New church of Cambodia's Khnach Romeas community blessed

The Khnach Romeas community's 30-meter-long and 10-meter-wide church structure was completed and formally inaugurated in Cambodia on February 12.

In addition to Msgr. Enrique Figaredo, an apostolic prefect of Battambang, and Msgr. Pierre Hangly Suon, an apostolic prefect of Kampong Cham, approximately 800 individuals from the three jurisdictions attended the ceremony, including priests, nuns, village authorities, Catholics, and non-Catholics.

Msgr. Suon, who served in the parish during his seminarian years in 1995, expressed his delight at witnessing the congregation's spiritual growth and the completion of the aesthetically pleasing new church.

The name of the church is one of the three virtues of the Catholics: love, hope, and mercy. He confirmed.

"Today's program reminds us of the history of the community and also reminds us of our role as Catholics," he said. "Although the building was built from stone, the main foundation "is the living stone, Jesus Christ."

He added that another living stone is Catholic people, which is an important foundation to help the community grow strong and faithful.

Despite the hardships of the civil war, the community survived only a brief rainstorm for a while and then later recovered because of the living stones that always had Jesus as the foundation. He said that when we gather our brothers and sisters, who are living stones to rebuild the church, it reminds us of the missionaries who came and served in this place.

He told the faithful present, "You are the living stone, together to protect the house of the Holy Spirit, so the church is important to receive Christ, and Catholics have a vital role to play in receiving God to show mercy to others.”

According to the history book of the church in Cambodia, by Fr. Francois Ponchaud, MEP, published in 1992, Khnach Romeas Community was established during the 1910s, with a population of 50 Cambodian Catholics from the Chomnoam community in Banteay Meanchey province. 

Manoj Kumar Ekka, the Jesuit priest in charge of the Khnach Romeas community, stated that the church was constructed to unite Catholics with God. They expressed gratitude to God during times of joy and adversity, seeking his assistance in resolving family problems when things were difficult or wretched.

Since 2021, Msgr. Enrique Figaredo has been appointed the parish priest for the community, succeeding Fr. Sophal Tumlorb, who has accompanied the congregation for over two decades.

Father Ekka added that he would gather Catholic children who do not come to the church often, help and encourage them for strong faith, and have relationships with other children to guide them to become good Catholics for their families, society, and community.

"This is my goal: to build a nation in Cambodia and here," the priest said.

According to the priest, the new church building cost more than $ 100,000 and took eight months to complete.

The priest stated that both domestic and international Catholic benefactors contributed to the funding.

"All of you have helped and built little by little, so I can say that we are all the rocks that built our community here," the priest said.

According to Father Ekka, the new church was constructed atop hillier terrain than the old  church, which was in a state of disrepair and was submerged by nearly one meter because it consistently overflowed during the rainy season, thereby impeding the observance of Mass.

Khnach Romeas Community is located in Koh Ream Village, Khnach Romeas Commune, Bavel District, Battambang Province, approximately 335 km from Phnom Penh.

The community currently conducts catechism classes every Sunday, visits the poor and the elderly, provides accommodation for high school students, supports public primary schools in the village, and has a kindergarten program.

Msgr. Figaredo, the apostolic prefect of Battambang, stated that the parish's expansion has tripartite causes: first, the Catholic community's presence in the area fosters philanthropic endeavors that benefit the surrounding community.

Second, Catholics walk with other villagers, even when it is difficult, but we rejoice. He stated that after the war, we gathered to pray at home, then there was a wooden church, and now we have a building made of concrete. We are working together little by little, and this makes the parishes all over the country proud of this parish.

And thirdly, although the community is small, it has developed human resources through education, with students and nuns leaving here to work in other places that are beneficial to the nation and to communities all over the country.

At the same time, Figaredo urged Catholics to encourage each other, be united, and have both general education and catechism classes for the growth of the community.

He added that the work we are doing is progressing gradually, from kindergarten to primary school, helping poor young people to attend secondary and high schools. "We do our best," he said. "We do not need anything too big; it is a small thing but has good quality. We need a faithful community that can show us the way forward. and I am grateful for the simplicity we have. ”

The Khnach Romeas community currently has 60 adult Catholics and 30 children. According to Manoj, most of the Catholics in the community have migrated to earn a living as laborers and small businesses.- Kagnha Keo