Easter Sunday

Today was a day with many different parts–not too uncommon for a Sunday and maybe to be expected on an Easter Sunday.

St. Joseph Church
Fr. Bob beautifully decorated our worship space again. Bishop Olivier playfully noted that in the countries of origin for our congregation white is the traditional Easter color, but that a Khmer person entering our church would think that Jesus has died rather than rose to new life.
We had a very large congregation this morning, perhaps the largest we have ever had on a Sunday morning. The side aisles and rear of the church were jammed and some people were even outside on the stairs.
Bishop Olivier constantly travels to different groups of Catholics throughout southern Cambodia—the result of not having a cathedral where he would preside–and we importune him to visit our English community at least once a year.
Everyone wants to greet the bishop and Bishop Olivier is very happy to mingle with the parishioners after each liturgy.
International Christian Fellowship
Peter Warren has been the pastor of the International Christian Fellowship for the past seven years. He has been a friend and we have worked together on projects organized jointly by different Christian groups in Phnom Penh.
Peter and his wife Sim Hwee Ping were honored at a reception after their Sunday service today and then given a gift in remembrance of their years with ICF.
Maryknoll Cambodia
The members of Maryknoll Cambodia meet every week but we don’t often have time just to sit and talk with each other so today provided that opportunity as people gathered at the Maryknoll office late in the afternoon.
Bob Wynne had been cooking since after lunch and now it was time to put really hot baked potatoes into a serving pan, with Olga Pacumbaba assisting.
Then it was time to set up the serving table and Bob, Sami Scott, and Regina Pellicore took care of that.
And then it was to eat. Bob baked a ham as the main dish and then everyone brought a vegetable or salad or dessert.
Normally when we have our weekly Wednesday meeting and liturgy, we are 25-30 people but today we were small enough to sit around a table like a family.