Small congregation ordains second native priest

The Congregation of the Mission, or Vincentians, has ordained its second local priest after 20 years of work in Thailand.

Francisco Veerasak Supaperm, 53, was ordained on May 30 at St. Francis Xavier Church in Bangkok. He will be based in Khon Kaen in the northeast.

Father Francisco Veerasak Supaperm at his priestly ordination

The new priest said he was inspired by the congregation´s work with poor villagers. He was a former teacher in a Catholic school in Bangkok and later worked as a tourist guide in Australia for 11 years.

He entered the seminary in 2000.

Bishop Francis Xavier Vira Arpondratana of Chiang Mai ordained Father Veerasak while Bishop John Bosco Panya Kritcharoen of Ratchaburi, retired Bishop Joseph Sangwan Surasarang of Chiang Mai and Father Bienvenido Disu, representative of the Vincentians´ Philippine province, concelebrated the Mass together with 45 other priests.

The Vincentians started their evangelization work, as well as ministry to the poor, the elderly and marginalized children in Thailand 20 years ago in Udon Thani diocese, in the northeast.

Presently the congregation, with three foreign missioners, two Thai priests and several seminarians, runs two churches in Khon Kaen province. They also serve the youths there.

The congregation mainly supports the work of Udon Thani diocese, said Father Uthai Thavorn, the first Thai Vincentian priest, who was ordained in 2001. Besides running two churches, the Vincentians regularly visit villagers of all religions and organize dialogue with Buddhists. Buddhism is the country´s main religion.

Father Uthai revealed that many people have been baptized in the past 10 years in Udon Thani diocese. “Last year alone, 17 persons received Baptism in my church,” the priest says.

Bishop Francis Xavier Vira Arpondratana of Chiang Mai ordains Father Veerasak

The priest said that mostly elderly people are left in the villages of the diocese as younger people leave for Bangkok to look for jobs. As a result, much of the work of the Vincentians has been setting up projects for the elderly, and helping them earn a living. Projects include weaving, and the making of mattresses, brooms and dishwashing detergents.

“The money they earn is useful but the main benefit is that the elderly do not feel lonely and are able to gain some self-esteem,” he said.

Father Uthai is also coordinator of Enfants du Mekhong (Children of the Mekong), an NGO that runs children´s projects in Southeast Asia. He provides scholarships to 40 children from poor or broken families through the NGO, he said.

“I believe many people became Christians because they are inspired by priests and Religious who work with poor people,” he added.