Welcome to Thailand! We are thrilled to have many of you here with us for this 80th Serra International Convention in Chiang Mai. We appreciate the effort and time it took for many of you who traveled a long, long distance across the Pacific and continents to attend this event.
You are now sitting, standing, and staying in one of the fastest-growing parts of the Universal Church. Here, there are more than one thousand new baptisms every year and over ten thousand waiting to be catechized and baptized. So, this Diocese of Chiang Mai is highly vibrant and dynamic.
It is for this inspirational reason that we have chosen this diocese as the venue for our Convention in Thailand. Yes, you will be experiencing the life of a remarkable and fast-growing church that is attracting many new Catholics who are enthusiastic about their faith and committed to living a life in accordance with the Gospel values.
Like other dioceses in this country, the priests in this diocese are highly skilled at nurturing their faithful’s spiritual development, offering guidance and support, walking along with them on their faith journey. The Church’s growth is a testament to its ability to connect with people, especially on the highlands, inspiring them to embrace a deeper sense of purpose and meaning of being the disciples of Christ.
The Church’s rapid expansion also means that we need more vocations than ever to the priesthood and the consecrated life to work among the hill tribes. It is not unusual here for each priest to take care of ten or twenty churches, each one far away from each other. Priests and religious here are dedicated and committed individuals who prioritize serving their Christian communities and spreading the teachings of Jesus. They are, I must say, highly skilled in navigating challenging mountain terrain and adapting to unique cultural hill tribe practices while also providing pastoral guidance, comfort, and support to the flocks in their care. These priests normally lead a solitary life in remote areas, but their work is noble and selfless, driven by a deep sense of mission and purpose.
We want you to take this opportunity of attending Chiang Mai Convention to relax, enjoy your stay, make meaningful connections with your fellow participants, and young Serrans. We also hope that this convention will be a memorable experience for you, and that everyone will be inspired to develop a deeper understanding of the importance of promoting vocations. I hope that, all of us, having come and seen this part of the Church, will return home with a deeper commitment, inspired to take a more active role in the promotion of vocations to the priesthood and the consecrated life.
Once again, welcome to Chiang Mai!
Dr. Chainarong Monthienvichienchai
Chairman of Local Organizing Committee
