ASIA/THAILAND - Cardinal designate Kovithavanij: valuable religions to build a peaceful society

Friday, 9 January 2015

Bangkok (Agenzia Fides) - Religions, and therefore religious leaders, have an important role to carry out in building peaceful and harmonious societies: is what the Archbishop of Bangkok, His Exc. Mgr. Kriengsak Kovitvanit said. The Archbishop, 66, is among the 20 new Cardinals named by Pope Francis. As Fides learns, during a public intervention the Archbishop remarked that "all religions should be united in promoting, among their faithful, a consciousness based on respect and love for our neighbor, according to the value of universal brotherhood", which today is important, in a global context, in order "to prevent unrest and conflict".
The Archbishop also stressed the importance of education: "It is the right of every man, rich or poor, to receive quality education", he said, noting the commitment of the Church in this field. Referring to his appointment, he said that the presence of three new Cardinals from Southeast Asia (Burmese Cardinal Charles Maung Bo and the Vietnamese Nguyen Van Nhon), "could increase the popularity of the Catholic Church in the region".
The first Thai Cardinal was Michael Michai Kitbunchu, 86, Archbishop of Bangkok from 1973 to 2009. Out of 60 million inhabitants, mostly Buddhists in Thailand, the Catholic Church represents less than 1% of the population. (PA) (Agenzia Fides 09/01/2015)


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