A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH IN THAILAND
By Father Surachai Chumsriphan
(Ref: 2006 The Catholic Directory of Thailand, pp. 9-19
The first
Catholic missionaries who came to Siam were probably the chaplain of the Portuguese ships in the 16th century which were sent to Ayutthaya bringing the officers of Portugal to enter into relations with Siam, but there are no documents to confirm this hypothesis.
There is a written history prepared by foreigners stating that in 1544, Antonio de Paiva, a Portuguese had travelled to Ayutthaya in the time of Phra Jairaya and had been bestowed an audience and conversation about religion with the King. The King was converted and baptized, being given the Portuguese name Dom Joao. No one and no evidence can confirm this claim. The first missionary who mentioned Siam in writing about his missionary task was St. Francis Xavier himself. He mentioned Siam in his four letters written from Sancian, although his real purpose was to go to China. However, St. Francis Xavier did not go either to China or to Siam because he died on December 3, 1552.
We do not know of any resident missionary in Siam before the year 1567. Having examined the documents, the first two missionaries who came to Siam were Friar Jeronimo da Cruz and Sebastiao da Canto, both Dominicans. They arrived in Ayutthaya in 1567. They were given a residence fitting to them in one of the best locations of the city. Friar Jeronimo da Cruz together with the two new missionaries were killed by the Burmese in 1569. The next to arrive were the Franciscans from 1582 to 1767. Their missionary work in Siam was still unknown to us.
The first Jesuit who came to Siam was Father Balthasar Segueira. He arrived in Ayutthaya or Odia during the Holy Week of the year 1607 which means between the 16th -26th of March 1607. The Jesuits had their own residence, school, college and church. Their missionary works were recorded by the missionaries. All the missionaries mentioned above were sent to Siam under the Padroado system. The setting up of the Sacred Congregation De Propaganda Fide on January 6,1622 was certainly an event of major importance in the history of the Church and especially in
the history of the mission. Propaganda Fide sent three Apostolic Vicars: Msgr. Francois Pallu, Msgr. Pierre Lambert de la Motte and Msgr. Ignatius Cotolendi to carry on the missionary works in China and Indochina. However, they could not avoid the conflicts resulting from the Portuguese patronage in these regions.
On August 22,1662, Msgr. Lambert de la Motte, Msgr. Jean De Bourges and Msgr. Dedier arrived in Ayutthaya. They were the first missionaries of the newly established Missions Etrangeres de Paris (M.E.P.). On January 27, 1664 the other Apostolic Vicar, Francois Pallu, M. Lanaeu, M. Haingues, M. Brindeau and a lay assistant M. De Chameson Foissy arrived in Siam. Msgr. Lambert and Msgr. Pallu had the same opinion that Siam with its policy of religious tolerance was the most convenient base for their persecuted Missions of Cochinchina, Tonkin and China. So, they asked Rome for jurisdiction over Siam. It was very difficult for the missionaries of Padroado to accept the rights to superiority of these Apostolic Vicars, so conflict and controversy between the Padroado and Apostolic Vicars were inevitable.
After
long consideration of the request, Rome approved in 1669 by the Papal Bull Speculatores. On September 13, 1674, M. Laneau was nominated the Apostolic Vicar of Siam and was consecrated by Msgr. Lambert and Msgr. Pallu.
When the French missionaries arrived in Ayutthaya in 1662, they were welcomed by ten Portuguese priests and one Spanish priest whom they found serving a Christian community estimated at 2,000 people. With the arrival of Msgr. Pallu, two Bishops,
five priests and one lay assistant organized an assembly, the so-called the Synod of 1664 in Ayutthaya. The sessions can be summarized as follows:
1. They planned to institute an apostolic congregation composed of three orders and this congregation would be named the Congregation of Amateurs de la Croix de Jesus Christ.
2. They decided to publish the instructions to the Apostolic Vicars given by Propaganda Fide. They also issued “Instructions to the Missionaries”
3. They agreed to the erection of a seminary.Undoubtedly, the growth of the Mission of Siam was evident during the long and prosperous period of King Narai the Great (1657-1688) who opened the country to foreigners and gave liberty to the missionaries to preach the Gospel. King Narai desired to base his reliance on France and to withdraw from the influence of the Dutch powers. At the same time the French influence in this part of the world strengthened the role of the missionaries and the progress of evangelization.
By 1665, Lambert had made the program of the Synod come true when he founded the “College General” in Ayutthaya.
In 1669, the first hospital was founded by Lambert and was supervised by M. Laneau. Besides Ayutthaya, the missionaries preached the Gospel in other places such as Phitsanulok, Lopburi, Samkhok and Bangkok. In the year 1674, there were about 600 Siamese Catholics. It was in this year that the church of the Immaculate Conception in Samsen district of Bangkok was built. The Christians of other nationalities such as Portuguese, Annamite and Japanese were more numerous. In fact, the missionaries had been working from this period until the fall of Ayutthaya in 1767, but the fruit of their evangelization was indeed very small.
King Narai’s attitude towards Christianity made Constantine Phalkon, Fr. Guy Tachard, a Jesuit priest and even King Louis XIV misunderstand that there was hope of converting both the King and the whole country to Christianity. This led the missionary activities to disaster when the famous revolution of 1688 occurred. With an anti-French attitude, Phra Phetraja, the new king persecuted all the Christians. The situations of the Mission became better in 1691 when the King gave the seminary back to Msgr. Laneau. Another persecution occurred during the reign of King Taisra (1709-1733). The missionaries were forbidden to leave the capital. They were forbidden to use the Thai and Pali language in their teaching of religion. Moreover, the end of 1743 and the beginning of 1744 saw further continuing persecution, Christianity was affected by the invasion of Burma and the fall of Ayutthaya in1767.
With
the advent of the present dynasty in 1782, the situation of the Mission improved gradually. The situation of the Catholic Mission at the end of the eighteen century was not so favorable, since an expulsion of the missionaries took place by the order of King Taksin (1768-1782). King Rama I (1782-1809) sent for the missionaries because he wished to begin negotiations for an alliance with foreign countries and to promote trade with these countries as had been done before. In 1785, there were 413 Siamese Catholics of Portuguese origin at the Santa Cruz church in Thonburi, 379 Cambodian Catholics at the Immaculate Conception church in Samsen district as well as 580 Annamite Catholics. A. Launay described the general situation of the Mission of Siam in the beginning of the nineteenth century stating that in 1802 the total number of the Christians of the Vicariate was estimated to be about 2,500 and in 1811 about 3,000.
It may be noted that during the time of Msgr. Garnault (1786-1811), the restoration of the Mission begun. In 1827, the decree of Pope Leo XII gave the ecclesiastical jurisdiction over Singapore to the Apostolic Vicar of Siam. Propaganda Fide confirmed this jurisdiction over Singapore to the Apostolic Vicar of Siam on May 12, 1834. In 1835, about 1,500 Annamite Christians, fleeing from persecution, settled in Samsen and asked asylum from bangkok. This was the origin of the St. Francis Xavier church in Samsen.
Because of the increasing number of the Catholics and missionaries, Msgr. Courvezy (1834-1841) asked Rome to nominate a Co-adjutor Bishop and in 1838 M.Pallegoix was nominated and consecrated Bishop on July 3, 1838. By the Brief Universi Dominici of September 10,1841, Rome separated the ecclesiastical region of Malaysia from the Mission of Siam, establishing the Mission of Oriental Siam comprising the Kingdom of Siam and Laos and the Mission of Occidental Siam which consisted of the Malayan Peninsula, the island of Sumatra and Southern Burma. Msgr. Pallegoix was the Apostolic Vicar of Oriental Siam and Msgr. Courvezy, Apostolic Vicar of Occidental Siam.
A very famous and outstanding person during the XIX century in the Mission of Siam was Msgr. Pallegoix (1841-1862) whose fame spread far beyond the borders of Siam. He had a brilliant mind and deep knowledge of science, mathematics and languages. He acquired a very deep knowledge of Siamese and Pali languages. He was the author of the well-known Thai-Latin-French- English dictionary, the first such fundamental work for the Thai language. While he was at the Immaculate Conception church, he learned Pali from Prince Mongkut who had entered the monkhood at Wat Rajathivas near his church. Prince Mongkut in turn took Latin lessons from him.
The annual report of 1867 of Msgr. Dupond (1865-1872) gave us the general view of the situation of the Mission as follows: the number of Christians was 8,000; baptism of the 667 Siamese, baptism of 257 children. Since Msgr. Dupond was full of zeal and could speak Siamese as well as two Chinese dialects, he gave great exposure to the Mission among the Chinese and the Siamese. He built eight new churches for these new Christian communities and the older places were also quickly developed. When he died on December 15,1872, he left the Mission of Siam composed of 10,000 Christians, twenty European missionaries and eight native priests.
During the period of Msgr. Jean Louis Vey (1875-1909), a period of expansion began seriously. The masterpiece of his works was the evangelization carried out in Laos where he had initiated the spreading of the Good News by sending P. Prodhomme and P. Xavier Guego to begin the new Mission on January 2,1881. Finally, Pope Leo XIII erected the Apostolic Vicar of Laos on May 4, 1899 and P. Cuaz was nominated Apostolic Vicar of Laos on May 24, 1899. Under the direction of Msgr. Vey, who had governed the Mission for 34 years, the Mission of Siam progressed greatly in various ways. In 1909, the last year of Msgr. Vey’s episcopacy, the Mission of Siam included 23,600 Christians, 57 churches and chapels with 79 Christian communities, 59 seminaries, 44 missionaries, 21 native priests,17 religious men, 123 religious women, 21 catechists, 3 colleges with 861 pupils, 62 schools with 2,692 pupils and one hospital.
The Mission had envisioned the needs of modern times and cooperation in the country-reformation initiated by King Rama IV and King Rama V. A printing press has been set up quite early in 1885. P. Colombet founded the first modern Catholic school in Bangkok, the Assumption College. It was placed under the care of the Brothers of St. Gabriel when they arrived in 1901 following Msgr. Vey’s invitation. The Sisters of St. Paul de Chartres came to Siam even before the Brothers of St. Gabriel in 1898, to take care of and direct St. Louis Hospital which Msgr. Vey had just founded and also to take responsibility for formation of the native religious women which had been revived at Samsen, the so called Amantes de la Croix Community.
From
time to time, Msgr. Vey always mentioned the project of evangelization in the Northwest of Siam, close to Burma, since the central West possessed already several stations. However, the circumstances, the necessary resources, the required personnel for these enterprises had never been at his disposal to undertake the evangelization. During the time of Msgr. Perros (1909-1947), his successor, the spread of the Catholic Mission prospered more than previous. The Missionaries were sent to fulfill his projects in the North, the Northwest of Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai and Lampang. They advanced also to Nakhon Ratchasima. As a result, it can now be said that the Catholic religion has spread to all parts of Siam.
During the XX century, the Mission of Siam followed the slow but uninterrupted progress of the other Missions. The Southwest part of the country became an independent Mission in 1930. This was the Apostolic Vicarate of Ratchaburi under the care of the Salesian priests. It became an apostolic Prefecture in May 28,1934 (AAB, Perros, Annual Report,1940). Then it was erected an Apostolic Vicariate on April 3,1941 (AAB, Document of Dioceses, Ratchaburi Diocese). Ratchaburi was finally erected a Diocese on December 18,1965. The Chantaburi
Apostolic Vicarate was established on October 18,1944 (AAB, Documents of Dioceses, Chantaburi Diocese) and was also erected a Diocese on December 18, 1965. The Apostolic Prefecture of Chiang Mai was erected in 1960 and was also erected as a Diocese on December 18, 1965. A.D. 1932 during the reign of King Rama VII, there was a big change in politics from absolute Monarchy to Democracy. The King is under the Constitution. A.D. 1939, the Government changed the name of the country from Siam to THAILAND.
During the XX century, many other religious congregations, both men and women, came to work in Siam. Now known as “THAILAND”, the land of free people. They include among others: Ursulines of the Roman Union, Carmelite, Salesians, Sisters of Mary Help of the Christians, Capuchin Sisters, Redemptorists, Camillian Fathers, Fathers of Betharram, De La Salle Brothers, Stigmatines, Jesuits, Sisters of the Holy Infant of Jesus, S.A.M. Fathers and Oblates of Mary Immaculate, without counting the various Thai congregations of Sisters in each diocese.
Since the Catholic Church in Thailand had increased through the zealous labor of the Bishops and missionaries, indications had shown greater growth in the future, the Sacred Congregation of Propaganda Fide judged that the time was ripe to establish the Sacred Hierarchy in Thailand. Strong support was also given by two former Apostolic Delegates to Thailand, namely from the Right Reverend Monsignor John Gordon and the Right Reverend Monsignor Angelo Pedroni. Therefore, on December 18, 1965 two ecclesiastical provinces of Bangkok and Tharae Nongsaeng was created, giving to Thailand its first Archbishop for the country.
The Ecclesiastical Province of Bangkok is made up of: • The Metropolitan Church of Bangkok(Formerly an Apostolic Vicariate) with its Cathedral dedicated to the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Suffragan Dioceses:Ratchaburi- created on December 18, 1965. Previously, it was erected an Apostolic Vicariate on April 3,1941. Its Cathedral is at Bang Nokwaek, consecrated to the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Chantaburi- created on December 18, 1965. Formerly, it was erected an Apostolic Vicariate on October 18, 1944 and was assigned to the native clergy. Its Cathedral is dedicated to the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Chiang Mai-created in December 18,1965. It was erected as Apostolic Prefecture in 1960. Its Cathedral is dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.• The Ecclesiastical Province of Thare- Nongsaeng includes:The Archdiocese of Tharae-Nongsaeng which was created by the Papal Bull “Qui in fastigio” of December 18,1965. It was erected an Apostolic Vicariate on December 21,1950. The Cathedral is consecrated to St. Michael the Archangel.
Suffragan Dioceses:
Ubon Ratchathani- created on December 22, 1965 by the decision of the Holy See. It had been erected an Apostolic Vicariate on May 7,1953. The Cathedral is dedicated to the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Nakhon Ratchasima- created on December 18,1965. Formerly, it was erected an ApostolicVicariate on March 22, 1965. Its Cathedral is dedicated to the Apparition of the Blessed Virgin Mary at Lourdes.
Udon Thani- created on December 18, 1965. Previously, it was erected an Apostolic Prefecture on May 7,1953. The Cathedral is Consecrated to the Blessed Virgin Mary of Perpetual Help.
• Later other dioceses were erected:
Nakhon Sawan – was erected and became a suffragan diocese of Bangkok Metropolitan on February 25, 1967. Its Cathedral is dedicated to Saint Anna.
Surat Thani- was created on June 26, 1969 by the Papal bull “Qui Regno Christi” and was assigned to the Salesian priests. The Diocese also became a suffragan diocese of Bangkok.
Chiangrai- was erected on 25 April 2018, its Cathedral is dedicated to the Nativity of Our Lady.
In 1973
Archbishop Joseph Kiamsun Nittayo of Bangkok resigned from auto exercise for reasons of health and old age. His successor was Archbishop Michael Michai Kitbunchu, who later, on February 2, 1983 was nominated by His Holiness Pope John Paul II to become a Cardinal, the first Cardinal of Thailand.
At that time, there was a great amount of political and social changes especially in the capital city of Bangkok. In consequence, the Church felt an increase in its responsibilities and a need for expansion because of its numerous and varied activities, especially in the fields of welfare and social developments. The Church also took to her responsibility the refugees from Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and Burma. So, the Church in Thailand assisted the government to relieve and help them by organizing COERR (Catholic Office for Emergency Relief and Refugees) in the year 1975. These many efforts were aimed to protect the moral values of life and to face the urgent problems created by the influx of refugees from Indochina.
On the 10th -11th May 1984, His Holiness Pope John Paul II came for a short visit to Thailand; this gave a wonderful opportunity to all the faithful to welcome him, see closely and feel his presence.
A.D. 1989 Pope John Paul II declared the 7 Thai Martyrs as Blessed in Rome. On March 5, 2000. Father Nicolas Bunkerd Kitbamrung’s case was presented for the causes of reason of faith. At that time, French government tried to invade Indochina. A Thai Fundamentalist movement was against French people and also there are Catholics in Thailand.
On July 7, 2018 the installation of the Bishop of Chiangrai was officially held. Most Reverend Joseph Vuthilert Haelom was appointed by Pope Francis as the first bishop of the new diocese. After a request of splitting the Diocese of Chiang Mai into two for the advancement of the evangelization in this area, a long and careful consideration was done by the Dicastery of Evangelization of Peoples and was finally approved. The four provinces parted with the new diocese are: Chiangrai, Phayao, Phrae, Nan and Ngao District (in Lampang province), while Chiang Mai diocese retains the four provinces of Lamphun, Lampang, Mae Hong Son and Chiang Mai.
On November 20-23, 2019 His Holiness Pope Francis made an Apostolic visit to the Kingdom of Thailand. He came as a pilgrim of peace and to promote inter religious dialogue and to encourage and strengthen the faith of the Catholic communities in the Kingdom. The visit also coincided with the 350th anniversary of the founding of the “MISSION DE SIAM” by Pope Clement IX to oversee Catholic missionary work in the country.
In the remote areas of Thailand, there was great poverty, lack of education and of public health facilities; as a consequence, there is an increase in the sowed problems such emigration of the working populations, including a rise in the problem of prostitution. Furthermore, the rapid spread of materialistic progress and modern technology has not given much chance to the population to adapt itself properly to these new changes and hence, the population is often unable to make some reasonable choices. Everyone wants everything as soon as possible.
Conclusion
At present, there are 11 dioceses of Thailand, the various responsibilities of the 11 Bishops are well coordinated through the regular meetings of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Thailand (CBCT). The whole population of Thailand is around 66million inhabitants (Statistic of 2022) and the Catholic Population is around 406,201 that is about 0.6% of the total population. Thailand has been called “The Land of Smiles”, In fact, in spite of the presence of various religions in the country, all people live in peace and harmony. And so, in a true spirit of friendship, the Catholic Church continues to collaborate in the spiritual and social development of the country.
1 Ducumenta Indica 1,p.138; Ducumenta Indica II p. 421;B TAMTAI, Portuguese,
The First Farang contacting with Thai: 470 years of Friendship between
Siam and Portugal (in Thai), in Silapa Watanatham (Art and Culture monthly
magazine),Vol V,9 (July 1984) 88.
2 P. F. ZUBILLAGA, S.J. Cartas Y Escritos de San Francisco Javier, Madrid:
Biblioteca de Autores Cristianos (B.A.C.) 1953, pp.534-546
3 Ct. Monumenta Ordinis Fratrum Praedicatorum Historica, Tomo X Acta
Capitulorum Generalium,Vol. V, Romae, 1901,pp. 149-153 A. Walz, O.P.
Compendium Historiae Ordinis Praedicatorium, Romae, 1948, p.497
4 A. Da Silva, Documentacao para a Historia das Misseoes do Padroado
Portuguese do Oriente, Lisboa 1952, pp.460-461.
5 Cf. J. BURNAY, S.J., Notes Chronologiques sur les Missions Jesuits Du Siam
au XVII Siecle, in Archivum Historicum Societatis Jesu, XXII (1953) 171.
6 A. LAUNAY, Documents Historiques, Paris, 1920, pp.38-42. The mission which
has been cultivated for 300 years without interruption celebrated its third
centenary in 1969. Cf. I 300 Anni della Chiesa Catholica in Thailandia, in
L’Osservatore Romano,5 Luglio 1969.
7 A. LAUNAY, Histoire de la Mission de Siam, Paris, 1920, p.3
8 See also J. GUENNOU, Missions Etrangeres de Paris, Paris, 1986, pp.122-126
9 The college continued to exist until the fall of Ayutthaya in 1767. It was founded
again at Hondat in Cambodia, then at Virampatnam in India until 1808 and then
at Penang in 1809.
10 E.W. HUTCHINSON,1688 Revolution in Siam: The Memoir of Father de
Beze, S.J. Hong Kong, 1968, pp. 29-35
11 A. LAUNAY, Histoire de la Mission de Siam, p. 180.
12 ASCPF, Acta SCPF de Anno 1834, Vol. 197, pp 96-106
13 Cf. Jus. Pon de PF, V. p. 282 cited by A. LAUANAY, Memorial de la Societe des
Missions Etrangeres, Deuxieme Partie 1658-1913, Paris, 1916, p. 159.
14 Archives des Missions Etrangeres de Paris, Siam, Vol. 894,1867, p. 369
15 Ibid.,Siam, Vol. 894, 1872, p.622.
16 Archives of the Archdiocese of Bangkok, Vey, Records, Vol.II, No. 057.
17 Bulls of Erection, AME, Siam Vol. 896,1899,p. 157; ABB,Vey, Letters From
Abroad, No. 105.
18 AME, Siam, Vol. 894 p. 702; AME Siam Vol. 896, p 257
19 AAB, Documents of Dioceses, Annual Report of Ratchaburi Diocese.
20 AAB, Documents of Dioceses, Annual Report of Chanthaburi Diocese.
21 AAB, Documents of Dioceses, Annual Report of Tharae- Nongsaeng Archdiocese.
22 AAB, Documents of Dioceses, Annual Report of Ubon Ratchathani Diocese
23 AAB, Documents of Dioceses, Annual Report of Nakhon Ratchasima Diocese.
24 AAB, Documents of Dioceses, Annual Report of Udon Thani Diocese.
25 AAB, Documents of Dioceses, First Annual Report of Nakhon Sawan Diocese.
26 AAB, Documents of Dioceses, Annual Report of Surat Thani Diocese.