Guidelines for Basic Ecclesial Communities in Thailand Case Study: Saint Gaspar Bertoni Church, Lam Liang, Diocese of Surat Thani

Abstract

The objectives of this research are 1. to study ethics in the life of the Basic Ecclesial Community in Gaspar Bertoni Parish, Lum Liang, Diocese of Surat Thani, 2. to study about the pastoral issues to strengthen faith of parishioners. This is qualitative research which uses interviews as a tool.
The informant group used for the first objective consists of 11 people, including of 1) The director of BEC of the Diocese of Surat Thani, Sister Supa Thongamphai, 2) The pastor of Saint Gaspar Bertoni Church and 3) Christian 9 people out of 90 parishioners of Saint Gaspar Bertoni Church. The expert group used for the second objective consists of 7 people including 1) The director of BEC of the Diocese of Surat Thani 2) Another director of BEC from another diocese 3) The current and the former pastors of Saint Gaspar Bertoni Church 4) The head of the family ministry of the Diocese of Surat Thani and 5) Two representative parishioness of the Diocese of Surat Thani
Consequences according to the research.
1. Living in a Basic Ecclesial Community has Christ as the centre of life. It expresses faith which is nourished by sharing the word of God and living in love and unity through activities such as visiting of parishioners’ houses, praying the rosary together in a home during October, and blessing homes with the Baby Jesus. These can show how Basic Ecclesial Communities work concretely. They also allow the word of God to alter life of parishioners to be more faithful. They help to purify faith and involve parishioners in preaching the word.
2. Basic Ecclesiastical Community is a tool for the formation and preaching of the word. It is a starting point for all Christians to be rooted in love and impels them to express the enthusiasm from the word of God in love, sharing, visiting, others and counseling one another, for example, about plants, or about enhancing production products. BEC is a tool to form and purify faith through self-sacrifice for others.
3. Approaches to strengthen BEC of this parish include 1. To nourish and support faith. In other word, it allows pastor to pay attention to BEC by applying the word in parishioners’ lives. 2. It is to extend BEC to the young and the migrants by having them experience prayers. Pastors and parishioners challenge the young and pass on their faith within their families and present themselves as Christians. These are going to be the important approaches to support BEC in future.