Opening of Jubilee Year

In the Catholic tradition, a jubilee year is a year for the forgiveness of sins and reconciliation among adversaries, a time of solidarity, hope, justice, and a commitment to peace with our sisters and brothers. Since the 1300s, jubilee years have been held every 25 or 50 years or for special occasions.

Pope Francis has declared a Jubilee Year 2025 and today Bishop Olivier opened this jubilee year in the diocese of Phnom Penh.

The people gathered outside the parish church at the pastoral center and then process to a gateway erected for the last jubilee. All then processed through the gateway into the church hall where Bishop Olivier led them in prayer and spoke about this jubilee.

Going to work…

Here are fourteen cyclos–old, human-powered three-wheelers with a bench seat for one or two people. The cyclos have mostly disappeared from daily use but still can be seen around some markets, catering to elderly people who have never used anything else. This line of cyclos is about half of a bunch of them going to pick up a group of tourists for a slow tour of an area of Phnom Penh.

Potatoes?

Maybe it’s a reality in other markets, but I’ve never seen a potato shop. This Potato Corner sells nothing but potatoes fried/boiled/cooked/served in a multitude of different ways with some different toppings. I can see a shop dedicated to ice cream or smoothies or hotdogs, but potatoes? Let’s see how long it lasts.

KOMISO Bakery Training

KOMISO is a project of the Korean Mission Society in Cambodia, a Catholic mission group from Korea like Maryknoll is from the United States. KOMISO offers vocational training to poor, under educated young people, offering three skills: motorcycle repair, baking, and beauty salon work. We have been discussing with them the acceptance of deaf students for training.

Our students are interested in the beauty work and baking. Last week I visited the KOMISO training center and met the trainees and the Korean couple (rear) who are teaching the baking.

On that day the training was on creating the different types of figures that are placed on top of cakes. It was amazing to see the craftsmanship that goes into the decorative figures. Three of our deaf graduates are interested in the baking.

All the students live at the training center while they go through the six-month courses. In addition to the technical skills they learn, they also have one hour a day in character development, to teach them good values.

I am anxious for our students to start training there.

Business as usual….

Cambodia is 94% Buddhist and Christmas Day is a regular work day, not a holiday. Here are some images from Phnom Penh streets today.

These three elderly ladies were waiting for customers at their “convenience stores” just like they do every day.
These university students head to their Wednesday classes like they do every week.
This woman was selling bread and other snacks from her moto.
This man was washing his boss’ truck.
This motorcycle delivery man was bringing food to his customers.

Merry Christmas!

Beginning the Christmas liturgy

Tonight we began our celebration of the Christmas season with a 6:30 PM mass on Christmas Eve. We had a lot of people we don’t usually see and it was a good group. Here Fr. Charlie and the thurifer (incense bearer) bow as they approach the altar in the entrance procession. A Christmas nativity scene is set up before the altar.

Preparing for Christmas

On Sundays we have our second English mass at St. Joseph Church. Yesterday their workers were setting up a stage and decoration for a large-scale mass on Christmas Eve that will attract many from the neighborhood.

A century and a half ago, this building was the seminary for the French mission group in charge of French Indochina (Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam).

More decorations ready to hang.

An old friend…

Nineteen years ago I witnessed the wedding of Sarah Igboeli to Paul and then in 2007 they relocated to Australia. This evening I got to catch up with Sarah who was very much a part of the deaf program and the Maryknoll community and the Catholic community back in “the old days.”