Good Friday — 2017

Today was both New Year’s Day for the Khmer people and Good Friday for the Christians.  Because it was a holiday the traffic was much less for those traveling to St. Joseph Church but then many people also left town for the long new year holiday.  Click here and scroll down to Good Friday to see the service.

Holy Thursday — 2017

Today is new year’s eve for the Khmer New Year but is Holy Thursday in the Christian calendar.  Only one liturgy is allowed for a parish community on this day and we gathered in the evening at St. Joseph Church.  Click here to see pictures from the ceremony. [The link is still not working properly so scroll down to Holy Thursday after clicking.]

A Cambodia Supermarket

This is Thai Huot supermarket, one of the large grocery stores or supermarkets that cater to the foreigners in Phnom Penh.  Lucky Market is the original such market and Thai Huot previously was a much smaller second.  In the last couple years, though, they have expanded greatly and even have this purpose-built store as their newest site.  It still is quite different from a US-style supermarket: it has parking for only five or six cars on the righthand side and it’s two stories, a definite inconvenience if you are purchasing things on both floors and have to carry them up and down stairs or wait for a small elevator.  Still, though, you can get some of the touches of home here and some of the comfort foods you’re used to, to help you deal with some of the quirks and frustrations of Cambodia.

Palm Sunday–2017

Palm Sunday is one of those days that traditionally many Catholics try to attend mass. Although longer than usual, the service is different in a way that attracts people and holds their attention.  Click here for photos from Palm Sunday in Phnom Penh.

[The link is not functioning completely so click on it and then scroll down to Preparing the Lenten Environment to read today’s post.]

Lent 2017

Lent is a very meaningful season for most Catholic Christians and it is taken seriously.  Our English Catholic community tries to celebrate the different events of Lent in a way that invites people to participate and that supports them in their struggle to live as followers of Christ.  Click here for pictures from Lent in 2017.

Farewell to the Stantons

Cecilia Espinoza and Sam Stanton finished up their week in Cambodia with a dinner with the Maryknoll Lay Missioners team here.  (L-R): Dee Dungy, Cecilia Espinoza, Sami Scott, Maria Montello, Russ Brine, and Sam Stanton.  Missing: James Havey and Charlie Dittmeier was taking the picture.  The next morning the Stantons headed for the Philippines on their way back to the United States.