“A commission will be set up to vet applications for recognition of parishes, most of which do not yet have a legal status,” explained Steve Suwannarat of AsiaNews. “A parish must have a resident priest and at least 200 members before a request for recognition can be filed.”

The Southeast Asian nation of 69 million (map) is 87% Buddhist and 6% Muslim. Pope Francis made an apostolic journey there in 2019.