The Beginning of the Jesuit History in Siam (1607-1767)
"The Society of Jesus" or what we know as "the Jesuits" was born through God's grace given to St. Ignatius and his other first nine companions. This order was approved by Pope Paul III in 1540. Since that time, there have been many men who have followed and offered themselves in this religious order to serve God and other fellow humankind. They are from different nationalities and backgrounds; they are known as "Jesuits," and now, they are all over the world, including Thailand. Though many, they have the same goal, that is, "For the greater glory of God" (Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam).
After the Society of Jesus was founded, St. Francis Xavier, one of the first companions, was sent to Asia for evangelization. Siam was one of the Kingdoms that was mentioned in his writings, because he thought to go with the Siamese Ambassador to China. However, St. Francis Xavier died on Sancian Island, not far from the Chinese main land, before he could fulfill his intention. Later, during the reign of King Ekathosarot (December, 1607) the first Jesuit priest, Fr. Balthasar Sdevara, entered Siam and worked here. After that, there were other Jesuits who came to Siam to work as well.
In the reign of King Narai the Great, there are some well-known Jesuits who had the opportunity to serve His Majesty, e.g. Fr. Valguarnera, an engineer, who built the city wall of Lopburi, the royal palace, and other buildings; Fr. Guy Tachart came to Siam with the ambassadors of the King Louis XIV of France, and later he accompanied the Siamese ambassadors to France, etc.
King Narai loved to look at the stars. He asked some Jesuits who were specialized in astronomy and mathematics to stay and build the observatory tower near his palace in Lopburi. Even today, we can see some remnants part of the tower at the San Paolo Church. In 1767, when the Ayutthaya Kingdom lost to the Myanmar King- dom, there were no more Jesuits in Siam. It was the end of the first coming of the Jesuits in Thailand.
The second return of the Jesuits in Thailand
Almost two hundred years later, the Society of Jesus returned to Siam for the second time. In 1954, Bishop Louis Chorin wrote a letter to the Jesuit Superior General in Rome asking for the Jesuits to work in Thailand. Fr. Paul O'Brian was asked to respond to the invitation, and then Fr. Pietro Cerutti, an Italian Jesuit, was the first Jesuit to enter to Thailand for the second coming. He arrived on November 17, 1954, in Klong Toey port, Bangkok. Not so long after that, he was joined by many Jesuits from different countries; they started to learn Thai and work in various places. However, their main works were accompanying the Catholic university students and teaching in the university.
Eventually, there were younger Jesuits sent to work in Thailand, coming both from the West and from Asia. They added greatly to the man-powers of the Society here in Thailand. Today, we see an increasing of the local Thai Jesuits as well.
Today, the Jesuits work in three major cities of Thailand: Bangkok, Chiangmai, and Chiangrai. These pages give you an introduction to our varied works today.
