Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Vientiane (Agenzia Fides) - The Catholic community in Laos is rejoicing for the ordination of Fr. Benedict Bennakhone Ithirath, aged 35, a member of the Oblate Missionaries of Mary Immaculate. The ordination which took place in the parish of Pakxan on 29 December was presided by Bishop Jean Khamse Vithavong, Vicar apostolic of Vientiane. According to local OMI sources other local Bishops present for the occasion included Bishop Tito Banchon Thopayong, Bishop Louis-Marie Ling Mangkhanekhoun, Bishop Jean Sommeng Vorachak and the apostolic delegate Archbishop Salvatore Pennacchio, who assured the three thousand faithful gathered for the celebration the greetings and blessing of Pope Benedict XVI. Civil authorities were also present
Fr. Bennakhone, who studied in Australia where he was ordained a deacon on 14 June 2007, is the fifth Laos born OMI priest ordained in the past two years with the approval of the national authorities, after decades of restrictions and a scarcity of vocations. According to the local community this would be a confirmation of a new course of the Communist regime in power since 1975, which has shown a timid opening on the issue of religious freedom since 1991, with the approval of a new Constitution.
Today Laotian Catholics are 35-40,000 in a mainly Buddhist and Animist population of about 6 million. Foreign missionaries were expelled in 1975 and lay faithful play an important part in Church life. Laos has strong bonds with the Oblate Missionaries of Mary Immaculate. The first OMI missionaries came to Laos in 1935, And until 1975 100 OMI missionaries, mostly French and Italian, worked in the country between e il 1975. During the war seven OMI were killed and the victorious Communist party expelled the others. The diocese of Trent in Italy has opened the cause for the beatification of OMI Fr Mario Borzaga, killed in Laos with a local catechist Thoj Xyooj Paolo in May 1960. The two courageous Christians were respectively 28 and 19 years old. (PA) (Agenzia Fides 10/1/2008 righe 24 parole 229)
