A European missionary whose order founded the hospital Pope Francis visited on Nov 21 expresses gratitude for the peaceful, freeway Catholics can live their faith in Thailand, and coexist with the majority-Buddhist population, but acknowledges that the idea of being a ‘missionary’ in such a place is challenging to define.
Father Brice Testu from the Society of the French Missionaries of Paris arrived in Thailand two years ago and is still learning Thai. He lives at St. Louis Hospital where Pope Francis visited today and gives patients Communion and offers other types of pastoral care.
A Catholic orthopedic surgeon expressed to ZENIT his hope that the Pope’s visit gives him greater spiritual strength to confront the difficulties he faces and comes across in his work, and reiterated how even all the Buddhist doctors and employees at the hospital were equally excited to meet the Pope, whose figure they may not understand exactly, but who, nonetheless, they esteem as a figure who promotes good and peace.
Nurses and hospital personnel who reiterated expressed how they never feel prejudiced against being Catholics in Thailand. Some were married to Buddhists and noted how here in Thailand it is normal, as is their case, that they and their husbands decided to raise their children as Catholics. They acknowledged the peaceful relationships between religions.
Unlike other countries in Asia where persecution of Christians is on the rise, in Thailand, this is not the case. They attribute it when asked to their overall peaceful and ‘smiling’ attitude and way of being.
Source: ZENIT
