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The Catholic Church in Cambodia.
For most of the past 25 years I have had morning masses once a week for the Salesian Sisters in Tuol Kork and twice a week for the Missionaries of Charity (Mother Teresa’s sisters) at their orphanage. Now this week I have renewed those contacts. First I went to the Salesians and, blessed with an abundance of fruit from their mango trees, I went home with a box of sliced mango (my favorite fruit). Then the next day I had mass for the MC Sisters and they noted the occasion on their mass board.
I arrived in Phnom Penh from the U.S. on Friday afternoon, and Saturday evening I was the priest presider for the English Catholic Community.
It was a joyful reunion with the community. Much has changed in the seven months I have been away,
The Archdiocese of Louisville has a podcast every month about people and activities in the local church. It’s a half hour program that is also televised. Yesterday Sr. Susan Gatz, a Sister of Charity of Nazareth, and I were interviewed by Dr. Brian Reynolds, the chancellor of the diocese. He asked us about our ministry experiences as missionaries outside of the United States. Our program was taped yesterday but will be broadcast in May.
These are times and situations that call us Catholic Christians to stand up for the love and principles that Jesus died for. Please read this editorial from the National Catholic Reporter.
UCAN (Union of Catholic Asian News) has an excellent article on migration and how it affects migrants and us.
President Donald Trump threatens that “a whole civilization will die tonight” unless Iran strikes a deal with the United States by 8 p.m. Eastern on April 7.
The National Catholic Reporter quotes Leo XIV as calling the threats “truly unacceptable” and said that such attacks would violate international law. In some of his strongest comments yet against the war, Leo urged Americans and others to demand that political leaders reject war and work for peace.
“Today as we all know there was this threat against all the people of Iran. This is truly unacceptable,” Leo said.
NCR reported further that “theologians, priests, academics, authors, media personalities, bishops and others took to social media platforms April 7 to warn that military strikes on civilian targets and infrastructure in Iran would constitute grave evils and violate the Catholic Church’s just war tradition.”
This is not primarily a matter of politics but of morality, of right and wrong, of sin and evil.
Every year in Holy Week the church celebrates a mass where the chrism, or holy oils, used in sacraments are blessed. It is also the occasion for the renewal of the priests’ promises to serve faithfully and obediently.
There were all sorts of viewpoints and themes displayed at the Louisville No Kings Day demonstration yesterday. It was good to see many people expressing religious concerns.
