Thursday, March 6, 2008 at 2:02am
Italian missionaries to Thailand honored
Italy's ambassador to Thailand conferred the honor of "Cavalieri dell'Ordine della Stella della Solidarietà Italiana" (Knights of the Order of the Star of Italian Solidarity) to five Italian missionaries in Thailand. They are two Salesian nuns and three priests: Sisters Esterina Prando and Nadia Ferro, and Fathers Ferdinando Ronconi, a Stigmatine missionary, Giovanni Contarin, a Camillian, and Giovanni Zimbaldi, a PIME missionary, AsiaNews reported Thursday.
The honor recognizes the work of the missionaries, who lived in the country for decades and were involved with the neediest people in the fields of education, social assistance and development. The ceremony took place Tuesday at the residence of the Italian Ambassador in Bangkok in the presence of the Archbishop of Bangkok, Card Michael Michai, and of the Apostolic Nuncio Mgr. Salvatore Pennacchio.
The ambassador said the honor expressed Italy's appreciation for all the Italian missionaries who work in Thailand, living symbols of human solidarity and brotherhood. "Here in Thailand there are other missionaries who probably deserve this honor; for this reason, I accept it as recognition for the work accomplished by all the missionaries present in Thailand," said Father Zimbaldi during the ceremony.
The honor recognizes the work of the missionaries, who lived in the country for decades and were involved with the neediest people in the fields of education, social assistance and development. The ceremony took place Tuesday at the residence of the Italian Ambassador in Bangkok in the presence of the Archbishop of Bangkok, Card Michael Michai, and of the Apostolic Nuncio Mgr. Salvatore Pennacchio.
The ambassador said the honor expressed Italy's appreciation for all the Italian missionaries who work in Thailand, living symbols of human solidarity and brotherhood. "Here in Thailand there are other missionaries who probably deserve this honor; for this reason, I accept it as recognition for the work accomplished by all the missionaries present in Thailand," said Father Zimbaldi during the ceremony.