Enrico Danieli – “The initium of the salesian presence in Thailand” in “The beginning of the Salesian presence in east Asia”.

In the years 1924-25, the Salesian Congregation was preparing to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Salesian missions and to this purpose some qualified confreres were giving talks on Salesian Missions, in parishes, schools, to cooperators and alumni to animate them about the missionary work and to get their support. On the 25h of February 1924,Msgr. Dante Munerati, the Salesian Procurator in Rome, wrote a letter to inform the Superiors in Turin that he had received an unofficial note from His Excellency Cardinal Van Rossum, Prefect of the Congregation of Propaganda Fide, saying that he would like to entrust a new mission in the Kingdom of Siam to the Salesians.

Negli anni 1924-25, la Congregazione Salesiana si preparava a celebrare il 50° anniversario delle missioni salesiane e a questo scopo alcuni confratelli qualificati hanno tenuto conferenze sulle Missioni Salesiane, nelle parrocchie, nelle scuole, ai cooperatori e agli alunni per animarli sul lavoro missionario  e ottenere il loro sostegno. Il 25 febbraio 1924, mons. Dante Munerati, il  Procuratore Salesiano a Roma, scrisse una lettera per informare i Superiori di Torino che aveva ricevuto una nota ufficiosa da Sua Eccellenza il Cardinale Van Rossum, Prefetto della Congregazione di Propaganda Fide, dicendo che avrebbe avuto piacere ad affidare ai Salesiani una nuova missione nel Regno del Siam.

Indice:

• 1. Thailand at the arrival of the Salesians (1850-1945)
  • 1.1. Historical and social background
  • 1.2. Religious background
  • 1.3. The Catholic Mission in Thailand
  • 1.4. Events leading to the Salesian presence
• 2. The arrival of the Salesians
  • 2.1. Contacts at the Congregation level
  • 2.2. Contacts at local level: the survey of the Mission
  • 2.3. Fr Peter Ricaldone’s survey and decisions
  • 2.4. The arrival of the Salesians
    • 2.4.1.The first two Confreres in the Kingdom of Siam
    • 2.4.2. The official group
• 3. The Vicariate of Ratchaburi and the Thai Province
  • 3.1 . The erection of the Vice Province
  • 3.2. Important guests pay visit
  • 3.3. Missio Sui Juris, Prefecture and Vicariate. The Thai Province
  • 3.4. The erection of Thai Province
• 4. The first 20 years of Salesian work
  • 4.1. The formation of the personnel
  • 4.2. The pastoral work
  • 4.3. Important achievements in the mission: Sixth task: The schools
  • 4.4. Missionary trips to the South and new presences
  • 4.5. Hat Yai (nearly 1,000 km. South of Bangkok)
  • 4.6. Importants events: the Salesians and the Persecution
  • 4.7. The precious work of Salesians
• 5. Some problems of the personnel.The restart in 1948
  • 5.1. Some problems regarding the confreres
  • 5.2. Some personal remarks

Reference time period: 1850 – 1945

Reference institution:
ACSSA