Celebration!

November 1, 2020

Rev. Brother Augustine Achin Tengtrakul

A short self-reflection of a man- a perfectionist, but not a perfect religious. He loves God and God loves him and God has compassion on him and always forgives him. That is the reason, he is still faithful to God up to now. That man is, Bro. Augustine Achin Tengtrakul; 50 years in Religious Life.

     I was born on Thursday 20, November 1947 in a house situated on the bank of Tha Chin River, Nakhon Pathom Province, about 30 kilometers from Bangkok. My family and I belonged to the St. Peter in Prison Parish Church.

We are six in the family, with two boys. My eldest brother passed away on June 9, 1998 and the remainder of my siblings are four girls. I am the third child. Rearing pigs is the main occupation of my family, and of the people in the village. My grandfather and mother were among the first family settling down at this parish church, the year 1845.

     I joined St. Joseph Juniorate at St. Roch Church, Chachoengsao after finishing Primary 7 in the year 1960. I was and am still very grateful to Rev. Bro. Stephen Sunai Kanchanarun who recruited me to the juniorate, otherwise I may not have known the Montfort Brothers of Saint Gabriel. Bro. Sunai my spiritual inspiration passed away on 18-7-2019.
He taught me to fight against all difficulties because during holidays and Sundays we had morning walks, games of soccer under the hot sun, and the whole day, with no time to do our home-work.
     
     He showed us the good example of how to recruit new members, the juniors, by going around during holidays to different churches, giving them talks and showing them film slides about our Founder and our schools. When we finished M.6 or Higher Secondary School, we went to India, eight of us. Bro. Stephen came along to Don Mueng Airport to send us off to India, in April 1968.

     I was two years in Eachinkadu Novitiate, Yercaud and one year in Tindivanum Post Novitiate, Tamil Nadu. Here at the Tindivanum post Novitiate, I learnt the spirit of Montfort who cared for the poor, the neglected, etc. We went about every Sunday afternoon cycling, to visit the poor villages boys and girls. That is why after coming back to Thailand I still continue to do this charitable work as Montfort did. I usually take with me teachers and service personnel wherever I go.

     At this Post Novitiate, everyday, we worked in the paddy fields, slept on the terrace, smelt the bones and carcasses of the dead cows, watched the crows and the vultures flying up and down after eating the dead cows. It was the butcher’s house.

      All of us was trained to be scout masters here at the Post Novitiate. Eight of us came back to Thailand around the month of May 1970. Our first profession at Eachinkadu was on May 15,1970 with Bro. Robert Richard as witness, on behalf of Bro.Philip Amnuay the Provincial at that time (1965-1973). Brother Philip Amnuay passed way on Oct 3, 2017. On our way back to Thailand, we were privileged to visit the schools in the north of India and the Taj Mahal with Bro. Selvanathan, the Socius, as our guide.

    After few days holiday at home after coming back from India, Bro. Philip sent me to Singapore at Boys’ Town Technical School, Bukit Timah where I learnt Motor Mechanics, Machine shop and welding for two years, hoping that I may draw up a technical syllabus and prepare other papers and documents ready for the new Technical School in Ranong. Bro. Francois was my superior. Ranong is about 600 k.m. from Bangkok, towards the south of Bangkok.

     I was always alone with God and some dogs as my friends, because Bro. Francois most often drove for business in Bangkok. And I achieved the mission for which I trained in Singapore. We started the school, but with some problems, we closed it after 3 years of operation and moved to Khon Kaen admitting the sons of lepers, and destitute boys at Nakorn Panom presently.

     After Assumption Technical School, Ranong I was sent to Sriracha to take care of the Boarding School and to other schools later on. When I was at Ranong, Bro. Amnuay taught me many things in Religious life. He told me not to quit Religious life when facing problems, he told me to go ahead with courage, and to pray always. While working at Assumption College Sriracha for few years, I pronounced my Perpetual Vows on May 1, 1976 at Assumption Thonburi in front of Cardinal Michael Meechai with other three Brothers in my group that still survived in Religious Life after 6 years of the first profession. Now I am alone. Thank God I still survive. I should have died five years ago, that is on December 24, 2015, due to an operation.

     A Brother who was very grateful to me is Bro. Sakda Kitcharoen, our Thai Provincial 2001-2007. He passed away on May 8, 2010. Once he said to me that he (Bro. Sakda) joined the Montfort Brothers of Saint Gabriel because he saw my good examples when I was coming back to visit home during holidays. I and my friends (12 juniors) attended Mass every morning and visited the Blessed Sacrament every afternoon.

We played soccer together in front of the Church with other seminarians. So, don’t let me be disappointed with my Religious Life. (His house is behind my house at Sampran). He told me Religious Life is not bargaining business, don’t bargain anything with him.

     Let me take this opportunity to thank all people, Schools, Administrators that are helping me. First and foremost I would like to thank Assumption University for allowing me to study PhD.OD and all the Brothers for being kind to me : who always show love, and concern to me in my Religious Life through the past 50 years, (May 1, 1970-October 2020) especially for my health and my work.

Thanks to the Brothers at the AU Community for my daily responsibilities in the community and in the University during the past four years, including serving in the Top Management, all personnel and faculty members for helping me to do my work.

     Thanks to teachers, parents and Alumni, school administrators in all the schools that I have worked with in giving me advice and assistance. Thank God for sending me to be among these very nice and loving people .

Lastly, throughout the past 50 years (28-04-1970 till 02-10-2020) I want to share with all of you that, God is kind, merciful and He is the forgiving God. If not I would not be faithful to my Religious vocation in the Congregation of the Brothers of Saint Gabriel up till now. The only duty for me from now is to be faithful to Him, never betray Him and do my best in everyday of my life in whatever He asks me to do through my superiors till my last breath.

    Many people ask me, how can I live the Religious Life so long. I would say that, every morning when I get up I see the statue of Our Lady, I feel that she is looking at me and she wants me to be like her, that is, to imitate her ; first she never says No to the challenge she has to face in accepting to be the mother of Jesus, even though everything is not clear for the future in saying Yes. Second ; after Jesus was nailed to the Cross, she never ran away or gave up or remained in grief and sorrow. She continued the mission of her son and consoled the apostles. And third ; when she visited St. Elizabeth after learning that her cousin needs help ; although she was herself pregnant.

    The gospel says, she went with haste to visit her.So all these three examples of Mary, help me each day to live like Mary as a brave Religious never giving up, and paying attention to the needs of others although sometimes I am busy.

    Lord God, my last prayer to you is that, please bless the Montfort Brothers of Saint Gabriel, the prosperity of the missions, may all members to be faithful to the call, grant us more vocations, Bless all those who persecute the Congregation, give them the light to see what is right and wrong. Forgive them for they don’t know what they do because they also are Your sons and daughters. May God bless you all.
Reminder : …Money is the source of all evils…( 1 Tim 6:10)
Thank you

Achin Tengtrakul (Augustine)

Born on Nov. 20,1947 at Nakorn Prathom

Certificates

Royal Decorations

Growing rice at MC

Planting trees with Personnel and students on St. Augustine feast day.

At Belgium with Dr. Sanan Angubolkul, the President of the PTA Confederation.

Candle parade with the Personnel and students to the Buddhist temple on Buddhist lent day.

Rev. Brother Theophane Verayuth Boonpram

Rev.Bro.Dr.Verayuth  Boonpram

Biography

Education 

Working Experience

 2 Royal Thai Decorations

2017 Companion (Fourth Class) of the Most Admirable Order of the Direkgunabhorn
2009 Member (Fifth Class) of the Most Admirable Order of the Direkgunabhorn

 Honor, Awards, and Accomplishment