Author: Charles Dittmeier

MKLM Anniversary/Sunday

One of the best parts of this anniversary weekend was reconnecting with old Maryknoll friends like Joe Loney and Juan Zuniga.
Elivira Ramirez, Executive Director of Maryknoll Lay Missioners, gave a report to begin the morning.
Then Mike Wrob, chairman of the Board of Directors, gave a report on the board’s activities and plans.
Bob Short gave an update on the activities of the Maryknoll Associates.
After all the reports were finished, the program ended with a final lunch. In the afternoon, I went to the Mariandale center in Ossining to meet with Dominican Sister Janet Marchesani. We worked together with Catholic deaf people 45 years ago. Now her Dominican Sisters of Hope have been donating money to assist the Deaf Development Programme in Cambodia.

Returning to Maryknoll, I moved from the center of the Maryknoll priests and brothers to the center of the Maryknoll Sisters to meet with sisters I have known from Hong Kong and Cambodia. Sr. Regina Pellicore welcomed me.

MKLM Anniversary/Saturday

Today’s morning prayer was presented online by Julie Lawler (L) and Sophy who were in Cambodia.
Part of the prayer service involved an appeal from Narith, a deaf staff member of DDP, for more Maryknoll Lay Missioners to come to Cambodia.
Ella a young woman from a family that supports the Maryknoll Lay Missioners spoke about how to engage her generation in mission.
Then the MKLM staff working at the Maryknoll center were recognized.
Next all the participants were asked to gather in the courtyard for a group photo.
Then Bishop John Stowe, OFM, gave the keynote address–very well received–for this anniversary program.
Following the bishop’s presentation, he and Fr. Lance Nadeau, Maryknoll Superior General, presided at the jubilee mass.
Every meal was delightful, being with old friends and meeting previously unknown Maryknollers. And the food was delicious!
Then in the evening there was a reception, another occasion to engage others of the Maryknoll family.

MKLM Anniversary/Friday

The first-floor dining room used to be the seminary library but now it has become a large room for meetings and is a dining room for our group.
Kathy and Flavio from Brazil led a meditative morning prayer in the Asia Room.
Then there was a recognition of the anniversaries of earlier lay mission classes, and those present received a memento.
Our former director and one of the founders of the present Maryknoll Lay Missioners, Sam Stanton, is dying, and we had an unscheduled mass before lunch to pray for him and his family.
Bishop John Stowe, OFM, of Lexington, Kentucky, is the main speaker tomorrow and one of my heroes for his strong stands on issues like working for peace and respecting the LGBT community.
In the evening Marie Dennis spoke on hope in the modern world. Marie is one of the pillars of the American Catholic church for her advocacy on issues of justice and peace. She is currently a director of Pax Christi International.
Many members of the larger Maryknoll community came to Marie’s talk along with all of us there for the anniversary.

MKLM Anniversary/Thursday

August 14-17, the Maryknoll Lay Missioners are celebrating their 50th anniversary at Maryknoll, New York. I flew up from Louisville to celebrate and reflect on the 38 years I spent with the lay mission group.

It’s always so pleasant to come back to the beautiful Maryknoll seminary building.

Registration was in the Walsh Building and as soon as I walked in, I encountered our former Cambodian colleagues, Dave and Judy Saumweber and Sami Scott.

After the mass we had dinner at the Sisters Center.

The first official function was a mass for all the guests at the chapel of the Sisters Center. I interpreted the first scripture reading into sign language.

The first day program ended with reflections on Maryknoll by Sr. Ellen McDonald and Fr. John Sivalon (pictured here).

St. Joseph Farewell for Charlie

Today at the 10:30 AM mass we had a farewell for Charlie. This was his last mass with the English Catholic Community in Phnom Penh before returning to the United States tomorrow.

At the homily Charlie spoke of faith, not as assent to a series theological statements but rather a force that leads us to do as Jesus asks us.
A special part of this liturgy was the presence of deaf people and staff (front row, all Buddhist) from the Deaf Development Programme with Maryknoll Lay Missioner Julie Lawler interpreting in Cambodian Sign Language for them.
After some reflections there was time to take photos of various groups within our English Catholic Community. Here are the various liturgical ministers who serve our community.

St. Jude Farewell for Charlie

Tonight I had my last mass at St. Jude school, our Saturday night venue, and we had a full house. Afterwards we had a simple farewell program. Fr. Kevin, who has been with me for 20 of my 25 years, introduced the program after the final prayer of the mass.

Before mass Benilda Fernando, a pillar of the English Catholic Community, Hang Tran, a Maryknoll Lay Missioner, and Fr. Kevin Conroy and I got together for a photo.

Before leading the blessing of the community for me, Fr. Kevin spoke of our living and working together in the parish community. It was a really well developed reflection and I immensely appreciated it.

And another goodbye

For 37 years I worked with the Maryknoll Lay Missioners, especially in Hong Kong and Cambodia. In Cambodia we work with lay missioners from other countries and some of the international group got together for an Italian dinner opportunity to say goodbye to me.