Category: Church

The Catholic Church in Cambodia.

Working in a new way

Government regulations to control the spread of COVID-19 have prohibited all church gatherings and meetings. The church wishes to continue to assist the local parish communities, however, so today Bishop Olivier organized an online meeting of the parish priests of the diocese, to discuss what the church can do while still following and supporting the government guidelines. Priests in seven different locations participated in an online conference call. I was with Fr. Damien at the church in Boeung Tum Pun.

Another Anniversary

On 14 April 1975, Bp. Emile Destombes ordained Fr. Salas the first Cambodian bishop. That was the last action of the official church in Cambodian until Easter Sunday, 14 April 1990. That was when Bp. Emile (above, right), after his return, celebrated the first official public mass after the fall of the Khmer Rouge. The mass was celebrated in Chenla Theater and those present said the electricity went off and the only light was the paschal candle. This week is the 30th anniversary of that resurrection of the Cambodian Church

A follow-up…

This is the building on the site of the former cathedral of Phnom Penh diocese. When I first arrived in 2000, a large TV broadcasting antenna was on this site but then it was replaced with this building which is the headquarters of the Ministry of Telecommunications.

Msgr. Salas

Today is the 45th anniversary of the Khmer Rouge entering and occupying Phnom Penh. Three days before, Bp. Emile Destombes secretly ordained Fr. Chhmar Salas as the first Cambodian bishop of the diocese before Bp. Emile was deported. Salas’ last words to Bp. Emile were “Tell the world about us.” Bp. Salas died under the Khmer Rouge two years later.

The cathedral pictured above was destroyed by the Khmer Rouge.

Easter Sunday

This is by far the most unusual Easter Sunday I have ever experienced. Probably many others–maybe most others–can say the same thing. It’s an unprecedented time for us.

Two reflections for the day:

1. When will I see you again…?

These are the Easter decorations now adorning the sanctuary at St. Joseph Church–but we are not allowed to gather there because of COVID-19. The Easter Season continues until Pentecost on 31 May. Will we have a chance to see these decorations before we have to take them down? [Thanks to Rita and Bede and Bertina Uwalaka for the decorating.]

2. An Easter video…

The coronavirus is seen as a single jet fighter attacking Italy….

I find this video really inspiring! A sudden explosion of resolve and determination to defeat an evil. And that is what Easter is–an explosion of new life and a union with Jesus that enables us to overcome the darkness, the fears, the tragedy in our lives.

Easter Vigil

This has been the strangest Holy Week of my life, and that’s probably true for almost anyone who has participated in the Holy Week and Easter liturgies over the years. The picture above is Bishop Olivier lighting the paschal candle at the Easter Vigil service in a small village church where he was staying during Holy Week. All group participation in religious services is banned so this official diocesan ceremony was streamed on Facebook Live.

Carmelite Sisters

In all of the excitement and turmoil that goes on in Phnom Penh and Cambodia and the world, the Carmelite Monastery in Phnom Penh is something of an island of quiet and serenity. The sisters go about their daily routine of prayer and work mostly oblivious to all that is happening outside their convent walls.

That serenity was disturbed recently as a young woman professed her first vows there in the process of becoming a Carmelite Sister.

Bishop Olivier presided over the ceremony. Before the mass, he conferred with the superior of the Phnom Penh Carmelites about the order of the service.
Quite a large number of people from Phnom Penh came to monastery–about twelve miles outside the city–to celebrate the profession with the sisters.
Sr. Marina (3rd left, with white veil) is a young woman from Korea who made her first profession at the ceremony.
The Korean Church has been very involved in and supportive of the Cambodian Church. There are quite a few Korean sisters and priests in the country and many of them came for the ceremony. Here some of them gather for a photograph with Sr. Marina’s parents.