austraLasia #3009
St Theresa of the Child Jesus - New Parish Church Opened, THA
HUA HIN: Sunday, 6 February 2012 -- Saturday 5 February was a significant day for many associated with the Salesian presence in Thailand, the solemn opening of a spectacular new Parish Church at Hua Hin. The Salesians have been at Hua Hin for over 70 years, and from the very beginning they have offered the small community of Catholics in what was then a small seaside village their Parish Church, dedicated to Saint Theresa of the Child Jesus. Some 48 years ago a larger Church was built, due to the growing size of the community, and to the fact that Hua Hin, now the seat of the summer palace of the Royal Family, was becoming a popular tourist resort. That Church has since been further expanded, but even the larger Church is now too small. The Salesians offer three Thai Masses and an English Mass (for tourists and the large expatriate community that lives in and about Hua Hin) every week.
Four years ago, under the leadership of Fr Dheperat, the then Provincial, and Fr Yarat, the then Rector of the Salesian work in Hua Hin, an ambitious new project began. In collaboration with the Bishop of Surat Thani, the Salesian, Joseph Prathan, space was allocated for a large Church and surrounding gardens. The first stage in this development came to a conclusion on Saturday, 5 February. Set within beautifully landscaped gardens, a beautiful Church that can hold up to 500 people has been almost completed. Bishop Prathan opened and blessed it, along with the special blessings for the baptismal font, the lectionary for the Word of God (a special love for Bishop Prathan) and the altar. About 60 Priests from the Thai Dioceses, from the Salesians and other Religious Orders in Thailand, along with about 3,000 faithful, were present. Those who were not able to enter the Church followed from the grounds on special screens. The distribution of communion was never-ending, and Priests heard confessions for most of the morning. After the Eucharist, more people joined the celebration, and a meal was served, Thai style, for about 5,000 people.
The Church itself is extremely beautiful, a sign of the commitment of the Salesians to the people of Hua Hin, and the generosity of many Thai Catholic families. The works were directed by Fr Yarat, and brought to conclusion under Fr Prasert, the new Provincial. For anyone who knows the Australian icon, the Sydney Opera House, the similarities are immediately obvious. They were deliberately copied by the Thai architect, and Buddhist who has worked closely with the Salesians, and who has spent a long time studying Church architecture in preparation for this building. Soaring into the sky, and looking down upon the Gulf of Thailand, is a roof made up of three sail-like features. The inside of the Church is uncluttered, spacious, and open to the gardens that surround the Church. Fifteen steps lead up to all the entries into the Church: the Way of the Cross + the Resurrection. For this Church, the three sails are a symbol of the Trinity.
In his homily, Bishop Prathan (who spoke in both Thai and English, in recognition of the many tourists who come from all over the world to Hua Hin) based his words on the text from the Prophet Ezekiel about the waters flowing from the Temple. They bring life and healing into the parched waste of Judah and the Dead Sea, down to the Arabah. He prayed that this might be the future of this Church, which opens East, and looks down upon the waters of the Gulf of Thailand.
Salesians of the East Asia Pacific Region, who regularly welcome guests at Hua Hin, were represented by Fr Frank Moloney, the immediate past-Provincial of Australia and the Pacific.
St Theresa of the Child Jesus - New Parish Church Opened, THA
Four years ago, under the leadership of Fr Dheperat, the then Provincial, and Fr Yarat, the then Rector of the Salesian work in Hua Hin, an ambitious new project began. In collaboration with the Bishop of Surat Thani, the Salesian, Joseph Prathan, space was allocated for a large Church and surrounding gardens. The first stage in this development came to a conclusion on Saturday, 5 February. Set within beautifully landscaped gardens, a beautiful Church that can hold up to 500 people has been almost completed. Bishop Prathan opened and blessed it, along with the special blessings for the baptismal font, the lectionary for the Word of God (a special love for Bishop Prathan) and the altar. About 60 Priests from the Thai Dioceses, from the Salesians and other Religious Orders in Thailand, along with about 3,000 faithful, were present. Those who were not able to enter the Church followed from the grounds on special screens. The distribution of communion was never-ending, and Priests heard confessions for most of the morning. After the Eucharist, more people joined the celebration, and a meal was served, Thai style, for about 5,000 people.
The Church itself is extremely beautiful, a sign of the commitment of the Salesians to the people of Hua Hin, and the generosity of many Thai Catholic families. The works were directed by Fr Yarat, and brought to conclusion under Fr Prasert, the new Provincial. For anyone who knows the Australian icon, the Sydney Opera House, the similarities are immediately obvious. They were deliberately copied by the Thai architect, and Buddhist who has worked closely with the Salesians, and who has spent a long time studying Church architecture in preparation for this building. Soaring into the sky, and looking down upon the Gulf of Thailand, is a roof made up of three sail-like features. The inside of the Church is uncluttered, spacious, and open to the gardens that surround the Church. Fifteen steps lead up to all the entries into the Church: the Way of the Cross + the Resurrection. For this Church, the three sails are a symbol of the Trinity.
In his homily, Bishop Prathan (who spoke in both Thai and English, in recognition of the many tourists who come from all over the world to Hua Hin) based his words on the text from the Prophet Ezekiel about the waters flowing from the Temple. They bring life and healing into the parched waste of Judah and the Dead Sea, down to the Arabah. He prayed that this might be the future of this Church, which opens East, and looks down upon the waters of the Gulf of Thailand.
Salesians of the East Asia Pacific Region, who regularly welcome guests at Hua Hin, were represented by Fr Frank Moloney, the immediate past-Provincial of Australia and the Pacific.
