Life of the Congregation

The Sampran Betharramite Seminary celebrated its 30th anniversary last July. The presence of His Eminence Card. Michael Michai Kitbunchu at the celebration of this anniversary speaks volumes about the solemnity of the event! Anniversaries are of course the occasion to rejoice in the good health of an accomplished and vigorous work. But it is also the time to look at the “underside of the embroidery” and to marvel not at the drawing and the colors, but at the sometimes strange and complicated journey of the thread.
Fr Chan Kunu scj, Regional Vicar of Thailand, has kindly traced for us the history of this foundation, started from scratch, and the significance of this choice of training for Betharram in Thailand.

During the explosion of communism in China, some of the Betharramite missionaries found refuge in Thailand, with a deep hope of going back as soon as possible. It was at the end of 1951. Mons. Louis Chorin, Bishop of Bangkok assigned Chiang Mai as their place of residence, initiation and study of the language.
They could cooperate with the M.E.P. to continue building up the local Church among the Northern Thai people in Chiang Mai, Viang Pa Pao, Muang Phan and Lampang.
Other missionaries joined the first group in 1952-53. Coming to know of the presence on the mountains (South and South-West of Chiang Mai) of Karen and Lawa minorities very similar to the Catchin they were working with in China, they started to make contact with them and learn their language.
When they received the official recognition and the M.E.P. went back to Bangkok, they opened new posts: Chomthong, Maepon, Maesariang, Maetho, Maechem from where they could radiate to the Karen and Lawa villages spread on the mountains. Later they came to know the Akha who were coming from Burma to Thailand in the province of Chiang Rai. Conditions were very difficult but they tried to gather in Chiang Mai every two months to spend time together, sharing their experiences, praying and relaxing, according to the suggestion of R.Rev Joseph Mirande, General Superior.

The 30th Anniversary of Ban Betharram Sampran tells us that God can even write straight on twisted rows. In fact nobody was ready to take over the formation task, having worked hard in a completely different field. But God had his own way for Betharram in this land of smile. Once He conceived this family of Betharram through St. Michael Garicoïts, He continues to take care of it through various people and events, driving it even through uncertainties to a safe haven. He is at the helm.
God will make a way where there seems to be no way.
St. Michael Garicoits used to say: “How difficult is to give birth to a Congregation, but once it is born, God will take care of it”. It has been the same for the Formation House in Thailand.
We look at the past with gratitude to God’s providence, who took care of the seminary through countless people in various ways.
We are thankful to those who had the vision, to those who worked hard to start, founding and funding, the seminary, making the vision to become reality, to all those who had shared and accompanied the young at the top of their ability.
We are grateful to all our benefactors who have supported us in different ways all the time. It’s a sense of a deep gratitude from the core of our hearts which find no words to describe.
We live the present with a spirit of simplicity and meaningfulness for what we are and do as Betharramite.
We look ahead with hope to do better and continue to be witnesses among the people under our care.
We are deeply grateful to all the missionaries who labored so hard to sow the seed of faith. We are the fruit of their work and we have to continue the mission according the signs of our time. Mission is the goal, the seminary is the training field, to be ready to live a simple life, to work among the people who are entrusted to us without discrimination of culture and language in co-operation with the diocese and other congregations in the spirit of the Ecce Venio, I come to do your will.

Along these 30 years, there have been specific stages.
After co-operating in building the local church of Chiangmai Diocese for 33 years, the Superior General Rev.Fr. Pierre Grech, entrusted to Fr. Mirco Trusgnach, superior of the Delegation the duty to start a formation house in Thailand in spite of opposition from other religious who felt not ready to take over the task of formation. Once started, the religious gradually accepted and supported the idea of having a formation house.
In 1984 a first group of young men were welcomed and began the secondary school in Maesarieng under the supervision of Fr. Pierre Caset, the parish priest. After two years they moved to Sampran where in the meantime Fr. Mirco bought the land and built a house to receive them. They studied at St. Joseph Seminary.

The first formation house of Sampran has been inaugurated on January 20th, 1987 by His Eminence Cardinal Michael Michai Kitbunchu. Bishop Lucien Lacoste and the Nuncio, Archbishop Renato Martino were present along with other priests, religious and many faithful to witness that historical event.
In 1999 the first two priests have been ordained, Fr. Paul-Mary Subancha Yindeengarm and Fr. Michael Tidkham Jailertrit.
A Major Seminary was needed. During the construction time the young seminarians have been received at St. Joseph Minor Seminary, to give room at Ban Betharram for the major seminarians.

Today 2017 we only have 3 foreign missionaries left, but we have 18 Thai priests, 2 deacons and other young men in different stages of formation. Therefore it is our duty to express our heartfelt gratitude to God for His constant assistance through various people and events.

No roads are sprinkled with rose petals. In 30years of Betharram Seminary we have experienced both ups and downs.
The lack of trained formators have been a great challenge,
the same as the continuous changes, trying to find the best way to accompany the young seminarians in different stages of their formation.
The task of creating a formation team is still a challenge.
As the schools have been handed over to the diocese, the biggest problem has always been the lack of financial income to support the expenditures of formation.

Our experience taught us how God loves us and takes care of us. Therefore we are called to be more faithful in our daily activities, working with love, enthusiasm and responsibility.

Improvements are always possible because perfection is not of this world.
Ban Betharram is the Minor Seminary created to train young men at the stage of the secondary school up to high school. For this it is important to be set in a good environment.

Ban Betharram is situated in a very large Christian Community, the parish of Saint Peter at Sampran. The community welcomed the house of formation and supported its growth all the time since the beginning. Some of the young men continue as pre-postulants.

It is always a challenge to carry on the work of formation to convey our simple way of life, to create a fraternal atmosphere and to help the young men to discern their future, whether to go on or to choose a different way of life.

Of course a trained formator is an important element to be considered. His duty is to live with the young men to accompany them with a good heart, being a living example of the life they are invited to live.

Chan John Kunu scj