Charles Dittmeier – Page 10 – Welcome to Cambodia, and…..

Opening of Jubilee Year

Involving the church youth

After the prayerful opening of the Jubilee Year, Bishop Olivier turned his attention to performances by youth of all ages.

First the older girls presented a classic Khmer dance.

Then younger girls performed another traditional dance with a simpler choreography.

Then about 25 boys, in two groups, presented a classical Khmer myth. All the dancers had really professional dance outfits and costumes.

Lastly, the really young children, some just toddlers, performed more contemporary Christmas music with simple dancing and gestures, and then each received a stuffed animal Christmas gift. Bishop Olivier always insures that cakes are a major part of the celebrations.

Following all the performances, all the representatives from all the parishes enjoyed a catered Chinese dinner in the outside dining area.

Opening of Jubilee Year

In the Catholic tradition, a jubilee year is a year for the forgiveness of sins and reconciliation among adversaries, a time of solidarity, hope, justice, and a commitment to peace with our sisters and brothers. Since the 1300s, jubilee years have been held every 25 or 50 years or for special occasions.

Pope Francis has declared a Jubilee Year 2025 and today Bishop Olivier opened this jubilee year in the diocese of Phnom Penh.

The people gathered outside the parish church at the pastoral center and then process to a gateway erected for the last jubilee. All then processed through the gateway into the church hall where Bishop Olivier led them in prayer and spoke about this jubilee.

Going to work…

Here are fourteen cyclos–old, human-powered three-wheelers with a bench seat for one or two people. The cyclos have mostly disappeared from daily use but still can be seen around some markets, catering to elderly people who have never used anything else. This line of cyclos is about half of a bunch of them going to pick up a group of tourists for a slow tour of an area of Phnom Penh.

Potatoes?

Maybe it’s a reality in other markets, but I’ve never seen a potato shop. This Potato Corner sells nothing but potatoes fried/boiled/cooked/served in a multitude of different ways with some different toppings. I can see a shop dedicated to ice cream or smoothies or hotdogs, but potatoes? Let’s see how long it lasts.

Will it catch on?

You can’t very well have a rollbar on a motorcycle but this configuration has some promise if you go down….

KOMISO Bakery Training

KOMISO is a project of the Korean Mission Society in Cambodia, a Catholic mission group from Korea like Maryknoll is from the United States. KOMISO offers vocational training to poor, under educated young people, offering three skills: motorcycle repair, baking, and beauty salon work. We have been discussing with them the acceptance of deaf students for training.

Our students are interested in the beauty work and baking. Last week I visited the KOMISO training center and met the trainees and the Korean couple (rear) who are teaching the baking.

On that day the training was on creating the different types of figures that are placed on top of cakes. It was amazing to see the craftsmanship that goes into the decorative figures. Three of our deaf graduates are interested in the baking.

All the students live at the training center while they go through the six-month courses. In addition to the technical skills they learn, they also have one hour a day in character development, to teach them good values.

I am anxious for our students to start training there.

A small Christmas celebration

When the Maryknoll NGO was here, we met after work each Christmas Day for a meal together. They were always great. The Maryknoll NGO is gone now but some of the former group of lay missioners and others got together for a Christmas lunch today.

Business as usual….

Cambodia is 94% Buddhist and Christmas Day is a regular work day, not a holiday. Here are some images from Phnom Penh streets today.

These three elderly ladies were waiting for customers at their “convenience stores” just like they do every day.

These university students head to their Wednesday classes like they do every week.

This woman was selling bread and other snacks from her moto.

This motorcycle delivery man was bringing food to his customers.

Merry Christmas!

Beginning the Christmas liturgy

Tonight we began our celebration of the Christmas season with a 6:30 PM mass on Christmas Eve. We had a lot of people we don’t usually see and it was a good group. Here Fr. Charlie and the thurifer (incense bearer) bow as they approach the altar in the entrance procession. A Christmas nativity scene is set up before the altar.

Preparing for Christmas

On Sundays we have our second English mass at St. Joseph Church. Yesterday their workers were setting up a stage and decoration for a large-scale mass on Christmas Eve that will attract many from the neighborhood.