Two or three times each year, all the priests working in the diocese of Phnom Penh get together for discussion and prayer. Part of the rationale is to discuss important relevant issues or problems, but another important part is just to bring us together in some sort of fraternity since we are from all over. On the bus going down to Kampot on the coast were priests from Cambodia, Canada, England, France, Ireland, Italy, Thailand, and the United States.
This is the residence for two priests, the offices for the church in Kampot, and a chapel for 15-20 persons, enough to accommodate the local Catholics for mass on Sundays.
The small chapel in the church building has a beautiful "stained glass" window depicting a scene from the gospel where Jesus calls fishermen to follow him. Very close by the chapel, Cambodian fishermen are throwing their nets in a very similar fashion.
The church's house in Kampot doesn't look that big from the outside, but the upstairs is a large meeting room that is quite comfortable for a group our size, about 20 priests for this gathering.
Part of our gathering is usually prayer together. For this meeting there was a concelebrated eucharist with Bishop Emile Destombes as the presider.
Many of the Phnom Penh priests had not been to Kampot, four hours drive to the south of Phnom Penh, so for lunch we went about ten miles farther along the coast to Kep, a backpacker-type tourist destination where we ate in a local eatery right on the beach.