The Catholic faithful at Suphacalasai National stadium gate 1. Photo by Philip Santiago
Kristine Gempesala and her son traveled early morning from Nakhon Ratchasima City in the Northeast to Bangkok, the capital of Thailand. It is a three to four hours bus ride. Mother and son were a part of the 60,000 Catholics including Filipinos, Vietnamese, Chinese, Thai and other nationalities who flocked to Bangkok to “meet” Pope Francis and to receive His Holiness blessings.
Kristine Gempasala and son
As early as October, invitations were sent for the Papal Mass on November 21 at Supachalasai Stadium and Thep Hatsadin Stadium (National Stadium). Although each stadium has a 50,000 seating capacity, the passes were limited.
Despite the earthquake that shook Bangkok and the neighboring Thai-Laos border towns including Nakhon Ratchasima, Chiang Mai and Nan provinces, it did not dampen the spirit of the faithful gathering at the Stadium as early as 5 a.m. Instead of taking it as ominous, many considered it as “shaking” faith to the core, therefore, a chance to make amends and merits for blessing and salvation.
Gempesala is a Filipino teacher in Nakhon Ratchasima who has been working in Thailand for 19 years.
“To witness the presence of the head of the Catholic Church for the first time in person is a very rare opportunity. Pope Francis’ visit is very important to all the Catholics (in Thailand). It gives inspiration and strengthens our faith,” Gempesala said.
The Migrant community
In his homily, Pope Francis focused on the family members who are exploited, abused and stripped of their human dignity.
Pope Francis called for the protection of migrants and refugees, especially women and children who are more vulnerable to exploitation and abuses.
“I think of migrants, deprived of their homes and families, and so many others, who like them can feel orphaned, abandoned,” the Pontiff added.
Gempesala likened the Pope’s visit to the Catholics as a “father visiting his child.” She also believes that it will strengthen the relationship between the Catholic Church and the faithful.
“It is my first time to meet a Pope. When we saw the Pope, there was an inexplicable feeling that overwhelmed me,” she said.
Philip Santiago
Philip Santiago, a Bangkok-based teacher said that he was fortunate to have attended the Mass celebrated by the Head of the Church.
“I had goosebumps all over my body, especially when everybody was waving the Pope’s flags and chanting “Viva il Papa.” Although I was sitting far from where he paraded… I can really feel his presence and it was really an overwhelming experience as a believer of Catholic faith,” Santiago said.
Like Gempesala, Santiago also believes that the Pope’s visit also shows that Thailand’s openness and acceptance of diversity in religions despite being a dominant Buddhist country.
“I believe this event is significant not only for Catholics here in Thailand but as a whole nation as well because it proves on how welcoming Thailand is when it comes to other religions, considering it’s a Buddhist country but you can really feel that human respect despite different faiths and beliefs,” Santiago said.
The Catholic Faith in Thailand
With the theme “Disciples of Christ, Missionary Disciples” the Pontiff’s visit highlighted the dedication of the missionaries in spreading the Gospel, not as mercenaries nor proselytizers but “sharing God’s table to family members whom we do not know yet.” This year also marks the 350th anniversary of the establishment of the Apostolic Vicariate of Siam established by Bishop Louis Laneau, a French and a member of the Paris Foreign Mission Society (Missions Étrangères de Paris -MEP). Although the first Portuguese missionaries arrived in Thailand in 1567, it was only in 1669 that the Apostolic Vicariate of Siam was established.
With only a minority, the Catholics in Thailand is composed of .58% or 388,468 out of 69 million. There are 11 dioceses with 526 parishes and 662 priests as of 2019.
Despite the refusal of King Narai the Great of Ayuthaya to be converted into Catholicism, he and his successors remain welcoming to the Catholic missionaries and to those who chose to become Christians.
Thousand Vietnamese Catholics travel to Bangkok to join the Papal Mass. Photo by Eunice Novio
In recent time His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej The Great (King Rama IX) welcomed Pope John Paul 2 on May 10, 1984, the future King (His Majesty King Vajiralungkorn or King Rama X) was also present. King Rama IX also visited Vatican City in 1960 and met Pope John XXIII.
Pope Francis also met His Majesty King Vajiralungkorn on Wednesday, November 20.
The Catholic Church and the Refugees
Divided only by land borders, Thailand has been a refuge to the peoples from neighboring countries like Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam. The Catholic Church has been an important part of the refugee and migrant communities. The Cambodians and the Vietnamese who fled their countries contributed their labor in the building and rebuilding of the Church in the Kingdom.
The Immaculate Conception which is the first Catholic Church in Bangkok initially built by the Portuguese missionaries was completed in 1785 by the refugees.
The largest concentration of the Catholics with Thai-Vietnamese origin are found in the northeast (Isaan) region which are border provinces along the Mekong River. In particular, the Archdiocese of Thare-Nongsaeng, covering the province of Sakon Nakhon in the Isaan region, is home to more than 3 million people, with just around 54,000 Catholics, or 1.7 percent of the population.
Maria Ji Lijuan and her husband flew to Thailand from Beijing to see Papa Francis. Chinese Christians are facing persecution in some parts of the communist China. Photo Eunice Novio
Presently, there are around 17,000 Vietnamese in Thailand. Unlike the Filipinos who are mostly in the professional sector, the Vietnamese are in the constructions, and various blue collar jobs. Mostly Catholics, they welcomed the Pope’s visit to further strengthen the century-old ties between Thailand and the Vietnamese Catholics.
Inter-religious dialogue
Prior to the Papal visit in Thailand, the Pope had met a delegation of Thai Buddhists in 2018.
Pope Francis told them: “It is my heartfelt wish that Buddhists and Catholics will grow increasingly closer, advance in knowledge of one another and in esteem for their respective spiritual traditions, and offer the world a witness to the values of justice, peace, and the defense of human dignity.”
On November 21, Pope Francis met supreme Buddhist patriarch Somdej Phra Maha Muneewong at Ratchabophit Temple in Bangkok.
In his speech, Pope Francis said:
“Catholics have enjoyed freedom in religious practice, despite their being in a minority, and for many years have lived in harmony with their Buddhist brothers and sisters.”