ASIA/THAILAND - Bishop of Nakhon Sawan appointed

Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) – The Holy Father Benedict XVI, on June 19, 2009, appointed Fr. Joseph Pibul Visitnondachai of the clergy of Bangkok, Thailand, secretary general for social pastoral ministries of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Thailand, as Bishop of Nakhon Sawan (Thailand).
Fr. Joseph Pibul Visitnondachai was born on June 1, 1946 in Bang Buathong, in the Archdiocese of Bangkok. He attended Minor Seminary at Sacred Heart of Jesus in Siricha and then studied philosophy and theology at the “General College” in Penang, Malaysia. He was ordained a priest on March 17, 1974 for the Archdiocese of Bangkok. He has since ministered as follows: 1974-1978: Parish Vicar of St. Raphael Church in Samutriprakarn; 1979-1983: Pastor of Our Lady of Lourdes Church, Bangkok; 1983-1992: Rector of St. Joseph Minor Seminary, Sampran; 1987-1992: Director of the Catholic Council of Thailand for Development; 1987-1996: members of the College of Consultants of the Archdiocese and Bishop's Vicar for charitable activities and social development; 1992-1996: Director of the Social Action Center of the Archdiocese; 1996-2003: Chaplain and Spiritual Director of the Sisters of the Sacred Heart, Bangkok. Since 1998: Director of the Catholic Commission for Emergency Relief and Refugees (COERR); Since 2001: Secretary General for the Catholic Social Commission of CBCT.
Diocese of Nakhon Sawan (1969) is a suffragan of the Archdiocese of Bangkok. It covers an area of 93,547 km sq, with 8,327,053 inhabitants (16,000 Catholics), 29 parishes, 34 priest, 9 religious, 13 seminarians, and 44 religious. (SL) (Agenzia Fides 19/6/2009)