Who was Priest Ray Brennan?
On Saturday, August 13, a memorial mass was held at Pattaya's Catholic St. Nicholas Church for Father Ray Brennan, who passed away in 2003.
Father Ray Brennan was an American priest who was sent to Thailand. His first post in Thailand was Sri Racha. At the time a small fishing village 2 hours from Bangkok on the Gulf of Thailand. He worked there for 6 months and learned the Thai language there.
His next post was in Isan near the border with Laos. There he learned the dialect of Laos. But in Loei he had his parish, from where he worked. He stayed there for 10 years until he moved to Pattaya. In 1969 he succeeded pastor Godbout of the St.Nikolaus church.
After 1 year of stay in Pattaya, an event occurred that radically changed his life. One Sunday after Mass, a woman approached him with a baby in her arms. She said the baby's father had run off and her new husband wanted nothing to do with the child. Father promised to take care of the child, although he had no experience with it at the time. This one action would drastically change his life.
During the Vietnam War, many children were born to Thai mothers and American fathers. These children were not accepted by society. Father Ray took in these unwanted children and gave them a home. This soon became known everywhere and poor families, who could not support their children, also knocked on Father Ray's door asking if he could help them. The first child was born in 1974 and until his death in 2003 he continued to work tirelessly for these children to give them shelter and education: 'We never turn a needy child away'.
Father Ray passed away on August 16, 2003. His body lay in state for 3 days in the auditorium of the Pattaya Orphanage and at night the children slept on the floor near the coffin, so that Father Ray was not alone!
His Majesty Bhumibol the King of Thailand gave him the highest honor possible in Thailand and this went with him to the grave.
Currently, the Pattaya Orphanage provides shelter for 850 children in different age groups and wards for the various types of disabilities. Although the institute has several sponsors, annual campaigns are held for building maintenance, nutrition, teaching materials and medical care.
More information: www.fr-ray.org/en/