Celebrating Lent and Holy Week is somewhat difficult in Phnom Penh, mainly because we do not have our own church and must carry banners, books, candles, and other necessary items back and forth among three worship sites and the Maryknoll office where we keep everything. For Ash Wednesday, Holy Thursday, and Good Friday we use the Korean Ecumenical Center; for the other services we use World Vision.
Ash Wednesday
For this service we used the Korean Ecumenical Center because we cannot use the World Vision auditorium at night. For the first time at this center, we had a full auditorium with people standing.
For this Ash Wednesday service, Bro. Terry Heinrich was the first lector.
Iwan Baskoro and Fr. Kevin Conroy distributed ashes to the community.
RCIA Penitence Service
This year Judy Santmire has requested full communion in the Catholic community of Phnom Penh. After a period of catechesis, she has become a candidate for full communion and has experienced a welcoming ceremony and, in this photo, participated in a penitence ritual led by Fr. Charlie Dittmeier on the 2nd Sunday of Lent.
