Surat Thani (AsiaNews) - On Saturday 28 September, the Church in Thailand experienced the joy of the ordination and installation of the new young bishop of Surat Thani, 48 year old Bishop Paul Trairong Multree, appointed by Pope Francis on 8 July last. An event with a strong missionary character: the new bishop - who succeeds Msgr. Joseph Prathan Sridarunsil, who left the leadership of the diocese due to age limit - is in fact a member of the Thai Missionary Institute, established in 1990 to donate local priests to the mission ad gentes. Born on 7 September 1976 in Khon Kaen, and a priest since 2007, Bishop Paul Trairong Multree was a missionary in Phnom Penh in Cambodia for five years, and since last year he has been the institute's superior, as well as director of the Pontifical Thai Missionary Works.
On 28 September, he began his ministry in St Raphael's Cathedral in Surat Thani, the seat of the large diocese in southern Thailand, where Catholics make up less than 0.1% of the population, scattered in some 40 parishes in a huge territory inhabited by more than 10 million people. A flock in a region with a Buddhist majority but also with a strong Muslim presence in the southern districts. Presiding over the rite was outgoing bishop Prathan Sridarunsil, in the presence - among others - of the apostolic nuncio to Thailand Msgr. Peter Bryan Wells, Archbishop Emeritus of Bangkok Card. Francis Xavier Kriengsak Kovithavanij, the Apostolic Vicar of Phom Penh Msgr. Olivier Schmitthaeusler and the confreres of the Thai Missionary Institute led by Fr. Adriano Pelosin, a PIME missionary, who was its promoter and still follows its path. Together with many Thai friends in the Surat Thani cathedral were also present a group of faithful from a parish in the diocese of Padua in Italy, where the new bishop ministered during his liturgy studies at the Santa Giustina Institute.
‘Go and preach’ (Mt 28:19) is the motto chosen by the new bishop for his service to the diocese. ‘I have gladly accepted this invitation,’ he said addressing his flock, ‘and I will try to put it into practice together with you. For his part, Msgr Joseph Chusak Sirisut, president of the Thai Bishops' Conference, thanked Msgr Trairong Multree, Fr Adriano Pelosin and the Missionary Institute for their contribution to the local Church.
‘This ordination was a moment of grace for our small institute, which now has around 20 priests,’ commented Fr Pelosin, who has followed the priestly journey of Bishop Paul Trairong Multree step by step and also accompanied him in these last few days in the spiritual exercises before his entry into his diocese. ‘Fr. Paul had many tasks among us,’ continues the PIME missionary, ’but the Holy Spirit evidently had other designs on him. And we are happy because we believe that he will help the entire Thai Church to grow in the missionary spirit. His is a very large diocese, with few faithful, but with many schools built by the Salesians who have led this diocese until today and also beautiful structures built by Bishop Prathan Sridarunsil, starting with the cathedral where the ordination took place. There is much to do but Fr Paul is calm and I am sure he will give much to the mission of this Church'.
