Thai priest on the way to being a Saint: Blessed Nicolas Kitbamrung

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.

Oscar Romero: The Unfinished Mass

A few days before he was assassinated, Romero told a reporter, “You can tell the people that if they succeed in killing me, that I forgive and bless those who do it. Hopefully, they will realize they are wasting their time. A bishop will die, but the church of God, which is the people, will never perish.”

Oscar Romero was born in 1917 in Cuidad Barrios, a small town in the mountains of El Salvador.  He left school at the age of twelve and became an apprentice carpenter.  He wished to become a priest but his family wanted him to continue studying carpentry. 
Romero somehow managed to convince his parents that he wanted to study for the priesthood.  He was ordained a priest in Rome in 1942 and continued to study there for his doctoral degree in theology. After  he worked as a parish priest in El Salvador for several years.  
 In 1975 he became the bishop of Santiago de Maria and in 1977 he was appointed the Archbishop of San Salvador.
During the 1970’s, El Salvador was wracked by Civil War stemming from a poor economy and a repressive dictatorship.  This war between right-wing government and the leftist antigovernment units led to around 30,000 people being killed.  The US backed the military dictatorship in spite of its human rights violations.  At that time there was a movement of priests who followed Marxist teachings as a solution to El Salvador’s problems and they sided with the poor against the rich landowners and elite of the country.
Romero's fellow bishops and priests considered him to be predictable, conservative and not concerned with political views. This was no doubt the reason he was appointed an Archbishop.  It was expected that he would carry on as others had before him and would not cause any political ‘waves’.
However, Romero let it be known that, although he did not support Liberation Theology, he was on the side of the poor. Shortly after being elected as bishop, a Jesuit priest, Father Rutillo Grande and two of his parishioners were killed.  One was a seven year old child.  When this happened Bishop Romero truly understood what the farmers were facing and promised to be their shepherd.
Romero asked for international intervention but it fell on deaf ears.  With one exception, the Bishops of El Salvador turned their back on him and it is said that they sent a letter to Rome accusing him of using politics to seek popularity.  In 1980, Romero wrote to the President of the United States asking them to stop sending military aid because he said it was being used to repress the people.  They did not stop.
On March 23, 1980 he ended a broadcasted homily with, “Brother, you are from the same people ... No soldier is obliged to obey an order that is contrary to the will of God.  In the name of God, in the name of the suffering people, I ask you .... in the name of God to stop the repression.”
The day after that speech as Romero was celebrating Mass in a hospital chapel, as he raised the chalice, he was shot by an assassin.  His blood spilled over the altar mixing with the wine from the chalice.
During his funeral Mass on March 30 a bomb exploded and shots rang out. From 30 to 50 people were killed that day.  From this, the people recognized the horror of all the killing and violence in El Salvador finally subsided.
In 2012, the United Nations declared the International Day of the Right to the Truth recognizing the contribution of Archbishop Romero. 
In March 2015, Pope Francis beatified Oscar Romero bringing him one step closer to sainthood. And on October 14, 2018, Oscar Romero was recognized as a Saint of the Catholic Church.

Book Review: Glastonbury by Donna Fletcher Crowe

Glastonbury: The Novel of Christian England by Donna Fletcher Crow

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


I enjoyed reading this book and learning more about the history of England, especially how Christianity came to England and the struggles over the years. It took me a long time to read but then it does cover the time of Joseph of Arimathea coming to England to the destruction of the monasteries by Henry VIII. I found it interesting how the author cleverly wove what are considered legends into the story in a way that made them entirely believable. Donna Crow did a tremendous amount of research and I found it interesting how she presented both sides of the Catholic/Protestant controversy in a non-biased way. I could not tell which side of the fence she is on.

Are You Really Pro-Life?

To be pro-life means you want to end:

the killing of babies still in the womb

the killing of children in their schools (or anywhere)

suicides of children

the legal killing of those who are depressed because they are old or in pain (so-called'euthanasia')