When I was set to come to Thailand in May 2009 for a teaching job in a university, one question I had in mind is whether I could still be able to attend important celebrations of the Catholic church. Celebrations such as going to church every Sunday and on Holy days of obligation. I had this great concern knowing Thailand is a Buddhist country. I even asked my friend monsignor "do you think my soul would become rusty in Thailand?" (jokingly asked). Well, I am so glad to say finding a nearby church to go to every Sunday was not difficult at all and in fact there are many churches in most big part of Thailand. It's only an issue of distance and language.
Finding a church may it be Catholic or Christian groups in Bangkok is easy but due to the fact that Thais have their own language, a foreigner like me have to search for the church that have their celebrations in English. When I arrived, things became bit easy as I had a Filipina colleague who brought me to St. John Church at Latphrao Road Lane 2 were an English mass every 11:00 a.m. Sunday is being held.
When I shifted work and transferred my place of residence, the nearest church or rather chapel to me is the Assumption Chapel in ABAC (Assumption University Huamark Campus) at Ramkhamhaeng Soi 24 wherein the mass is at 10:00 a.m. every Sunday. They also have anticipated mass every 5:00 p.m. of Saturday but only the the 3rd and 4th Saturdays are in English mass, first Saturday is Indian and second Saturday is Vietnamese or Myanmar. Whenever I am not able to attend the Sunday mass in Assumption Chapel, my last choice is in Mary Help of Christians Church at Krungthep Kritha, Srinakarin. However, the mass is intentionally for Filipinos as the celebration is mainly in Tagalog though the homily would usually be mixed in English and Tagalog. Majority of the church goes as well as the choir, commentators and the priest are Filipinos. After the mass, there is an agape or free food for all.
However though, the most popular church is in the center of Bangkok which is the Holy Redeemer Church in Ruamrudee. This church is big and have mass schedules both in Thai and English in the morning and afternoon of Sundays as well as Saturdays. There are lots of church goers in this parish.
Finding a church in every province or town is easy. Whenever I will be going to another place on a weekend, a church with mass schedule is always one thing I do research on. As long as I am in control, I never fail to attend mass on a Sunday of obligation. Check on the parishes in the Archdiocese of Bangkok.
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| Chapel of the Annunciation, Assumption University Ramkhamhaeng Campus |
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| Chapel of the Annunciation, Assumption University Campus Ramkhamhaeng |
When I shifted work and transferred my place of residence, the nearest church or rather chapel to me is the Assumption Chapel in ABAC (Assumption University Huamark Campus) at Ramkhamhaeng Soi 24 wherein the mass is at 10:00 a.m. every Sunday. They also have anticipated mass every 5:00 p.m. of Saturday but only the the 3rd and 4th Saturdays are in English mass, first Saturday is Indian and second Saturday is Vietnamese or Myanmar. Whenever I am not able to attend the Sunday mass in Assumption Chapel, my last choice is in Mary Help of Christians Church at Krungthep Kritha, Srinakarin. However, the mass is intentionally for Filipinos as the celebration is mainly in Tagalog though the homily would usually be mixed in English and Tagalog. Majority of the church goes as well as the choir, commentators and the priest are Filipinos. After the mass, there is an agape or free food for all.
However though, the most popular church is in the center of Bangkok which is the Holy Redeemer Church in Ruamrudee. This church is big and have mass schedules both in Thai and English in the morning and afternoon of Sundays as well as Saturdays. There are lots of church goers in this parish.
Finding a church in every province or town is easy. Whenever I will be going to another place on a weekend, a church with mass schedule is always one thing I do research on. As long as I am in control, I never fail to attend mass on a Sunday of obligation. Check on the parishes in the Archdiocese of Bangkok.
