Catholics in Thailand are excited to see Pope Francis, none more than his second cousin
- Sister Ana Rosa Sivori, a vice principal in northeast Thailand, shares a great-grandfather with Pope Francis
- She says her second cousin is ‘old school’, never writing emails and instead sending handwritten letters dispatched through the Vatican’s embassy in Bangkok
Catholics in Thailand are celebrating the official announcement of the first papal visit in 35 years, as Pope Francis is set to make a trip to Asia that will also see him travelling to Japan.
Originally from Buenos Aires in Argentina, Sister Ana Rosa arrived in Thailand in 1966 and has worked as a missionary in several parts of the country.
As word of a planned papal visit spread ahead of the announcement, the vice principal at St Mary’s girls’ school in Udon Thani, about 570km (355 miles) northeast of Bangkok, went from being an almost invisible presence to being at the centre of increasingly excited attention in her community.
“Many people who are not Catholics, they are asking me every time. Is he coming? When is he coming? Will he be coming? Because, it means that they are interested. They want to see him. They want to meet him,” she said.
“Then, of course, for the Catholics, it would be a push to be a good Catholics, to be good Christians.”
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Hundreds of thousands flocked to see the pope on that visit, including many who travelled from neighbouring Thailand – but not Sister Ana Rosa. She said she did not want to take up his time.
She insists, however, that the two are close, and stay in touch. He is “old school”, she says, never sending emails and instead writing letters by hand and dispatching them through the Vatican’s embassy in Bangkok.
The last time the cousins met face to face was two years ago at the Vatican.
“I will be glad to see him, and he will be glad to see me also,” she said, smiling broadly. “We will have the chance to see each other and have the chance to talk a little bit.”
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In 1984, John Paul II became the first pope to visit Thailand when he spent two days in country, partly to thank the kingdom for sheltering refugees who fled wars in neighbouring countries. He visited a refugee camp to spread a message of hope.
The Catholic mission to Thailand began 350 years ago, but the country remains overwhelmingly Buddhist, with Catholics accounting for less than 1 per cent of the population.
Sister Ana Rosa said she is in Thailand to stay – on papal orders.
“He spoke to our mother-general, the superior-general of the congregation, saying that my work is in Thailand, to do the work in Thailand, so you don’t move her anywhere.”
