Two Salesian priest - Fr Joseph Suksan (Thai Salesian) and Fr Anthony Miele (Italian Salesian missionary) - are based in Yala parish. They look after several hundred believers in these three provinces together with one diocesan priest in Betong (close to the Malaysia border) and with three small communities of SIHM Sisters that is based in Betong, Yala and Pattani.
Only strong faith and Salesian courage helps our Salesian Family members going ahead in spite of the discouraging situation with its many challenges: the already small Catholic communities are decreasing in number due to the fearful environment and many Catholics are leaving. In one small chapel with 6 families, for example, only one last family now remains, while in some other chapels all Catholics have already left for safer places, such as the city of Hat Yai or others. Nobody feels safe to travel before sunrise or after sunset – a fact which keeps us as very prayerful people 'at home' in the Yala compound. It is very hard to find catechists or other pastoral workers. Here, even a simple car driving on the main highways becomes special due to dozens of road blocks with heavy armed military or police personnel.
Also the number of students in the few Catholic schools (diocese of Surat Thani, Bishop Joseph Prathan, SDB) in our three provinces has been dropping significantly in the past few years. Also, due to security reasons, the only technical school built by the late Fr. Gustav Roosens, SDB, near Pattani, was unable to even open its doors to education after the construction in 2013. In spite of this situation, daily education and witnessing in Catholic schools is still going on.
Salesian Family members are present where nobody else likes to go, and they are grateful to the support of the diocese and of the THA province.
“We pray for peace, for more eventual volunteers (SDB or Lay) who would be able to encourage our little Catholic flock to remain in this situation to witness the faith,” the Salesians in Thailand say.
Source: AustraLasia
