Author: Charles Dittmeier

New Year’s Day

I made a mistake yesterday. I was thinking tomorrow (Friday) is New Year’s Day, but it is actually today, Thursday. Going to church for Holy Week there are few people on the streets. They have all gone to their home provinces. The stores are closed with just their new year decorations and signs still up–and a couple ladies arranging lotus blossoms.

Post-meeting Photo

This afternoon Maryknoll Cambodia met with Bishop Olivier to discuss Maryknoll’s work and longevity in Cambodia. After a good meeting, we posed at a Khmer New Year display set up on the ground of the pastoral center. (L to R: Fr. Charlie, Bishop Olivier, Sr. Helene O’Sullivan, Sr. Regina Pellicore, Fr. Kevin Conroy, St. Paul)

Chrism Mass

Every year, in the week or so before Easter, the Catholic Church has what is called a “chrism mass” in each diocese in which the bishop blesses the holy oils used in the different sacraments. It is also an occasion for the priests of that diocese to renew the promises of their ordination. We had that chrism mass in Phnom Penh today. Here Bishop Olivier (with the microphone) addresses the people who attended. It was an especially joyous event because it had to be canceled in 2020 and 2021 because of Covid-19.