14 January 1934: when in Rome, His Holiness PIO XI proclaimed the Foundress a saint, 4 Sisters of Charity from the then Religious Province of Savoy arrived in Thakhet, a small town, capital of the province of Khammouane.
At the origin was the request of Father Victor Barbier, in charge of the small Christian community of Thakhek, composed mainly of Vietnamese exiles from Vinh, where he had been parish priest: the missionary had appealed for a foundation in Laos to several women’s congregations in Europe. After no fewer than 26 negative replies, he finally received the willingness of the Superior General, Mother Anne Lapierre. The 4 first missionaries were Sr Marie Céleste, Sr Marie-Geneviève, Sr Annunziata et Sr Anastasie.
The tragic events of the expulsion of the foreign missionaries and the isolation of the country and the Laotian church date back to 1975. Within two months, the communists had taken over the entire country. Church property was seized and the Sisters of Charity, in a discreet manner, took over the care of Christians in villages scattered across the land, sharing the simple life of the rural people.
We thank all these courageous and tenacious Sisters of Charity, who silently and industriously kept the presence and proximity of the Church alive in difficult times.
From the Circular of 6 January 2024 by Mother Maria Rosa
“Dearest sisters present on the four continents,
next January14th, Thakhek, Laos, will be celebrating the 90th anniversary of the presence of the Sisters of Charity in South Asia. On the 14 January 1934, Jeanne Antide was proclaimed Saint, while in Laos, on that same day, the first Sisters of Charity reached the country. It is an important anniversary for the whole Congregation, for which we give God thanks. It’s a historical page enriched with deep faith and many energies so that the charism could be realized in that country and in the heart of the people. Through the sacrifices of many Sisters, who were obliged to live in isolation due to the country’s political situation, the Lord blessed them with the gift of new vocations. Their culture and talents have enriched and continue to enrich our religious Family”.
The Lao People’s Democratic Republic is a socialist state that embraces communist values. This land has the oldest recorded human settlement in Southeast Asia, dating back to around 46000 BC. It was once part of an ancient Hindu empire; today it has a firmly rooted local Buddhist culture, with a majority Buddhist population.
The Catholic Church in Laos was originally part of the Apostolic Vicariate of Eastern Siam. Today there are four Apostolic Vicariates in Laos, with a total of about 60,000 Catholics throughout the country. Officially recognised in 1979 by the Laotian National Development Front, the relationship between the Church and the government has gradually improved.
The Catholic Church in Laos was originally part of the Apostolic Vicariate of Eastern Siam. December 8, 1885 is the date that is conventionally accepted for the birth of the Catholic Church in Laos. On that day, missionaries from the Paris Foreign Mission (MEP) officially founded the first mission which was located on an island in the Mekong River called Ban Dorn Don. Today there are 4 Apostolic Vicariates in Laos, totaling about 60,000 Catholics throughout the country, only 1 percent of the population. Officially recognized in 1979 by the Laotian Front for National Development, the relationship between church and government has been gradually improving.
