Ever since the time of St Ignatius of Loyola in the 16th Century, the Church has requested the Jesuits to help in the formation of diocesan seminarians. This was the beginning of the Collegio Romano in Rome as the centre of the first seminary.

Likewise in Thailand, the Jesuits have helped for many years in the training of future Catholic clergy, mainly at the Saengtham College Major Seminary. Now the Jesuits have another opportunity to help the Church prepare seminarians for philosophy studies.

The Xavier Immersion Program is part of Xavier Learning Community, the education project of the Jesuits in Thailand located in Chiang Rai. It teaches English to seminarians and candidates of religious congregations for a full year to help them prepare for learning philosophy.

The programme started last year with a small group of 10 participants. This year saw double that number. Of the 20 participants, six are seminarians from the dioceses of Bangkok, Chanthaburi, Ratchaburi and Chiang Rai; three are Jesuit candidates; one is a Thai Missionary Society candidate; two are Stigmatine candidates; and eight are aspirants from the Sacred Heart Sisters of Bangkok.

The growing number of participants shows that the Church in Thailand is becoming more aware of the importance of English in carrying out the Church’s mission. But equally important for Xavier Immersion Program is to help seminarians and men and women religious in other aspects of their consecrated lives as well. So apart from learning English, the participants hold common prayers and Mass together and regularly share their reflections about life with one another. In community life, they learn to share in the different responsibilities they are assigned to, such as ensuring the cleanliness of common areas. On Saturdays, they help teach English to children at the nearby village and on Sundays they help out in the different parishes.

The Jesuits in Thailand hope that the Xavier Immersion Program will be part of the Church’s preparation in forming men and women who not only have excellent language skills but also virtuous hearts able to fulfil God’s mission and bear much fruit in the future.