Send CathInfo's owner Matthew a gift from his Amazon wish list:
https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/25M2B8RERL1UO

« previous next »
Pages: [1]

Author Topic: Most Reverend Abp. Lawrence Khai Saen-Phon-On  (Read 3064 times)

0 Members and 12 Guests are viewing this topic.

Offline Mark 79

  • Supporter
  • *****
  • Posts: 12636
  • Reputation: +8376/-1595
  • Gender: Male
Most Reverend Abp. Lawrence Khai Saen-Phon-On
« on: August 03, 2025, 12:08:18 PM »
  • Thanks!1
  • No Thanks!0
    • Most Reverend Abp. Lawrence Khai Saen-Phon-On (Thai: ลอเรนซ์ คายน์ แสนพลอ่อน, August 17, 1928 – July 24, 2007) was archbishop of Thare and Nonseng in northeast Thailand from 1980 till his retirement in 2004.

    Born in Ban Thung-Mon, Mueang Sakon Nakhon district, he became very sick as a young child and his Catholic mother begged God that he might live and promised to offer him to the holy priesthood should he survive. As a 12-15 year-old Catholic student in public (national) school, and a natural leader in his faith, Lawrence was targeted for torture by the Buddhist nationalist police officers of the government that had closed down his Catholic school. Among the torture he endured on the grounds of school the school principal took him from the classroom, locked him in his office and repeatedly bashed Lawrence's head against the wall in an effort to get him to reject his faith[citation needed]. At another time police officers showed up at school, placed a loaded gun in his mouth, and threatened to shoot if he did not renounce Jesus. At another time police lined up all the Catholic students and told them to cross a demarcated line if they believed in Jesus. Only Lawrence did, and for that he was suspended upside down in a well by his ankles. At another time they forced him to stare at the sun. Nearby, in 1940, seven young men and women, including nuns and children, were martyred for their faith[citation needed].

    Lawrence became a priest in Thare on January 16, 1957. Years later, the principal of the school who had persecuted Lawrence, asked for forgiveness, and he was inspired by Lawrence's witness of faith to convert to the Catholic faith[citation needed].

    Lawrence met the youngest of the would be seven martyrs, who had been a girl of 13. She marched to the place of martyrdom with the nuns and others but God miraculously spared her and she told, in detail, the story of the martyrdom to Archbishop Khai, who became the Postulator to promote the Cause for their sainthood…  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lawrence_Khai_Saen-Phon-On 
    Logged

    Offline Mark 79

    • Supporter
    • *****
    • Posts: 12636
    • Reputation: +8376/-1595
    • Gender: Male
    Re: Most Reverend Abp. Lawrence Khai Saen-Phon-On
    « Reply #1 on: August 03, 2025, 12:14:05 PM »
  • Thanks!1
  • No Thanks!0
    • Discussion about Masses in Japan prompted me to reflect on Catholicism in Asia. I had the good fortune to meet Abp. Khai at a pro-life conference in 2001. He offered the traditional Latin Mass in his Archdiocese, the only other archdiocese in Thailand besides Bangkok. His archdiocese is among the poorest, located in the NE of Thailand along the Mekong River, an area still under attack from the Cambodians who are goaded by those interested in seizing Thailand's natural gas assets.
    Logged

    Offline AMDG forever

    • Newbie
    • *
    • Posts: 61
    • Reputation: +51/-39
    • Gender: Male
    Re: Most Reverend Abp. Lawrence Khai Saen-Phon-On
    « Reply #2 on: August 03, 2025, 02:19:21 PM »
  • Thanks!0
  • No Thanks!0
    • It seems like he was a good man, but what was his position with regard to Vatican II?
    Logged

    Offline Mark 79

    • Supporter
    • *****
    • Posts: 12636
    • Reputation: +8376/-1595
    • Gender: Male
    Re: Most Reverend Abp. Lawrence Khai Saen-Phon-On
    « Reply #3 on: August 03, 2025, 05:07:23 PM »
  • Thanks!0
  • No Thanks!0
    • Quote from: AMDG forever on August 03, 2025, 02:19:21 PM
    It seems like he was a good man, but what was his position with regard to Vatican II?
    I never quizzed him explicitly on V2, but in our few conversations he expressed a love of the true Mass, promulgated the true Mass as best possible post V2, and voiced a commitment to perennial Magisterium. He repeatedly invited me to his archdiocese (see map for its 2025 boundaries, previously the archidiocese also included all of Laos), but regretfully I never acted on his invitation due to the then-duties of parenthood. Lousy excuse, I know.


    Logged

    Offline Incredulous

    • Hero Member
    • *****
    • Posts: 9385
    • Reputation: +9190/-913
    • Gender: Male
    Re: Most Reverend Abp. Lawrence Khai Saen-Phon-On
    « Reply #4 on: August 05, 2025, 04:17:02 PM »
  • Thanks!1
  • No Thanks!0
    • Quote from: Mark 79 on August 03, 2025, 12:08:18 PM

    “As a 12-15 year-old Catholic student in public (national) school, and a natural leader in his faith, Lawrence was targeted for torture by the Buddhist nationalist police officers of the government that had closed down his Catholic school. Among the torture he endured on the grounds of school the school principal took him from the classroom, locked him in his office and repeatedly bashed Lawrence's head against the wall in an effort to get him to reject his faith[citation needed].
    At another time police officers showed up at school, placed a loaded gun in his mouth, and threatened to shoot if he did not renounce Jesus. At another time police lined up all the Catholic students and told them to cross a demarcated line if they believed in Jesus. Only Lawrence did, and for that he was suspended upside down in a well by his ankles. At another time they forced him to stare at the sun. Nearby, in 1940, seven young men and women, including nuns and children, were martyred for their faith[citation needed].



    Father’s childhood Faith & bravery are inspiring!
    Logged
    "Some preachers will keep silence about the truth, and others will trample it underfoot and deny it. Sanctity of life will be held in derision even by those who outwardly profess it, for in those days Our Lord Jesus Christ will send them not a true Pastor but a destroyer."  St. Francis of Assisi

    Offline AMDG forever

    • Newbie
    • *
    • Posts: 61
    • Reputation: +51/-39
    • Gender: Male
    Re: Most Reverend Abp. Lawrence Khai Saen-Phon-On
    « Reply #5 on: August 05, 2025, 10:03:30 PM »
  • Thanks!0
  • No Thanks!0
    • Quote from: Mark 79 on August 03, 2025, 05:07:23 PM
    I never quizzed him explicitly on V2, but in our few conversations he expressed a love of the true Mass, promulgated the true Mass as best possible post V2, and voiced a commitment to perennial Magisterium. He repeatedly invited me to his archdiocese (see map for its 2025 boundaries, previously the archidiocese also included all of Laos), but regretfully I never acted on his invitation due to the then-duties of parenthood. Lousy excuse, I know.




    Interesting. How did you happen to meet him or connect with him? Did you ever discuss his holy orders? I hold that the new rite is doubtful, are you in agreement? 
    Logged

    Offline ThatBritPapist

    • Jr. Member
    • **
    • Posts: 176
    • Reputation: +117/-27
    • Gender: Male
    • I hate the Anti-Christ.
    Re: Most Reverend Abp. Lawrence Khai Saen-Phon-On
    « Reply #6 on: Yesterday at 05:44:26 AM »
  • Thanks!0
  • No Thanks!0
    • Quote from: Mark 79 on August 03, 2025, 12:08:18 PM
    Most Reverend Abp. Lawrence Khai Saen-Phon-On (Thai: ลอเรนซ์ คายน์ แสนพลอ่อน, August 17, 1928 – July 24, 2007) was archbishop of Thare and Nonseng in northeast Thailand from 1980 till his retirement in 2004.

    Born in Ban Thung-Mon, Mueang Sakon Nakhon district, he became very sick as a young child and his Catholic mother begged God that he might live and promised to offer him to the holy priesthood should he survive. As a 12-15 year-old Catholic student in public (national) school, and a natural leader in his faith, Lawrence was targeted for torture by the Buddhist nationalist police officers of the government that had closed down his Catholic school. Among the torture he endured on the grounds of school the school principal took him from the classroom, locked him in his office and repeatedly bashed Lawrence's head against the wall in an effort to get him to reject his faith[citation needed]. At another time police officers showed up at school, placed a loaded gun in his mouth, and threatened to shoot if he did not renounce Jesus. At another time police lined up all the Catholic students and told them to cross a demarcated line if they believed in Jesus. Only Lawrence did, and for that he was suspended upside down in a well by his ankles. At another time they forced him to stare at the sun. Nearby, in 1940, seven young men and women, including nuns and children, were martyred for their faith[citation needed].

    Lawrence became a priest in Thare on January 16, 1957. Years later, the principal of the school who had persecuted Lawrence, asked for forgiveness, and he was inspired by Lawrence's witness of faith to convert to the Catholic faith[citation needed].

    Lawrence met the youngest of the would be seven martyrs, who had been a girl of 13. She marched to the place of martyrdom with the nuns and others but God miraculously spared her and she told, in detail, the story of the martyrdom to Archbishop Khai, who became the Postulator to promote the Cause for their sainthood…  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lawrence_Khai_Saen-Phon-On
    Speaking about Thai Siam Bishops....



    John Bosco Manat Chuabsamai



    John Bosco Manat Chuabsamai (Thai: มนัส จวบสมัย; RTGS: Manat Chuapsamai; 31 October 1935 – 20 October 2011) was a Thai Roman Catholic prelate, who served as the bishop of Ratchaburi from 1986 to 2003.[1]



    In May 1993, during a visit to Manila in the Philippines, Manat came into contact with the Society of Saint Pius X. In April 2000, he met with the Superior General of the Society, Bishop Bernard Fellay. In 2001, he visited many of the Society's chapels in the United States. He resigned as bishop of Ratchaburi on 24 July 2003



    Return to Tradition

    I celebrated the Latin Mass for ten years (1960-70), but after a lapse of 30 years saying the Novus Ordo Mass, I had forgotten how to celebrate the Latin Mass. After Vatican II, from 1965 onwards, we were aroused to update—aggiornamento—our attitude, theology, and liturgy. Priests, religious, lay people—especially priests—took turns to effect this aggiornamento in different countries. In Asia the driving force to impose aggiornamento is the East Asian Pastoral Institute [EAPI], in Manila, run by the Jesuits, a part of St. Thomas University. Some priests were sent to Rome, others to various countries, for aggiornamento. I was not among them. Seminars and meetings were organized in my country to "update" the Catholic way of life according to the spirit of Vatican II. Life began to change quickly. Those priests who did not think or act as Vatican II taught were despised and labeled "pre-Vatican II priests." If you didn't move forward with the crowd, you were not really accepted.

    My bishop sent me to take a course at the Institute of Social Office [ISO] in Manila, run by the Jesuits. Providentially, I was somewhat protected. I was sent there to study a little bit about social change according to the Church teaching. I attended the Commission of Social Work. I studied at ISO and for five weeks and then went to Del Monte, south of Manila, to take a Jesuit course on family life concentrating on natural family planning. This was after the publication of the encyclical Humanae Vitae. Later, in 1976 or '77, I was sent to Catholic University for my philosophy study. I was flowing in the mainstream of Vatican II, smoothly and happily, until one day in May, 1993. It was the turning point of my life.

    It seems, Your Excellency, that it really took Bishop Lazo’s death to push you back to Tradition, as the Gospel says, “the grain of wheat dying….”


     

    When I was in Manila a friend encouraged me to go to Agoo, a part of the La Union Diocese [formerly of Bishop Salvador Lazo (1916-2000)]. Great numbers of people were going there to see an apparition of our Lady and a statue of the Madonna which reportedly wept tears of blood. In November of that year I had a chance to visit there and speak with the seer who told me that Bishop Lazo, the former bishop then retired in Manila, was in favor of this apparition and that I should meet with him.
    So I went to see Bishop Lazo and talked with him about the weeping Madonna. He told me as much as he knew about it from his own experience. I invited him to visit my diocese in Thailand and our relationship became more close. Later, when my duties took me to Manila, I used to go to visit Bishop Lazo...half an hour...one hour....The first time I went there he said, "Bishop, these are books for you to read." So I took the books and began to read, little by little. Another time I went and saw him he said: "Bishop, you must say the Tridentine Mass at least once or twice a month for your diocese. It is full of grace for your diocese." I listened to him but I didn't put it into practice because I thought, "Where can I find an old Missal?!" No more!  "Without an old Missal I cannot say the Tridentine Mass!" When I went back to Manila another time, I visited him again. He said, "Bishop Manat, I just read this book and I cannot bear it to see the prelates of the Church, the Pope, Ratzinger. They are modernists." I did not believe it. I just listened and kept it in my heart. He told me that I had to visit the priory of the Society of Saint Pius X nearby. I nodded my head. "OK, it is interesting," I thought. Who would introduce me to them? Moreover, hadn't I heard that this Society of Archbishop Lefebvre... He was a schismatic, wasn't he? How could I go to them? I felt I had to keep away from this Society. But, I didn't refuse Bishop Lazo. The last time I went to visit him before his hospitalization, he said, "Go to the priory." I said, "Next time." He was very happy to see me when I visited him in the hospital before his death though I never expected it would be the last time we would meet. I saw Fr. Sante was giving him Viaticuм....


    Bishop Manat: I thank God for this grace. The sacrifice of the life of Bishop Lazo turned me around. It was my intention already to return to the Latin Mass when I was with Fr. Couture...to start celebrating the Tridentine Mass once again. But, I am thankful for the prayers. At the last moment I might have changed my mind.

    How these priests of the Society of Saint Pius X were coming and coming to Thailand one after another...invading Thailand for nine months before Bishop Lazo's death! The first missionary of the Society who came to Thailand was Fr. Walliez. I think Bishop Lazo told him to visit me. Bishop Lazo had promised to come someday but wasn't able because of his illness. So, he put Fr. Walliez up to it, "You must go and visit him."

    And, it is true, I made it very difficult for Fr. Couture to contact me. That is another story he can tell.

    Fr. Couture: Fr. Walliez was on his way to Europe. I told him to take three days, go to Thailand, find Bishop Manat and make a contact, because we had his address but we had no phone numbers. One of our Filipinos living in Bangkok took a day off from work to drive Fr. Walliez all the way to his bishop's house. He was not there but the vicar general was. Fr. Walliez asked, "Do you know where His Excellency is?" The vicar general said he didn't. So Fr. Walliez asked, "Do you have the phone number of anyone who would know?" The vicar general hesitated, then pulled out a phone number and said, "Try this." Father called, but the person at the other end didn't know, so Father insisted to the vicar general, "Do you know anybody else?" It took 45 minutes of this kind of conversation for the vicar general to give His Excellency's cell phone number! He normally never left it on he was told, normally used it only to call out and never to receive calls; but at that moment it was on. They made contact; he was in Bangkok. Back the hour's drive to Bangkok went Fr. Walliez and his driver to meet Bishop Manat in a hospital for 20 minutes. Mission accomplished! His Excellency gave us all his phone numbers so we could reach him. That was in July 1999. In October, I went back and met him for two hours; then in January, March, May, and September.

    Bishop Manat: As the Superior of the Society of Saint Pius X in the District of Asia, Fr. Couture had in command priests of the region living close by. Fr. Loschi came from the Society's priory in Sri Lanka. And I was very happy to have Fr. Couture from nearby Singapore come to give some talks to my people. I have got a small group of lay people whom I call for spiritual renewal every three or four months. They come to Mount Thabor or Cha-am near the sea [70 miles south of Bangkok on the shore of the Gulf of Thailand—Ed.] to make spiritual retreats, so I asked Fr. Couture to give a talk to them a few times and also to celebrate the Latin Mass. I ask this so my people will begin to remember and rediscover their memories of the old traditional days. This group is quite open to Tradition. Fr. Couture is scheduled to give an Ignatian Retreat to a group of 30 or 40 people on Mount Thabor.
     

    To read more:

    https://isidore.co/misc/Res%20pro%20Deo/Pope%20St.%20Pius%20X%20&%E2%81%84or%20SSPX/The%20Angelus/HTMLs/2108.html



    Logged
    Some People call me a Radical Traditionalist but others call me Shizo.....Oh well :trollface:

    Offline Mark 79

    • Supporter
    • *****
    • Posts: 12636
    • Reputation: +8376/-1595
    • Gender: Male
    Re: Most Reverend Abp. Lawrence Khai Saen-Phon-On
    « Reply #7 on: Yesterday at 08:45:34 PM »
  • Thanks!0
  • No Thanks!0
    • The loss of such priests/prelates brings us ever closer to the nadir of "the abomination of desolation."
    Logged
    Pages: [1]
    « previous next »