Today Maryknollers–sisters, brothers, lay missioners, priests, teachers in the China program–went to Hua Hin in southern Thailand to begin a retreat and then a series of meetings. Click here to see the day’s events.
Category: Maryknoll
Happenings in the Maryknoll world, especially in the Cambodia Mission Team.
Christmas Day 2016
There was a lot going on in this past week after Christmas and I forgot to post anything here about the Maryknoll Christmas Day, after I posted some photos from the streets on Christmas Day.
This was Christmas Eve, at the auditorium of World Vision where we have our Saturday evening masses. This is before the flowers were added but the setting is basically simple there because we have to carry things to and from World Vision each time we want to use them.
This is after mass on Christmas morning at St. Joseph Church, our second site for the English-speaking Catholics. Every month we have coffee and doughnuts after mass on the third Sunday of the month but this month we moved it to Christmas Day to make it special. Also adding to the festiveness was the choir (a lot of the red shirts) who sang Christmas carols while people drank their coffee and chatted.
In the evening on Christmas Day we gathered at the Maryknoll office for our community celebration, the nineteen Maryknollers plus a few others who work with us.
Decorating Party at Maryknoll Sisters’ House
One of the traditions of the Maryknoll community in Cambodia is gathering each year to set up the Christmas decorations at the Maryknoll Sisters’ house. This year it happened on Friday, 16 December.
Usually some of the first-comers start decorating Christmas cookies. L-R: James Havey, Sami Scott, Bob Wynne, and Olga Pacumbaba.
Eating pizza in the front room are Charles McCarthy, Mara Rutten, and Karen Bortvedt.
Eating in the dining room are (Clockwise): Helen O’Sullivan (green blouse), Dee Dungy, James Havey, Bob Wynne, Luise Ahrens, Len Montiel, and Olga Pacumbaba, with Ann Sherman hidden in the corner.
Sr. Luise Ahrens showed Mara Rutten and Karen Bortvedt the sash that came with being honored by the government for her many years of service to the Royal University of Phnom Penh.
Then it was time for Christmas carols. L-R: Sami Scott with the flute, Mara Rutten with the guitar, Luise Ahrens, Ann Sherman, Bob Wynne, Russ Brine, Kevin Conroy, and Mary Little.
Singing in the dining room are Olga Pacumbaba, Len Montiel, Helene O’Sullivan, Dee Dungy, and James Havey.
At the other end of the living room: Kevin Conroy, Mary Little, Karen Bortvedt, Sami Scott, and Mara Rutten.
Adding to the Christmas spirit with their singing are: Ann Sherman, Bob Wynne, and Russ Brine, our newest addition to the Maryknoll Cambodia Mission Team. Missing tonight was Maria Montello who is in the United States.