We received the fantastic news of Fr Somphone (Pon) Vilavongsy’s ordination to the priesthood from Bishop Jean Khamsé Vithavong OMI in Vientiane, Laos. His letter follows:
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June 20th 2006
Dearest Father John Maher and Father Mark Edwards
Pon has been made a priest for ever.
I would like to address the deepest thanks to St Mary’s seminary [in Melbourne, Australia] and to the Provincials of Australia during this time, Fr Moroney and Fr Ryan for making this wonderful event possible.
The ordination took place last Sunday, June 18th, in the presence of His Excellency, the papal nuncio and the four bishops of Laos (Bishops Vithavong, Sommeng, Ling and Banchong), Fr Pricha OMI (the Oblate Provincial for Laos and Thailand), and 5 (of the 10) priests of Laos, three deacons and about 1,500 of the people from all over Laos. All this is overwhelming for the very poor Church in Laos. We also invited the civil authorities, especially those who are in charge of the Ministry of Religion.
The ceremony started at 9.00am and the celebrations continued until 4.00pm. Everything was perfectly smooth, simple but solemn.
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Very dear Fathers,
If the Kingdom is what we all believe it to be, this will bear an abundant fruit, no matter how long it will take, no matter how hard it might become.
Pray for Pon, and for me, to be strong and to remain young at heart, so as to be able to undergo all the privations, all the threats, all that tries to erase our faith in the power of the Kingdom of God our Father, of God our Brother, of God our Spirit of Love.
More than any word I can express, more than any reward I can bring you in this world, may the Good Lord and Father continue to give you the necessary hope and strength of Faith to carry on the work of formation at the service of our poorer Churches.
With my deepest thanks and affection in the Lord and the Blessed Mother.
(signed) Bishop John Khamsé Vithavong, omi
Bishop if Vientiane, Laos.
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To put this letter in context, Bishop Khamsé, an Oblate and the bishop of Vientiane, has for some time been the only active priest in his diocese and his health is failing. In November 2004, he sent a fax saying that, like Jesus, he had fallen for the third time (he had fainted on three occasions while saying Masses) and he was concerned that he couldn’t survive unless he got help. He asked if one of the two Laotian Oblate students at St Mary’s Missionary Oblate Seminary, Melbourne, Australia could be ordained early (two years early) to come over and help him. We approached Br Somphone (Pon) Vilavongsy and he said yes. We delayed his departure for a semester so as to give him some essential subjects (sacramental theology, instruction in how to administer the sacrament of confession and canon law). He was ordained a deacon in Melbourne in early July 2005 and then went to Laos.
Now Laos is not like Australia. It is a communist country and the communists look on the Church with great suspicion. Religion is regulated and so permissions are needed for ordination.
So as to cause minimal disruption to the communists, the Bishop decided to try for Pon’s ordination in a small country village that is totally Catholic. The first layer of permission, that of the Catholic village head, was a shoo-in. They then went up to the district mayor. The communist officials gave them the run around for almost a year before refusing permission at the last moment. Police patrolled the roads to make sure that no-one came. The head of the village was most embarrassed and furious and many international guests who had come went home disappointed. Br Pon remained in Vientiane working on helping the bishop administer the diocese and getting permission for his ordination.
Since then the authorities have reconsidered their decision and permission for the ordination was granted in April this year.
The Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate thank you, our supporters who have helped make this possible and ask you to join with us in thanking God and praising Him with joy in our hearts for this wonderful occasion.
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