Monday, May 28, 2007

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
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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.

19 comments:

Archistrategos said...

Hope you have a great trip!

M@rK said...

i thought you hated flying... unless you are going by bus, which would then again be worse...

you're such a liar... told my brother youre going to rome and never coming back...hahaha... i told him not to believe you though....

hope you have a good time, and if you can pls bring back some brochures for me, i'm planning to go there this summer, insya-allah

RegardsJ said...

Hows the stay?
Comfortable???
I have already been granted with the gift of taming Furry...HAHA
Do enjoy urself
dont get naughty in thailand
and thanks for the pics
sorry for infringement of copyrite
haha
God Bless

Andrew said...

Thanks, Arch!

Mark, I do hate flying. I humans were meant to fly, we'd have wings.

And why are u asking your brother to doubt the word of Andrew?

I'll bring back some brochures. No prob. But I haven't been doing any sigh seeing though. On the other hand, we scheduled our trip without knowing that one o the days would be a public holiday, Wesak day in Thailand. So....we'll see. Insya-Jesus! U want anything?

Joshua, Furry must remained untamed! otherwise, who would fear the Furry.

The stay is fine. Got some nice pics but can't post them yet...

Cya...

M@rK said...

err.... what do i want from bangkok? erm.... i want mangoes...hahahha.... its ok lar.i'll be going there insya allah soon.... hmm... you want anythign from ireland? i think i wrot eyou an email about that already

The Hymn Selector said...

That's quite a number of beautiful churches preserved from the modern post-V2 iconoclasts. Excellent!

Andrew said...

Mark, if you want mangoes, eat Penang ones. Better and juicier!

Hymn Selector, yes, there are several Churches which were not wreckovated. I wonder what the liturgies are like though. Would love to try and go, especially on the Feast of the Visitation, but looking at the trend from the past 2 days, I don't think I can make it. The city is huge and Vesak falls on the same day so it will be packed. There's also some potential for violence, if you read the news.

Vidimusdominum said...

Did you visit the Redemptorist parish in Bangkok? It's commonly known as 'Church by the River'.

Andrew said...

Paul, unfortunately, no. I'm leaving in 3 hours and am still stuck in a meeting. Did not manage to go to any Churches yesterday either. Just some popular shopping malls and the Erawan Shrine as I was following 2 other people. Perhaps I can make a private trip sometime. But the city is HUGE! And the public transportation, at least to the East of the Chao Phraya river is fantastic. Comparable to Singapore. More in my upcoming report.

By the way, in Dalat in Sarawak, there is a Redemptorist Church by the River as well, pastored by Fr. Patrick Massang, CSsR, the singing priest.

Family said...

You have a great blog here! I'm definitely going to bookmark you!
I have a Thailand travel blog. It pretty much covers story about my travel related stuff.
Come and check it out if you get time :-)

Anonymous said...

hi,

I'm goin to bangkok in the coming Mar. Chanced upon your blog through google search.

I'm wanting to go for sunday mass in bangkok but i duno where are the churches (address??) and their service times..

if you can, do shed some light for me here..

thanks ALOT!!!
joanna
jonavalt@gmail.com

Andrew said...

Joanna,

I'll send you a personal email.

Anonymous said...

thanks, will look out for ur email.. =)

Meg said...

Thanks for this extensive list! We moved to Bangkok in January 2008 and I am trying to visit all the Catholic churches during our stay. Pls correct the phone number of the Holy Redeemer Parish to:

(662) 256-6305; (662) 256-6157; (662) 256-6422; (662) 256-7626

nat said...

Hey. I found some other churches with English mass. Its in my blog. So far I've only managed to visit Holy Redeemer. Will be visiting the others when I can.

Steve said...

Hi, i,m looking for some info about "permit/recommendation from catholic parish", can any shed some light on this for me? thnx

Anonymous said...

Hi, i would like some info about "permit/recommendation from catholic parish. thnx

Unknown said...

Hi there, your site is a real blessing. I would like to know of a Catholic church near Ratchathewi celebrating English masses, especially on Sunday morning. I am traveling to Bangkok and don't want to miss mass.
I was made aware of Our Lady of Fatima online, unfortunately all data for this church is in the Thai language which I cannot understand.
Could you give me details of a CC near Ratchaprarop road, Ratchathewi, BKK 10400. My email is michzmasc@gmail.com.

thanks a ton,
Michelle

Unknown said...

Hi there!

I would like to know of a Catholic church near HuaHin celebrating English masses, especially on Sunday morning. I am traveling to Huahin,Thailand and don't want to miss mass.

Could you give me details. My email is ngocdo287@gmail.com