The Salesian School as a Field of Evangelization
By THA SC
Banpong - Huahin - Hatyai , Thailand, 24 December 2019 -- According to the 2019 statistics of the Catholic Church in Thailand, there are 390,000 Catholics in a population of 65 million people. Percentage wise this is only 0.59% of the total population. 95% of the Thais are Buddhists. Most of the students of the Salesian institutes are Buddhists [in a school with 3,500 students, there might be 100 catholics]. The 7 Salesian schools in Thailand have, therefore, a wide area for evangelization.
Organizing the Christmas fair in the Salesian school is an occasion to relate the story of Jesus to the students, the teachers, the parents and the general public living around the school area. This is done by means of the 'triduum' to prepare the heart of the students, the drama about the birth of Jesus, the making of the crib, the stage presentations, the various games and the decorations of the school premises. In the Salesian Schools like Sarasit Phithayalai School - Banpong, Ratchaburi, Huahin Vitthayalai School, Saeng Thong School - Hatyai, there is the Christmas parade to bring joy to the dwellers around our school. Thousands of outsiders participate in the Christmas fair which is arranged every year, making this activity like a feast of the local people, even though they are not Christians. This is considered as sharing of the good news of Jesus to the with other Thai people.
