Description
St. Catherine Church (วัดนักบุญกาทารีนา บ้านทุ่งมน), which also goes by the name Wat Saint Katherina, is a Catholic Church in the Chiang Khreua sub-district of Sakon Nakhon. It is one of a number of Catholic churches outside of the village of Ban Tha Rae, the largest Catholic community in Thailand.
St. Catherine Church is named after Catherine of Siena, a patron saint of Rome and mystic who is said to have received the stigmata at the age of 28, when five red rays shot out of the crucifix she was praying to and pierced her hands, feet, and heart. While not as grand as St. Michael's Cathedral in Ban Tha Rae, St. Catherine's is quite a large and distinctive church compared to the many smaller ones in the region.
One can get tripped up when trying to locate the church by following Google Maps. As you get close to the church, it will tell you to take a left, and at that moment, you'll see a sign for the church directing you down an alley (soi). However, this alley will take you to the Church's cemetery (which is worth visiting too). You want to go past that alley (i.e. don't turn left) and just go about 20 meters beyond. You'll then see the church grounds on your left and a driveway that you can enter to park your car or motorcycle. The cemetery is located behind the church.
St. Catherine Church has on display a prominent statue of Rev. Lawrence Kai Saenphonon (พระอัครสังฆราชลอเรนซ์คายน์ แสนพลอ่อน), the Archbishop of the Diocese of Tha Rae from 1980 to 2005. In addition to being a former Archbishop, Rev. Lawrence did pastoral work in the the United States and Europe during the 1960s, and was a principle of the St. Joseph Tha Rae School (1976-2005). He was a beloved figure in the community, and passed away in 2007.
