Foreign volunteers make merit
on Father Ray Day.
Derek Franklin
On the morning of the ninth anniversary of the death of
Father Ray Brennan, 16th August, the students, teachers and volunteers from
the Vocational School for People with Disabilities gathered in honour of
Father Ray to make merit by donating alms to local Buddhist monks.
Twelve hours later a catholic Memorial Mass was attended
by all the children and students living at the Father Ray Foundation, as
well as many locals, both Thai and foreign.
After the Mass almost one thousand children, students,
teachers, volunteers and supporters paraded along Pattaya Central Road and
Sukhumvit Road to the final resting place of Father Ray in the cemetery at
St. Nikolaus Church.
Once at the cemetery rose petals were sprinkled on the
grave of Father Ray while the students from the School for the Blind sang
the song ‘Unsung Hero’, which was written in honour of Father Ray.
The majority of the children and students with
disabilities who are now living at the Father Ray Foundation never met
Father Ray, many were not even born when he died, but they all know about
him, they know what he did and they are grateful to him for giving them a
chance of a better life.
More information can be found at www.fr-ray.org or email
[email protected]
Students of the Father Ray
Foundation join the monks in prayer.
The blind students sprinkle
rose petals on Father Ray’s final resting place.
The candlelight ceremony
travelled along Pattaya Klang and Sukhumvit Road.
