A word from the Superior General

The presence of the Congregation in Thailand is really a blessing from the Lord. Our missionaries worked hard to build the local Church in Chiang-Mai in a disinterested fashion and without relaxing. This resulted in countless conversions. Today, the number of young religious and vocations are the Lord’s recompense for the generous dedication of days gone by. During my last visit to Thailand, last December, I was able to see for myself other fruits in connection with the work of Betharramite missionaries on site. Two festivities provided the opportunity: the 8 December celebrating the 50th anniversary of the missionary foundation of the Immaculate Conception of Mepon and on 12 December the 50th anniversary of the arrival of the Missionaries of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary. The first were founded by Mgr Lacoste SCJ, Bishop of Dali and first Apostolic Administrator of Chiang Mai. He it was who paid a visit to the others in Saint Sebastian to encourage them to come and work in his new diocese.

Mgr Lucien Bernard Lacoste SCJ was ordained Bishop of Dali in China on 21 May 1949 in Kumming. Expelled from China in 1952 with the other Betharramite priests they settled in Chiang Mai in 1954. When the real missionary ADN is present it is difficult to deny it. On 17 November 1959, Mgr Lacoste was appointed Apostolic Administrator of the new Apostolic Prefecture which was to become the diocese of Chiang Mai 18 December 1965. He retained the title of the See of Dali which has remained vacant since his death on 14 August 1989.

Mgr Lacoste and the Betharramite missionaries did priceless work especially for the Karens living in the mountains. The struggle to make their way through the mountains was soon rewarded by the consolation of seeing many conversions. This was made all the easier because the values of Karen society are close to those of Christianity. And thus it was that little by little the diocese got itself organized.

Mgr Lacoste thought immediately of religious life for the effectiveness of the mission. This is why in 1965 when the diocese was being planned he began assembling some Karen women to prepare them as catechists and thinking that they could be consecrated persons. These consecrated women could take over some missionary posts, be a presence during the absence of missionaries; they would be mobile and be a bit all over the place! Sister Cecilia, Superior General and one of these first women, celebrated the 50th anniversary of her Congregation during the festival.

Sr Cecilia, Superior General of the MMIC with two religious sisters who have made their final profession on December 8th

Today the Sisters of the Immaculate Conception number about 60 and are present in the dioceses of Chiang Mai and Nakon Sawan. They are of diocesan rite. Living in community they assist the priests in the different Mission centres both materially and spiritually; they are responsible for R. E. and the formation of the young, teaching them to sew and other skills. As was the wish of Mgr Lacoste they live with the people and like the people; they perform simple tasks and the people recognise their presence and their availability. It is good to see these sisters working in the fields, harvesting the rice and carrying out other tasks typical of Christian communities. Since they speak the language and are deeply embedded in the Karen culture it is all quite natural for them.

A group of some 70 people – priests, religious and laity – including two Betharramite religious who wanted to recall the Betharramites who accompanied these Sisters from their beginnings to go and spread the Word in the mountains. They made a Pilgrimage for six days when they followed in the footsteps of the Missionaries from Maesarien to Maepon arriving just in time for the festival. The village folk joined in their prayer and provided them with food and lodging. This was a fine initiative which could easily be copied so as to become a diocesan even to keep alive the memory.

The missionaries of the Hearts of Jesus and Mary arrived in Maepon 50 years ago. In the beginning Mgr Lacoste entrusted them to accompany the missionaries of the I. C. to learn the life-style of religious living in community. Some years later they opened the Sewing Workshops in Chiang Mai to begin with, then in Payao. In these workshops they trained countless young people who today are mothers, priests or even religious. They recently opened a third community in Lampun. Of the missionaries who arrived in 1965 only three are still present in Thailand; the Lord has blessed them through the nine young Thai religious who pursue the mission in their country.

The Superior General of the MSCJM (2nd standing from the right). Of the missionaries who arrived in 1965 only three are still present in Thailand. The other ones are local vocations, all in perpetual vows

The missionaries of Ban Marina, as they are known in Thailand received from their foundress, Mother Therese Dupouy Bordes, the “priestly” charism: that of Holy Thursday (Jn. 13, 1) a Eucharistic, priestly and missionary spirit. What is their mission? To spread the reign of the love of God by developing vocations and missions. This is one more reason for their happiness on this feast day when their Mother Dupouy has been declared Venerable because of the heroic nature of her virtues. There are many links in the chain uniting Betharram with them. In the life of Mother Dupouy we come across the names of a few Betharramites – vocations which she directed towards us. During the generalate of Father Hyppolyte Paillas there was a question of bringing the two together so as to add to their number some young women who at Betharram were preparing to set out for China to help the missionaries already aided by the ones who were starting the missionary congregation. On the badge of the Sisters I noticed the FVD of Betharram. They used to collaborate with us in the college of Bazas in France and that of Sidi Bel Abbes in Algeria. Mother Goya helped us greatly for the formation house which we had opened for two years previously in Saragossa. Today we are working together in Thailand and in Tacuarembo in Uruguay.

Gaspar Fernández Pérez scj
Superior General