Sawasdee Krupp to Vincentians and all respected readers. From the above introduction, there is no intention to create more pressure or worry than what currently be, but wish you all to realize the fact in order to have self-consciousness and to be self-sufficient following the advice of our adored King for the appropriate solution to live our lives according to the Gospels.
· To know how to control one’s behavior according to one’s financial status.
· To be generous and share what we have with others starting at home, with our neighbours, at the educational institute or at work place, in our society and in our beloved country. This is due to the fact that “Giving causes more happiness than receiving”.
You are invited to react to the Global Warming, to the economic & financial problems, political and social problems, to the increasing selfishness by sharing, giving, having more patience, and loving each other with the help and guidance from our prayers and The Word of God. This is not to change the world but to change ourselves and our attitudes towards all people around us for a better world which can be improved for a pleasant stay still.
Peter Suraphol Senavinin
National President
SSVP Thailand
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President General Visiting Thailand
On 16-20 September 2008, Bro. Jose Ramon Diaz-Torremocha, President General together with Bro. Jean Fernand Tirado, his personal assistant and Bro. Thomas Tan, SSVP Asia Group II Coordinator had visited SSVP Thailand. Upon the first day of arrival, Bro. Suraphol, National President of SSVP Thailand, brought them to pay homage to Micheal Cardinal Meechai Kitbunchu at Bangkok Archdiocesan Bishop Office located at Soi Oriental.
The Vincentian Family (FAMVIN)
On Saturday 20th September 2008, the FAMVIN group which comprises of Congregation of the Mission (CM), Daughters of Charity of St.Vincent de Paul (DC) , International Association of Charities (AIC), Association of the Miraculous Medal (AMM) and SSVP, The Archdiocese of Bangkok had jointly offered a thanksgiving mass to celebrate St.Vincent de Paul’s Feastday at Our Lady of Mercy Church, Nonthaburi province. After the service, the group had arranged luncheon activities for 90 children at St. Martin Child Development Center. There were altogether 80 members took part in the celebration.
FAMVIN Meeting
In August 2008, SSVP was the host for the FamVin meeting and one of the agenda was to ask the branch of FamVin to arrange the liturgy hand book for the celebrated Mass of Asia Group 2 meeting. Daughters of Charity Sisters will assist to make it as requested
Myanmar Cyclone Relief Fund
In September, National Council had remitted 30,000 Thb (583.45Eur) as relief fund to help Myanmar Cyclone Nagis victims. The fund had been transferred via CGI in France. Donation letters had been sent out to each Diocesan Council President asking for contributions from members to help the victims.
Self-Help Projects
Water tanks Project
The Conference of the Holy Trinity, Chiang Khong, Chiang Rai Province requested fund support to build cement water tanks to store up mountain water for use during dry season. The hill-tribe villagers: Lahu, Hmong and the group of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception had cooperated to set up a program for the hill- tribe children development . About 50 children and 35 families are in need of drinking water. During the dry season their families had to travel very far to fetch the water. The total cost to build such tanks was THB 60,000, the Conference would contribute THB 10,000, and the balance of THB 50,000 was requested. National Council was to seek fund support from our Twinning Conference in Australia. The request received support by members of the National council. For safety reason, Council member had also advised to stack up the cement tank at 4 or 5 rings vertically at the highest.
The Conference of Mother of Perpetual Help at Baan Kheknoi, Amphur Khowkor, Petchaboon Province, requested fund support for 12 villagers for THB 30,000. The fund would be used in buying blankets, rice, dried food, and necessary medicine and as well as repairing the living quarters for the orphans, the aged, and those poverty that the community had deserted them. The Conference would contribute THB 3,000 and the rest of THB 27,000 was requested. National Council was to seek fund support from kind benefactors. The matter had been considered during the meeting and members agreed to support.
Expansion and Spiritual Renewal Project
Head of the Expansion and Spiritual Renewal Project of The National Council, planned to visit St.Joseph church in Baanpong, Ratchaburi, aiming to go over several plans and boosted the renewal of Vincentian works. Currently, the church is publicly seeking those who desire to join the work of the society.
Overseas Twinning
In this quarter, the translator had translated 18 English to Thai letters and 31 Thai to English letters. Sisters and Brothers in St. Vincent, please be noted that those correspondences should include your view (about your works) and tell your twinning Conference what had happened in your area such as flood, drought, environmental changes and others etc..
Domestic Twinning
National Council had forwarded twinning fund of the 3rd Quarter/2008 to members in up-country amounting to 44,160THB for 64 conferences in total, each conference would receive 690THB.
Vincentian’s Youth
A) International Vincentian Youth Study Day
On 4-8 June 2008, our youth representative from Thailand, Sr. Theresa Rawipan Sridokchan, had joined The International Vincentian Youth Study Day at Salamanca, Spain. There were totally 130 participants from 110 countries joining the function. The major discussi scholarships on at the meeting could be divided into 4 topics: 1. Vincentians’ work and self-adaptation in the moderm world, such as, inviting youths to participate more in Vincentians’ activities as well as dealing with self-adaptation towards new forms of poverty. 2. Spirituality of being Vincentians 3. SSVP’s Rules , and 4. Co-operation among Vincentian Youth and Vincentians in each country, problems, threats, solutions and opportunities.
All youth participants joining the function had given full co-operation in all arrays of activities. They had shared ideas and varieties of useful experiences with one another. Most importantly, they intended to share and apply the knowledge obtained from this meeting to their own countries.
B) FAMVIN Celebration and World Youth Day 2008
On 9-14 July 2008, 4 Vincentian Youths from Thailand had traveled to Australia to join FAMVIN Celebration at Bathurst and participate in World Youth Day 2008 during 15-20 July 2008 in Sydney, Australia. His Holiness, Pope Benedict the XVI had touched down in Sydney to join the function and to meet with all youths coming from around the world.
FAMVIN Celebration 2008 was organized by SSVP Australia aiming to invite Vincentian Youths from every countries to exchange ideas and work experiences encountered in their countries. The activities included focus on Life and History of Saint Vincent de Paul, our Patron Saint of the Society, reviewing lives of related Saints and Founder of FAMVIN, pilgrimage walk around Bathurst , participated in the Cultural Night Show, of which many groups of Vincentian Youths gave performances based on their cultural backgrounds. The activities helped create unity among members participated in the function.
Assist a Student Project
Director of Assist a Student Project had remitted scholarship funds for the school year 2008 to 9 Diocesan Councils in up-country, 1,303 scholarships in total which accounted for 1,954,500 Thai Baht.. Each conference would receive 14 scholarships, each worth 1,500 Baht. Details are as follows:
1) The Archdiocese of Tharae 16 conferences 224 scholarships 336,000 Baht
2) The Diocese of Udornthani 22 conferences 287 scholarships 430,500 Baht
3) The Diocese of Ubolrajthani 7 conferences 98 scholarships 147,000 Baht
4) The Diocese of Chantaburi 16 conferences 224 scholarships 336,000 Baht
5) The Diocese of Nakornsawan 12 conferences 162 scholarships 243,000 Baht
6) The Diocese of Surajthani 10 conferences 140 scholarships 10,000 Baht
7) The Diocese of Chiangmai 6 conferences 84 scholarships 126,000 Baht
8) The Diocese of Rajchaburi 5 conferences 70 scholarships 105,000 Baht
9) The Diocese of Nakornrajchasima 1 conference 14 scholarships 21,000 Baht
Total 95 conferences 1,303 scholarships 1,954,500 Baht
The Society would like to express our sincere gratitude towards our sponsors who had provided financial support for this 2008 school year, namely, SSVP Australia which had granted us with 700 scholarships and SSVP Singapore for supporting us with125 scholarships.
Public Relation
The PR team had created Webblog aiming to promote and publish news and activities of SSVP Thailand via internet. Please visit our website at http://ssvpthailand.blogspot.com/
Fund Raising Project
Another fund raising activity planning to be organized next year would be “Charitable Walk Rally”. The project aims at generating revenue for the Society.
Diocese of Udornthani
During May-August 2008, President of Diocese of Udornthani, Br.Wasun, had participated in conference meetings of several districts for 8 times. In addition, several field surveys were carried out to assist flood victims at Paisithong Village, Viengcook Village, Donwai Village in Nongkhai Province.
On September 24th 2008, Mother of Perpetual Help Conference in Udornthani had organized a retreat for Vincentian members. On September 27th 2008, the aforementioned conference offered thanksgiving mass and distributed food for the aged to celebrate St. Vincent De Paul Feastday.
Diocese of Chantaburi
On March 17th , 2008, a new conference had been set up, namely ,Conference of Our Lady of Rosary , Sattahip, Cholburi Province. The president of the new conference is Bro.Suriyan Sawangchit, Vice President is Bro. Charoen Prasobsuk, Treasurer is Bro.Umnuai Panusri and Secretary is Bro.Songkram Arnarmpong.
Diocese of Chantaburi currently has 4 Vincentian Youth Conferences, namely, The Holy Name of Jesus Conference, Cholburi Province, St. Paul Conference, Rayong Province, St. Lawrence Conference, Baan Nagnarm Chachoengsao Province and Our Lady of Rosary Conference, Sattahip, Cholburi province.
The Archdiocese of Bangkok
On Saturday 26th July 2008, The Archdiocese of Bangkok had organized a retreat for Vincentian members at Our Lady of Lourdes Church, in Bangsakae District with 70 Vincentians from many conferences joining the program. Rev. Fr. Anusak Kijbamroong, Archdiocesan Council Spiritual Advisor, and Rev. Fr. Supakij Lertjitrlekha, Church Pastor were invited to give sermons and lectures.
On Sunday 24th August 2008, Conference of Saint Francis Xavier, Samsen, Bangkok had offered a thanksgiving mass celebrating the occasion of 55 years’ establishment of the conference at Saint Francis Xavier Church. Many Vincentians from other conferences in Bangkok had attended the service.
Asia Group 2 Meeting
SSVP Thailand has the honor of hosting Asia Group 2 Meeting 2008 which will be held in Assumption University, Suvarnabhumi Campus on 27-30 November 2008. The theme of the meeting is Evangelization : A True Vincentians’ Spirit. The meeting is being organized every two years’ time which consists of 9 member countries, i.e., Thailand, Cambodia, Myanmar, Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei, Philippines and Indonesia. National Council members of the aforementioned countries had been invited to join the meeting. The objectives were to exchange ideas and work experiences in helping the poor, sharing goals and setting mutual directions for the future and updating news and the latest policies among delegates and members. Besides, it can also be taken as a good opportunity for members to renew their spiritual life of being true Vincentians. We had sent an honorable invitation to Bishops and priests who have high experiences in Vincentians’ work and evangelism to be our guest speakers. It is expected that the attendants for this meeting will be around120 people from 12 countries. The meeting is sponsored by SSVP Singapore, Australia and Catholic Business Executive Group ( CBEG), Thailand Convention & Exhibition Bureau Public Ltd. (TCEB) and Coca Cola (Thailand) Company, Ltd., who will support us with soft drinks during the meeting. Let us all SSVP members pray for the smooth and success of this meeting and may the Lord bless all donors and merciful-hearted people who have sacrificed their time and financial support anticipating for the occurrence of this fruitful meeting.