Church – Page 4 – Welcome to Cambodia, and…..

Grandparents Day

Today was the fourth observance of Grandparents Day that was started by Pope Francis.

As part of the observance, I asked all the grandparents at the Saturday evening mass to put up their hands. Three people did so. If I were in the United States probably 2/3 of the congregation would put up their hands but we have an unusual demographic here.

Our congregation is made up of young adults in their 20s, 30s, and 40s. They have come here to work and earn money to support their families back in their home countries. Their younger siblings–even often their own children–are in their home country and it’s the grandparents taking care of them. Our congregation are here to send money back for them.

First Mass at St. Jude School

Our first liturgy as the English Catholic Community at St. Jude Thaddeus School was enhanced by the blessing of the church (the people) and the building (the place where the church meets). In addition we were fortunate to celebrate the renewal of their marriage vows by Manuel and Juanita Isip.

Manuel and Juanita Isip (both in white) in the front row at the first mass at St. Jude Thaddeus School.

Juanita and Manuel renewed their promises with the community as witnesses. We thank the Isips for their faithfulness and the example they give to all our married members.

First Mass at St. Jude School

Our Saturday night English Catholic Community finally found a new home at St. Jude Thaddeus International School. Starting 20 July, our Saturday masses will be held in their new multipurpose room. These are pictures from our first liturgy there.

Because this was the first time for our gathering at St. Jude Thaddeus School, Fr. Charlie explained both the building and the church blessing liturgy we would celebrate that evening.

First we had a blessing of the people–the church–and then Fr. Charlie blessed the building where the church will meet from now on.

As the blessing of the building ended, members of the parish covered the previously bare altar with the altar cloths and set out the candles and the liturgical books to be used.

Then we continued with the Liturgy of the Word and the Liturgy of the Eucharist in our first mass in our new center.

After the last blessing, everyone turned to face a rear balcony for a photograph to help us remember this special day.

[Our special thanks to Ms. Myra Dalmacia, the director of the St. Jude Thaddeus International School, who has invited us to use her school for our liturgy. And our sincere thanks to Tommy Boukhris Photography who took these photos for us.]

New Church Progress

The warehouse we are taking over as a worship space for our Saturday night liturgy for the English Catholic Community is almost ready. It’s still got a rough concrete floor, no fans, etc., but we have a “sanctuary” and the old altar we used to use at World Vision and 229 plastic chairs. Tomorrow is the day for our first gathering there.

New Church Progress

Our first Saturday evening mass at St. Jude Thaddeus School’s multipurpose room is getting close but we’re getting things ready mostly on schedule. Today I took the old altar we used at the World Vision auditorium to the school on top of a tuk-tuk. That’s Sambath, known to three decades of Maryknollers, taking it off the top. While in the hall, I also tested the new sound system and it works. We’re getting there!

New Church Progress

Today we were at St. Jude Thaddeus School where we are going to use their multipurpose room for our Saturday evening masses. Today’s goal was to test their sound system, try out our projector, and see how to arrange the chairs. We had planned originally to put the altar on the red platform and project on the wall behind it but the room has permanent skylights and we found the brightest area of the walls is just where we wanted to project. That is not going to work!