Joaquim Magalhães de Castro
The small Catholic community of Laos recently celebrated the priestly ordination of two deacons at the Cathedral of St. Louis in Thakhek, Khammouane province. They are Father Peter Gnantina Phiakeo (C.Ss.R.) and Father Philip Nouy Kamhou (C.Ss.R.). The celebration presided over by Jean-Marie Vianney Prida Inthirath, Apostolic Vicar of Savannakhet-Khammouane, included as guests representatives of state authorities and other religious authorities. The two priests belong to the Redemptorist Province of Thailand, which announced the invitation on social media and expressed great joy “for these two new reinforcements,” who, according to the norms of their religious province, will greatly enrich the Catholic community in Laos pastorally.
The ordination of the two priests is also “a sign of the silent and steady growth of the Catholic Church in Laos,” where religious men offer assistance, especially in the pastoral care of populations in villages and remote areas, particularly ethnic minorities such as the Hmong, and participate in social development projects.
Throughout Southeast Asia, the Redemptorists dedicate themselves to serving the poorest and most vulnerable (such as internally displaced persons) and ethnic minorities, contributing to the training of local parish staff. The Redemptorists of the Province of Thailand, in addition to their activity in their own country, serve and care for people of Laotian origin and the Hmong ethnic group in Nan province, in northeastern Thailand. Over time, a close relationship has developed with the Laotian people, characterized by understanding and solidarity. The ordination and presence of new local priests represent “an important step towards a more stable presence within the borders of Laos,” while the local Church continues to prioritize the pastoral care of young Laotians who feel called to the priesthood, since the permanent presence of foreign missionaries or religious is not permitted in the country.
The Redemptorists have maintained close ties with Laos since the mid-20th century: between the 1920s and 1940s, these religious began their missionary work in Southeast Asia and established communities in Vietnam, Cambodia, and Thailand. Particularly in Thailand, the Redemptorists supported the small Laotian Catholic community and contributed to the formation of young men who felt called to religious life and the priesthood and entered the seminary.
Nearly two centuries after the arrival of the Gospel, the Catholic Church in Laos, according to the 2025 Pontifical Yearbook, now has approximately 53,000 faithful and is divided into four Apostolic Vicariates: Vientiane, Thakhek, Pakse, and Luang Prabang. Each of these vicariates has small parishes and communities, some of which are scattered throughout the most remote villages. The Laotian Catholic community is served by about 30 diocesan priests and 26 religious priests and includes about 50 seminarians (in the seminary and minor seminary). A local female religious congregation (the Sisters of the Lovers of the Cross) and twelve international religious orders operate in the country, totalling about 150 members. A sign of the Catholic community’s revival and special encouragement for new vocations to religious life was the priestly ordination of Sophone Vilavongsy, a priest of the Oblates of Mary Immaculate, in Vientiane in 2005, after a long period of closure.
This was the first priestly ordination of the Catholic Church in Laos since 1975, when the Pathet Lao movement took power in the country. Since then, the government has restricted religious activities, ordered the expulsion of all foreign missionaries, and refused to grant the Catholic Church permission to hold new priestly ordinations in the country. The last priestly ordinations in Laos took place in 2018, when four new priests were ordained at St. Louis Cathedral in Takhek. Today, the Christian community in Laos (which includes Catholics, Protestants, Seventh-day Adventists, Baptists, and other denominations) represents about 1.5% of the population of approximately 7.5 million, the majority of whom are Buddhist.
Regarding the recent ordinations, in statements to the Fides news agency, Monsignor Enrique Figaredo, Apostolic Prefect of Battambang, Cambodia, and current president of the Laotian-Cambodian Episcopal Conference (CELAC), expressed his closeness and joy: “The Laotian community, despite the existing limitations and difficulties, moves forward with faith, hope, and charity. It does not let itself be discouraged. Laos is a beautiful country, both for its natural beauty and for the character of its people, always so kind and welcoming. We are happy that the Lord continues to provide workers for his harvest in a community that needs priests for the pastoral care of the faithful.”
Our Lord works wonders in a wonderful place. The small Laotian Catholic Church looks to the future with hope, trusting in God’s Providence, and the gift of two new priests is very important to instill joy and confidence in the future.”
The Redemptorists are dedicated to serving the poor and the most spiritually abandoned. They work in parishes and shrines, minister religious services to immigrants, preach missions and parish retreats, promote devotion to Our Lady of Perpetual Help, and evangelize through traditional preaching and social media. Following in the footsteps of St. Alphonsus Liguori, St. Gerard Majella, St. Clement Mary Hofbauer, St. John Neumann, and 15 other beatified confreres, there are approximately 4,500 Redemptorists serving in 82 countries on five continents, assisted by many men and women who collaborate in their mission and together form the Redemptorist Family. Our Lady of Perpetual Help is the missionary icon of the Congregation.
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