Lectio Divina with Bishop Joseph Prathan

On 05 December 2013 at 2.00-4.00 p.m. Bishop Joseph Prathan Sridarunsil, S.D.B. of the Diocese of Surat Thani.He present lecture of the Lectio Divina for novices and formators. 

He explained how to understand the word of God that could be represented with the image of ladders his ladder had five steps. These can be called first stage is lectio (reading) where we read the Word of God,  The second stage is meditatio (reflection) where we think about the text we have chosen, 

The third stage is oratio (response) where we leave our thinking aside and simply let our hearts speak to God. The final stage of Lectio Divina is contemplatio (rest) where we let go not only of our own ideas, plans and meditations but also of our holy words and thoughts. We rest in the Word 

Retreat in Chiengmai

On November 11, at 5 am we started our journey to chiang mai for our spiritual exercise and to see the Stigmatine mission areas. We traveled from the south of Thailand to the north of Thailand.

On the way to chiang mai we stopped by Zonta the mission area of Stigmatinesin ratcha buri. We have a parish there named St. Angela. Fr. Dominic Patharapon is the parish priest there. We reached there by 6 pm on November 11 and we stayed ther over night. We had really good and enjoyable night there. Next day morning by 7.30 am we continued our journey to chiang mai.

After traveling the whole day on November 12 by 9. 30 pm we reached at seven fountain spirituality center of Jesuit fathers. We had the spiritual exercise, the Ignatian way of retreat, there for three days under the guidance of fr. Paul lock SJ from Poland. We really enjoyed the retreat and it was spiritually enriching. It was a self-meditation and contemplative way of retreat. No long sharing or speeches. Every day in the morning at 9. Am fr. Paul will give the biblical passages for our meditation and contemplation. We had to find three prayer periods a day with enough time gap. The method that fr. Paul used for our retreat was really more helpful and fruitful. We could really make use of our prayer periods very well. On 15^th November we finished our retreat.

On 16^th we went around Chiang Mai to see and enjoy the beauty of Chiang Mai province. We went up on the mountain to see the place called Doi Poi. It was really a beautiful place. It is a village of a group of tribes with a special and colorful dress and with a beautiful flower garden. This place is famous for the silk and for the handicraft items. After spending a certain time there for site viewing and shopping we went to see the palace of the king and queen. Unfortunately we were not allowed to enter inside the palace, but we went around it and enjoyed the beauty of the garden around palace. There were many wonders waiting for us. We saw the giant bamboo there.

Acceptance; 5 novices on May,02, 2013

A plan of having an international novitiate had been realized and officially started on May 1, 2013.

5 young men come from 3 different countries in Asia had publicly asked to be admitted as Novices in the Congregation of Sacred Stigmata of Our Lord Jesus Christ during the Lauds around 7 am. Rev. Fr. Joseph Winai Pleinbumrung had accepted their request in the Novitiate Chapel, DowroongWittaya, Phuket Thailand.

Carlos Avenido, 22, years old and Laudemer Aninion, 26 years old are coming from the Philippines from the Province of Our Lady of Hope. Jobin Joseph Thayyil, 24, years and Nidhin Devassia, 23 years old are coming from India and also from the Province of Our Lady of Hope Province. Thawatchai Krasaesing, 23, years old is coming from Thailand from the Province of Our Lady of the Morning Star.

All the Stigmatines Confreres who were present embraced the newly admitted novices as sign of welcoming them into their Congregation. 

Rev. Fr. Jose Lasam and     Fr. Jimado Pura who are Filipinos and representatives from the Our Lady of Hope Province witnessed the event.

The acceptance though simple in itself, but through the presence of a good number of Thai-Priests, Brothers and seminarians this made the celebration holy and solemn.

St. Gaspar Bertoni, our founder is indeed much happy to see that everyone is living the camaraderie and fraternal support that long time ago he himself had practiced.