Most Thai people (or others, for that matter) are not aware that there are 5 Thai martyrs and a priest who were proclaimed Blessed (the step before sainthood) by the Catholic Church. Here is the story of the priest, Blessed Nicolas Kitbamrung.
Bunkerd Kitbamrung was born to a Catholic family in Nakon Pathom province January 11, 1895.
His childhood was unremarkable but at sometime he felt called to be a priest. After training at the seminary in Penang, Malaysia he was ordained on January 24, 1926 at the age of 31 at Assumption Cathedral, Bangkok. His Catholic name was 'Nicolas'.
He served in several parishes in North and Northeast Thailand, including Chiangmai. In 1927, he assisted the Salesian Order missionaries helping to teach them Thai and also training Thai seminarians.
At that time, Catholics were considered 'unpatriotic' as 'to be a Thai is to be a Buddhist'. As well, disputes with France over borders with Laos caused Thai authorities to look with suspicion on those associated with the French, which in many cases were Catholic priests.
On the morning of January 12, 1941, Father Nicholas rang the church bell to summon parishioners to Mass. For this simple act he was arrested and sentenced to fifteen years of imprisonment at Bang Khwang. While in prison he contracted tuberculosis and died on January 12, 1944 at the age of 49. It was said he was denied care because he was a Catholic but this has not been verified.
While in prison he had heard confessions and administered the sacrament of baptism to his fellow prisoners. Approximately 68 persons were baptized by him while in prison. During his life Father Nicolas had a great concern for pastoral work and compassion for the poor.
After a thorough examination of his life, Pope John Paul II proclaimed Fr. Nicolas Bunkerd Kitbamrung a Blessed on January 27, 2000 and the ceremony of beatification was held on March 5, 2000 at St. Peter's Basilica in Rome.
Thai Catholics, from all parts of the Kingdom of Thailand, joyfully celebrated the beatification in Father Nicolas' home town of Sam Phran, Nakhon Pratom on that day.
