Kike’s Anniversary 4

Prior to the anniversary mass, there was a welcome to all the guests near the church compound entrance and then an introduction to the evening’s celebration.

There were four classical Khmer dances throughout the evening. This one included young women in wheelchairs, recognizing Kike’s work with people with disabilities.

Young boys with peacock feather headgear waiting to participate in the procession.

Then the whole gathering, followed by the clergy, processed to the stage where the mass was held.

Arriving at the open-air mass site. About 2,000 people were expected for the event. Luckily the rain stopped during the mass.

One of the Jesuits explained what was happening to a Buddhist monk invited to represent the Buddhists Kike works with. The poor monk was probably rather bored sitting through the 2:15 hour ceremony.

Kike’s Anniversary 3

Before the actual anniversary mass started at 5:00 PM, there was an exhibition in another building where everyone gathered.

Kike (with flowers) greeted the families and others who had come to celebrate with him.

A central table had many albums of photos. Kike himself is quite a photographer.

The exhibition displays showed many events and people from the last 25 years.

The exhibition was a good opportunity for me to meet with people and tell them goodbye. I will be leaving Cambodia August 11th and most of the people at the anniversary I will not see again. Here I am with Korean Jesuit Fr. Oh Chang, the superior of the Jesuit Cambodia mission.

Kike’s Anniversary 2

Today was the 25th anniversary of the installation of Bishop Kike as apostolic prefect of Battambang. I had attended the installation years ago and went to the anniversary.

We left the pastoral center in Phnom Penh at 6:15 AM and stopped an hour later for breakfast in this typical highway restaurant.

Four hours later, a little after noon, we arrived at our hotel which had the mandatory Buddhist shrine and a typical huge wooden sculpture.

At 2:30 we went to the church compound where the anniversary was celebrated. Bishop Olivier arrived shortly after we did.

There was a heavy rain shower after we arrived. We were concerned because the anniversary mass was held outside. There were two rainy periods before the celebration but luckily it held off when the 2,000 people were gathered.

While waiting for the exhibition to begin, we circulated among several displays of events of the last 25 years.

Kike’s Anniversary

I said I would post more photos today after running out of time yesterday, but it’s 10:14 PM and I just got home. I thought we were supposed to be home at noon but I hadn’t received the full schedule.

Here is one photo–Bishop Kike Figaredo arriving for an exhibition about his 25 years as bishop of Battambang in northern Cambodia. On his right is a retired bishop from Puerto Rico. More to come….

A Friend on the Road…

One of the delights in traveling to Bangkok is staying at the Maryknoll office there with Fr. John Barth. He and I lived together in Phnom Penh many years ago and he is a wonderful friend and a most gracious host. When I stay there, we take supper up to the TV room and eat while watching Aljazeera news and then talk.

Still to come

My flight from Minneapolis to Seoul, Korea was delayed and I missed my Phnom Penh flight in Seoul and had to wait another day to return to Phnom Penh a little after midnight this morning.

I made good use of the day in the airport hotel but didn’t get to the rest of the photos I want to post here. I hope to catch up with some of those tomorrow.

Trip to Kentucky–7

‘I’m writing this from a hotel in Seoul, Korea…

I left Minneapolis, Minnesota (airport photo above) flying to Seoul, but our flight was late and I missed the Phnom Penh flight. Now I’m rebooked on the same flight for Friday night and I have a day to work in air conditioning in the hotel, courtesy of Delta Airlines.

Trip to Kentucky–6

On Sunday we had a gathering of the Dittmeier sisters and brothers. Here Martha, the youngest, arrives with her family from Ohio.

Lots of conversations and updates took place, including while one group ate in the kitchen area.

In the dining room, another group gathered and ate. Only one brother, in Florida, didn’t make it to the gathering.

Trip to Kentucky–St. Meinrad 3

The distinctive twin spires of St. Meinrad Archabbey dominate the countryside and can be seen across the fields and forests of Spencer County, Indiana.

At the liturgy this morning, I proclaimed the first scripture reading.

A special part of this liturgy was the offering of the sacrament of the sick to any of the priests who felt the need for it. Archbishop Shelton Fabre anointed them with the holy oil blessed in Holy Week.

St. Meinrad Archabbey is an old and traditional Benedictine abbey but it is also home to new technology, with a solar power field on the abbey grounds.

Trip to Kentucky–St. Meinrad 2

For two of the four days we were at St. Meinrad, Sr. Jane Becker presented about the dynamics of a reorganization of a diocese. She had two lectures on each of the two days.

Each day we had a liturgy in the St. Thomas Aquinas chapel.

St. Meinrad Seminary is an old institution in rural southern Indiana, an establishment of Benedictine monks who came from Germany. This is a view from my third-floor window.

This is my room at the seminary, in Anselm Hall. The wide angle makes it look much bigger than it is!