Off to Bangkok, Thailand

Addendum:
Addresses and English, French and German Mass times for Bangkok Churches can be found a the bottom of this post.

I'll be off the Bangkok, Thailand for a week on some company business. I'm not sure whether I'll have an internet connection there, so in the meantime, I'm going to share with you these photos of the Churches within the Archdiocese of Bangkok.


Check it out. I love the Cathedral of the Assumption, depicted above, which His Holiness Pope John Paul II visited on his trip here. It is the seat of His Eminence Michael Mitchai Cardinal Kitbunchu, the Metropolitan Archbishop of Bangkok. The photo on the right shows His Eminence with a Thai Princess at the premier of a Mozart concert in Bangkok.

Cardinal Kitbunchu was appointed the second Metropolitan Archbishop of Bangkok by Pope Paul VI and elevated as Cardinal Priest of San Lorenzo in Panisperna by Pope John Paul II in the consistory of February 2, 1983, becoming the first Thai cardinal. He also wears his biretta in his own country. If any of our bishops wear their biretta, supposing that they have one, I think the temperature of Hell will drop slightly and certain porcine animals will take wing. He was one of the cardinal electors who participated in the 2005 papal conclave that selected Pope Benedict XVI. I hope he voted correctly =)He was one of the cardinal electors who participated in the 2005 papal conclave that selected Pope Benedict XVI. I hope he voted correctly =)



The Churches are a mix of traddie and modernist buildings. Some of the traddie ones are pretty nice and include the following:

Santa Cruz Church

Immaculate Conception Church

St. Joseph's Church

Holy Family Church

Holy Rosary Church

Our Lady's Church

St. Teresa's Church

Epiphany Church

St. Francis Xavier's Church

Mt. Carmel Church

Immaculate Heart of Mary Church

Church of Our Lady of Fatima

The are some pretty nice looking modern ones as well.

Church of St. John the Baptist

Church of St. Paul

Church of St. Joseph

Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mediatrix of All Graces

St. John's Church

Church of Mary, Mother of God

Church of St. Michael the Archangel

Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mystical Rose

Not all of the Churches are large. Some are just small chapels.

St. Mark's Church

The Thai Church has also managed to inculturate their architecture pretty well as the Church below shows. The architecture is clearly Thai, and yet, with the addition of the Cross on the facade, manages to be identified as a Christian place of worship.

St. Joseph's Church

Church of the Holy Infant Jesus

Church of St. Peter

Church of St. Louis, built in the style of a traditional Thai house

Then, as everywhere, there are the ugly modernist ones.

Church of St. Raphael

Church of Our Lady
Church of Our Lady of Lourdes

Church of Our Mother of Perpetual Help

I don't think I'll have the time to visit any of these Churches because I'm travelling with some other guys and we'll probably be stuck with very little personal free time but I'm going to try to visit at least one.

Do pray for me that I make it back alive!

All photos courtesy of the Archdiocese of Bangkok.

Addendum:

There have been many people looking for the addresses and Mass times for Catholic Churches in Bangkok and have found this page. So, as a service to them, here are the addresses of the Catholic Churches in Bangkok that offer and English, French and German Masses.

Assumption Cathedral Address: 23 Oriental Lane, Bangkok Thailand. Tel: (02) 234-8556 Info: Sunday English sermon at 10:00

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Foreign Mission of Paris Address: 254 Silom Road (between Soi 18 and Soi 20) Bangkok, Thailand. Tel: (02) 234-1714 Info: Weekly French masses at 7:30 and 11:00. Sunday French masses at 7:30 and 10:30 tel: 02-234-1714

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German Speaking Catholic Church Address: St. Louis Hospital (215 Sathorn Tai Road), Bangkok, Thailand. Tel: (02) 1853739 or 081-8691075 Info: German Speaking Catholic Church. Services Sunday 10:30 at the chapel of the St. Louis Hospital (215 Sathorn Tai Rd)

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Holy Redeemer Church Address: 123/19 Soi Ruam Rudee (off Wireless Rd, behind US Embassy) Bangkok, Thailand. Tel: (02) 253-0305 Info: Weekday English masses at 7:00, 8;00 and 17:30 Sunday English sermon at 8:30, 9:45, 11:00 and 17:30 Tel: (662) 256-6305; (662) 256-6157; (662) 256-6422; (662) 256-7626 (Thanks to Meg for the updated numbers)

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Saint John Address: Hayaek Ladprao, Vibhavadi Rangsit Road, Bangkok, Thailand Tel: (02) 513-4286 Info: Sunday English masses at 10:00

This site offers descriptions and maps to get to the Churches.
http://www.tour-bangkok-legacies.com/bangkok-churches.html?=

You may contact Holy Redeemer Church here.
http://www.holyredeemerbangkok.net/hrc/contact/contact.php

Or alternatively, you can contact the Archdiocese of Bangkok. They should be able to advise you.

Bangkok Archdiocese Center
51 Oriental Avenue, Bang Rak, Bangkok 10500, Thailand
Tel:	66 22 33 87 12
Fax :	66 22 33 74 41
eMail :	arcdibkk@loxinfo.co.th
Website :	http://www.catholic.or.th

I hope this helps.