The Catholic Bishops Conference of Thailand is calling for renewed
effort to boost Catholic education in the country, striving to reach
international standards while fostering faith education.
A three-day seminar organized by the Commission of the Catholic
Education Council of Thailand was held recently in Pattaya to discuss
standards for Catholic schools in evangelizing and educating.
“This annual meeting of all Catholic educators is of prime importance,”
said Fr. Francis Xavier Deja Arpornrat, executive secretary general of
the Thai bishops’ conference.
He told CNA that Catholics schools aim at the “holistic development” of
the human person, and it is for this reason that “parents place their
trust” in the education that their children receive at the schools.
It is important for the nation’s Catholic schools to “maintain” their
identity while they “upgrade” teaching methods to ensure high
educational standards in the modern world, the priest explained.
“We need to renew our methods and reform our system to the changing
times,” while preserving a strong Catholic identity, he stressed.
Archbishop Louis Chamnien Shantisukniran of Thare and Nonseng, president
of the Thai bishops’ conference, delivered an address at the symposium
stressing the duty of the Catholic Church to help its institutions to
express their Catholic identity.
He underscored the goal of the Thai bishops’ Pastoral Plan for 2010-2015
to make educational institutions the focal point “for proclamation of
the Good News,” leading to the development of virtues and ethical
formation in schools.
The archbishop urged the educators to be “living witness” of Jesus among the students.
Archbishop Francis Xavier Kriengsak Kovinthavanij of Bangkok, vice
president of the bishops’ conference, framed his reflections in the
light of the New Evangelization.
“The Catholic Church in Thailand is in the midst of our brothers and sisters of other faiths,” he noted.
“The Church is essentially the sign and instrument of announcing the
Kingdom of God,” he said, “and all the disciples of Christ are called to
announce and share the Good News to both those who have not yet heard
and those who are not yet in the same sheepfold.”
The appropriate way to bring about mutual understanding in society is
through inter-religious dialogue, which plays an important role in the
New Evangelization, he said.
The Pastoral Plan outline by the bishops emphasizes educators’ roles in
fostering Gospel values, morality and virtues, helping students to
integrate faith, culture and life.
It highlights the need for education in media and technology, ecology
and the environment, peace and justice, and sexuality and human rights.
Over 400 Catholic educators from across Thailand’s 10 dioceses
participated in the symposium. There are some 300 Catholic schools in
the country, educating more than half a million students.
Bishop John Bosco Panya Kritcharoen of Ratchaburi and Bishop Silvio
Siriphong Charatsri of Chantaburi also shared their insights under the
backdrop of New Evangelization and the current need for educators to
play a multi-dimensional role.