Category: Church

The Catholic Church in Cambodia.

Wednesday change

For 30-something years, the Maryknoll Cambodia Mission Team met every Wednesday for a business meeting, a liturgy, and then a meal together. Now that the Maryknoll Cambodia NGO has been closed and we no longer have an office to meet in, it was decided that those who are interested could continue to meet and Maria and Kila volunteered their apartment as a venue.

Our liturgy and meal today was special because Tony (standing, L) is leaving on Saturday to return to his teaching in Australia. (L-R: Julie, Cristina, Tony, Regina, Bro. Tony, Brian)

Epiphany 2024

Every year the bishop hosts an Epiphany gathering for lay leaders in the parishes and the sisters and brothers and priests. There are some performances, the bishop’s talk, and then a dinner together. Here are some scenes from this year’s event.

Every Cambodian event starts with a traditional dance. This one was unusual in that the “male” dancers (without skirts) are actually young women.
A student choir performed.
A second dance featured a man and a woman in elaborate bird costumes.
Bishop Olivier is known for his non-traditional clerical clothes made with Cambodian materials and styling.

Another year gone…

This was the scene after our Saturday night Epiphany mass as some of the parishioners packed up the Christmas crib figures for another year. Next week is the Baptism of Jesus so we are finished with our creche at the DK Meeting Centre where we have our Saturday masses. After our Sunday mass tomorrow morning, at St. Joseph Church, their liturgy people will take care of dismantling that crib.

Coffee and Doughnuts

Before Covid, we had coffee and doughnuts once a month at our St. Joseph Church liturgy on Sunday mornings. Covid put an end to that but on Christmas Day our volunteers resurrected the event. It went well for a first time and we’ll have to make it a regular feature.

Thanks to those who brought back our sharing together!

Christmas Caroling

Our musicians and choir members for our two English communities are really exceptional in their time, talents, energy, and willingness to minister to the English Catholic Community. Tonight, after the 5:00 PM evening mass, the Saturday choir presented a mini Christmas concert that was well attended and really well done. Thank you! Thank you!

Priest Meeting (December, 2023)

Bishop Olivier has quarterly meetings of all the priests in the Phnom Penh diocese and today it was a less formal, more social gathering.

After an opening prayer, Bishop Olivier led the group to a former hearing clinic that has been remodeled into offices for the vicariate staff.
Bishop Olivier introduced the staff and explained who would work from this new office center.

Then we had the official meeting but it was low key, noting so much that is going on in the vicariate.
Once we got into the dining room, Bishop Olivier recognized those having birthdays and other special occasions in the lives and ministries.
Under the Christmas tree in the dining room was a gift bag for each of the priests at the meeting with cookies and handicraft gifts from Bishop Olivier’s social enterprise in Takeo Province.

Farewell to Ann

Maryknoll Sr. Ann Sherman returned to the United States today after ten years of ministry in Cambodia. She regularly attends the masses I have with the Missionaries of Charity and today at the end of mass we said goodbye and took a group photo–with some of the orphans who come to the mass.

Sr. Ann Sherman (C).