On April 22, a historic milestone was celebrated: the priestly ordination of the first two Redemptorist confreres from Laos at St. Louise’s Cathedral in Tha Khek. Fr. Peter Gnantina Phiakeo, C.Ss.R., and Fr. Philip Nouy Kamhou, C.Ss.R., began their vocational journey at the Redemptorist seminary in Laos, under the tutelage of the Redemptorist Province of Thailand. Their formation subsequently took them to various houses of formation in Thailand, the Philippines, and Australia, enriching their missionary zeal and pastoral preparation.
The ordination was presided over by Bishop Jean-Marie Vianney Prida Inthirath, Apostolic Vicar of Savannakhet-Khammouane. The celebration brought together a cardinal from northern Laos, several bishops, numerous priests and religious, as well as a large number of faithful from various regions. On this joyous occasion, the assembly also extended its heartfelt congratulations to Bishop Prida on the celebration of his fortieth anniversary of priestly ordination.
The liturgy was solemn and full of grace, marking not only a personal milestone for the newly ordained priests, but also an important step forward for the Redemptorist mission in Laos. The ordination is a hopeful sign of growth, as the mission becomes increasingly entrenched through local vocations working alongside brothers from other units in the shared mission of Tha Khek.
This historic event has also brought renewed courage to the faithful in Laos, strengthening their faith and hope amidst the many challenges and difficulties of daily life. The witness of these new priests serves as an inspiration to the local Church, reminding everyone of God’s constant presence and his call to service, especially among the poor and the most marginalized.
Fr. Peter Jittapol Plangklang, C.Ss.R.
LAOS
The Lord works wonders in a wonderful place. Laos is a beautiful country, both for its natural beauty and for the kindness and hospitality of its people. However, the communities in this beautiful country urgently need priests to minister to the faithful. Indeed, the Catholic Church in Laos has only 53,000 faithful throughout the entire country, living scattered in small villages across a rugged and mountainous terrain.
We must remember that this ceremony was an extraordinary event for the local church in a country where there are a total of 20 priests (in four Apostolic Vicariates) and no foreign missionaries, as their presence is not permitted by the government.
For this reason, the celebration, marked by dances, songs, hymns and prayers, in the presence of more than 1200 Catholic faithful from all over the nation and from neighboring countries such as Thailand and the Philippines, has meant an important invitation to the region from the Redemptorist missionaries in the preaching of Abundant Redemption and in the confirmation of believers in the faith in Christ the Redeemer.
