New Bishop of Udon Thani: the proclamation of Christ is the duty of all believers
Bangkok (AsiaNews) - "It is the duty of all, priests, religious and lay, to cooperate as one body in missionary work”. This was the warning launched to the faithful by Mgr. Joseph Luechai Thatwisai, newly appointed Bishop of Udon Thani, a diocese in north-east Thailand, during the ceremony of his Episcopal consecration. The function was celebrated February 6 at the Cathedral of the Mother of Perpetual Aid in Udon Thani, presided over by his predecessor Mgr. George Yod Phimphisan, attended Msgr. Salvatore Pennacchio, apostolic nuncio to Thailand, Card. Michael Michai Kitbunchu, Archbishop Emeritus of Bangkok, and other prelates of the country.
In his homily, the new bishop urged the faithful to "work in the name and for the glory of God" to so that everyone may "feel" God's love for his people. " The prelate paid "special thanks" to Mgr. Phimphisan, who "gave me the possibility of continuing vocational education for the proclamation of God's love," and his parents who left him "free to choose the priesthood." He also recalled Mgr. Clarence J. Duhart, the first bishop of Udon Thain, and the support received from the Paris Foreign Missions (MEP) in his years of study.
Archbishop Salvatore Pennacchio, apostolic nuncio to Thailand, highlighted the motto chosen by the new bishop - "A cruce salus" - Salvation comes from the cross, ed - explaining that it "expresses absolute fidelity to the Cross of Christ, as a tool for the salvation of man. " He also brought the apostolic blessing of Pope Benedict XVI, who on 14 November appointed Fr Joseph Bishop of the diocese.
Card. Kitbunchu spoke of the virtues and the theological knowledge of the new Bishop of Udon Thani and said "I take this opportunity to thank Mgr. George Yod Phimphisan for his personal friendship and cooperation shown during his 34 years of episcopacy”. This was followed by the intervention of Mgr. Phimphisan, who confirmed his will to "support in serving the people of Udon Thani, especially praying to the Mother of Perpetual Help, the patron saint of the diocese."
Bishop Joseph Luechai Thatwisai (pictured) was born December 2, 1962 and is originally from Ban Dung district, where 99% of the faithful are Catholics. He is the first of four children and has studied at the Major Seminary of Samphran, in the province of Nakhon Pathom. Graduated with honours in philosophy and theology, May 24, 1990 he was ordained a priest. The neo-prelate continued his studies in Rome at the Pontifical Biblical Institute and received his doctorate in the study of the Bible - thanks to financial support of the MEP - at the Catholic Institute of Paris.
The Diocese of Udon Thani in northeast Thailand is about 600 km from Bangkok. Erected December 18, 1965, it covers an area of about 50 thousand km2 and has a total population of about 5 million and 300 thousand inhabitants, 17 thousand of them Catholic. The diocese includes 14 priests, 30 religious and among missionaries, 99 nuns, three brothers and five lay missionaries.
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