Use Bosconet-wiki to be interactive. RSS feeds - just go to Bosconet, click on austraLasia 2008 in the sidebar. You will see the RSS orange icon in your browser address bar - add it from there.  Avail yourself of the Salesian Digital Library at at http://sdl.sdb.org

Title: australasia 2102
Subject and key words: EAO Provinces THA Thailand evangelisation Chiangmai
Date (year): 2008
ID: 2000-2099|2102