Pastoral Letter from Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Thailand
CBCT 104/2026
Thai Catholics Journeying Together
For A Synodal Church, Communion, Participation and Mission toward 2033
(The Decade of Celebration of the 2,000th Anniversary of the Redemption in 2033)
To all clergies, consecrated women and men, and beloved lay faithful,
During this time, the Church enters a historic decade (2023–2033) marking the 2,000th anniversary of the Redemption. The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Thailand invites all Catholics to recognize their role in a Synodal Church to walk together by listening to the Holy Spirt and reflecting upon the Word of God, and putting it into daily practice. This is to drive the mission of proclaiming the Good News as “missionary disciples” and a “community of faith” who live with humility, listen to one another, respect differences, and build an atmosphere of unity in mission through the participation of families, parish communities, and educational institutions.
The Catholic Church cannot remain still amidst the rapid changes in global and Thai society. Therefore, it has established a framework to restructure and align working directions for effective proclamation of the Good News and a genuine response to the needs of Thai society. This is achieved through holistic integration, elevated strategic management, and enhanced cooperation among dioceses, religious congregations, institutes, and lay organizations, with the clear mission of proclaiming the Good News by acting as prophets who tangibly declare God’s love in Thai society to the utmost of our abilities.
To effectively drive the mission of Thai Catholics toward 2033, the Catholic Church in Thailand hereby proclaims the following directional agenda:
1. Together, Strengthening a Synodal Church, Communion, Participation, and Mission
The Catholic Church is committed to promoting a “culture of Synodality (the synodal way)” that encourages journeying together by listening to the voice of the Holy Spirit, listening to God’s Word, and listening to one another. This fosters shared reflection and opens the door to the participation of all—especially the laity, women, and youth—so that everyone can use their diverse gifts for the mission of the Church in unity. Whether at the level of parish communities, Catholic educational institutions, or organizations, this culture of Synodality becomes the most effective way of life and mission to proclaim the Good News according to the nature of the Church as missionary disciples who proclaim the Good News to our brothers and sisters in Thai society amidst diversity, jointly building a society of fraternity and peace.
2. A Synodal Church: Building a Culture of Transparency, Joint Decision-Making, and Shared Responsibility
Walking together with transparency is not merely an administrative procedure or process, but a fundamental attitude rooted in Scripture: “But we have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully, but by the manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to everyone’s conscience in the sight of God.” (2 Cor 4:2).
Every diocese, parish community, organization, and Catholic educational institution has the duty to develop effective models and processes for shared responsibility and transparency in operational and financial practices, demonstrating transparency in how the Church’s worldly goods and financial resources are managed.
3. A Synodal Church: The protection of Minors and Vulnerable Persons
The Church firmly upholds the principle of respecting human dignity, recognizing that everyone is a child of God and created in His sacred image (cf. Gen 1:28). It is a Church that cares for one another with heightened attention, especially toward minors and the most vulnerable. By giving importance and care to the voices and rights of those who have been abused, along with a scope of protection that covers minors and vulnerable persons from the abuse of power, we jointly build a culture of safe environments in every organization, parish community, and educational institution of the Catholic Church.
The protection of minors and vulnerable persons is a dimension of trust and credibility for a Church that cares about relationships. Therefore, it requires clear operational frameworks and policies translated into the concrete creation of safe environments. Consequently, every diocese must have a working committee, accessible reporting channels, appropriate measures to ensure safe spaces for children and vulnerable persons, require personnel across all units to sign and acknowledge codes of conduct, and integrate proactive prevention measures and professional auditing at all levels of the dioceses, organizations, and educational institutions.
4. A Synodal Church: A Church of Life and a Church for Life
In fulfilling its prophetic role, the Church must develop its working approaches to clearly demonstrate its prophetic presence in Thai society—one that is ready to dedicate herself and concretely proclaim the care for life, protect human value and dignity, and promote social justice by embracing every human being at every stage of life: unborn infants, children, youth, women, the elderly, prisoners, migrants, the poor, and the vulnerable in society.
5. A Synodal Church: walking Together in Solidarity with Thai Society, Responding to the Cries of Disasters, the Poor, and the Vulnerable in Concrete Ways
At a time when the world and Thai society are facing rapid changes—including economic, social, and technological challenges, environmental crises, climate change, and disasters caused by global warming—the Church invites all of us to “listen” to God’s Word, the voices of the poor and vulnerable, and the painful cries of nature. Recognizing that this world is our common home (cf. Laudato Si’, nos. 13, 49), we respond together to these cries through personal participation and collaborative work via the Church’s departments, organizations, and religious institutes dedicated to helping disaster victims, the needy, and the vulnerable with the heart of love and mercy of Jesus Christ.
6. A Synodal Church: Walking Together, Pooling Our Energy to “Care for Creation and Care for One Another” to Pass on Hope and a Sustainable Future for Our Common Home
The Catholic Church is committed to continuing our journey with a “heart that cares for creation and cares for one another” to drive a society that looks after the environment, inspired by the encyclical Laudato Si’. This ensures that all Catholics, organizations, and Catholic bodies walk together in unity with participation to care for the world as our common home through ecological conversion, the modification of consumption habits, and concrete joint actions at the family, parish, educational, and community levels. This includes collaborating with various networks such as other religions, government sectors, and civil society, while embracing vulnerable and needy brothers and sisters with mercy to genuinely care for our common home and participate in solving natural and social crises, passing on this world as a suitable home worthy of the dignity of humanity and all creation to future generations.
7. A Synodal Church: Walking Together to Make Catholic Education Part of the Mission to Proclaim the Good News
The Catholic Church truly recognizes the importance of making our schools authentically Catholic. This is not merely providing educational services, but forming a vital part of the Church’s evangelizing mission so that Gospel values become integrated into the entire educational experience in Catholic schools. Education should not only prepare students for careers, but help youth discover the meaning of their lives, preparing children and youth for a meaningful life, a life of responsibility, building relationships with brothers, sisters, and creation, and dedicating themselves to service in society.
Beloved brothers and sisters, the Catholic Church in Thailand has much to be grateful for and to praise God for through the long history of evangelization, built upon the dedication and sacrifice of missionaries, bishops, priests, consecrated women and men, lay faithful committed to the mission of proclaiming the Good News, and strong educational institutions in Thai society. All of us Catholics are called to continue these missions of proclaiming the Good News by walking together in mission with humility, courage, transparency, and hope. This allows us to shine ever more brightly as a Church that walks together, bearing joyful witness to the Gospel as a Church that gives life, a serving Church, a protecting Church, and an educating Church.
Beloved brothers and sisters, walking together on the synodal path toward 2033 relies on the communion, participation and sacrifice of everyone. May the Holy Spirit guide and bless all Catholic families, uniting our efforts to build a Thai society and a world filled with love, peace, and salvation in Christ.
Given on Thursday, October 1st, 2026
Feast Day of Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus and the Holy Face
(The Most Reverend Francis Xavier Vira Arpondratana)
Archbishop of Bangkok
President, Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Thailand – CBCT
