Home 
Jesuit History in Thailand The Second Wave
Jesuit History in Thailand The Second Wave
Page 1 of 5
THE JESUITS IN THAILAND
Part II
1954 - 1979
by
Pietro Cerutti, S.J.
[synopsis]
The occasion of this new Jesuit Mission to Thailand had something similar to the beginning of the old Mission to Siam. Then it was the ruin of the flourishing Mission of Japan that made the Jesuits come to Siam; now it was the ruin of the Missions of China, after the Communists conquered that land, that was the occasion of the Jesuits coming to Thailand.
To His Excellency Mgr. Louis Chorin, Bishop of Bangkok,
To answer the desire and invitation of His Excellency, Mgr. Louis Chorin, Bishop of Bangkok, who is asking the Society of Jesus to share in the evangelization of His Vicariate, namely, in what regards the Apostolate of the university students and other people of the same cultural ‘milieu’ (class), the Society of Jesus respectfully asks for the permission to establish, in accordance with Can. 497 of the Code of Canon Law, a Religious House in Bangkok, so that the Society may perform the ministries according to its Institute.
Your servant in Christ,
Paul W. O’Brien, S.J.
Vice-Visitor of the China Missions
__________
Most heartily we give our agreement to this
request of the Society of Jesus to establish
in Bangkok (Siam), a Religious House.
Bangkok 14 August 1954
+ Louis Chorin, Bishop
Vicar Apostolic of Bangkok
As a consequence of these letters, the evening of November 17, 1954 saw Fr. Pietro Cerutti, S.J. landing in Klongtoei, the harbor of Bangkok.
On January 3, 1955 they [Fr. Pietro Cerutti & Fr. Joseph Donohue] moved to 14/7 Rajaprarob Road, a small, wooden two story house, which they rented for one year….
On January 24, 1955 the third member of the community arrived, Fr. Georges Marin, and on April 2nd, the fourth, Fr. Alfred Bonningue. Later on, after Fr. Eugene Denis arrived at the end of 1955, he and almost all those who followed for the next six to seven years went to study the language at Assumption School of the Brothers of St. Gabriel in Sriracha.
At the end of 1955 a larger house was rented at 131 Rajadamri Lane, Rajadamri Road, near the Rajaprasong Crossing. The compound was about 3,000 square meters.
request of the Society of Jesus to establish
in Bangkok (Siam), a Religious House.
Bangkok 14 August 1954
+ Louis Chorin, Bishop
Vicar Apostolic of Bangkok
As a consequence of these letters, the evening of November 17, 1954 saw Fr. Pietro Cerutti, S.J. landing in Klongtoei, the harbor of Bangkok. On January 3, 1955 they [Fr. Pietro Cerutti & Fr. Joseph Donohue] moved to 14/7 Rajaprarob Road, a small, wooden two story house, which they rented for one year….
On January 24, 1955 the third member of the community arrived, Fr. Georges Marin, and on April 2nd, the fourth, Fr. Alfred Bonningue. Later on, after Fr. Eugene Denis arrived at the end of 1955, he and almost all those who followed for the next six to seven years went to study the language at Assumption School of the Brothers of St. Gabriel in Sriracha.
At the end of 1955 a larger house was rented at 131 Rajadamri Lane, Rajadamri Road, near the Rajaprasong Crossing. The compound was about 3,000 square meters.