RSSBANGKOK (UCAN) — Women Religious throughout the country have intensified prayers for peace as “red shirt” protesters descend on Bangkok for a huge rally March 12-14.
Women Religious are organizing daily prayers in their community houses, workplaces and schools, as well as talks on justice and peace for students in the schools they run, said Sister Cyril Plianbamrung, secretary of the Conference of Major Religious Superiors of Women of Thailand.
Supporters of fugitive former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, known as “red shirts,” plan to rally hundreds of thousands of protesters in Bangkok March 12-14 in a bid to topple the government.
Thailand’s Supreme Court on Feb. 26 ruled that Thaksin’s family be stripped of 46 billion baht (US$1.4 billion) that it said was gained illegally while he was prime minister.
A total of 76 billion baht have been frozen after Thaksin left the country to avoid a two-year prison sentence for abuse of authority after trying to help his wife buy property while still in office.
Sister Cyril said, “Our conference is aware of the political situation, which could very easily lead to violence, thus we have intensified prayers for peace.”
She explained that three years ago the women Religious started weekly prayers for peace in Thailand’s three southernmost provinces, wracked by a militant insurgency.
A year ago they also started to pray for national peace and unity as tensions between the red shirts and their opponents, known as “yellow shirts,” intensified. A month ago they started daily prayers.
“Each congregation holds its own prayers — in community houses, workplaces and schools that they run. But when we come together for a meeting, we have a special prayer for peace in the country,” Sister Cyril said.
Immaculate Heart of Mary Superior Supa Thongamphai said prayers for peace are held every day for students in all the schools that her congregation runs in southern Thailand. Following the prayers, held at morning assembly, priests or nuns speak to the students about the values of love and peace.
Similarly, Sacred Heart Superior Kanlaya Trisopha said her Sacred Heart Convent School in Bangkok holds prayer sessions for teachers and students in the morning, during which nuns also educate the students on spreading peace in society.
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