Boeng Tumpun: model parish in Phnom Penh

Fête de la paroisse pour ses trente ans

January 4, 2025 marks the first anniversary since I became parish priest at the Infant Jesus parish (Boeng Tumpun) but, more importantly, it marks the thirtieth anniversary of our community. It was an opportunity for us to gather round our Bishop who came to celebrate the Eucharist.

History of the Church in Cambodia since the war

Before speaking about the history of the Catholic community at the Infant Jesus parish, it is worth recalling the history of the Catholic community in Cambodia following the Khmer Rouge era. In 1970 Cambodian Catholics comprised around 65,000 Christians. Most of these were Vietnamese, but there were also some Cambodians. There were 20 Cambodian and Vietnamese priests, as well as 40 foreign priests. Six months later, there were only 6,500 Christians left, the remainder had been killed or had fled to Vietnam or other countries. On April 17, 1975, Khmer Rouge forces entered Phnom Penh, three days after Mgr Chhmar Salas, who had returned from France, became the new bishop of the Church. Over a period of three years, eight months and twenty days, the Khmer Rouge killed the priests, monks and nuns working with the community (foreign priests were expelled). In addition, the Khmer Rouge destroyed nearly all the churches. By 1979 there remained just a few Christians. Subsequently, the Catholic community helped Cambodians in camps on the Thai border and some foreign priests started returning from 1989. On April 14, 1990, the Cambodian authorities allowed the first Mass to be celebrated over Easter. In 1992, Bishop Yves Ramousse returned to Cambodia as Apostolic Vicar of the diocese of Phnom Penh until 2001, and head of Battambang diocese until 2000. On March 25, 1994, the Holy See reestablished relations with the government.

Cours de cuisine, paroisse de Phnom Penh

History of the Church of the Infant Jesus

In 1993 some five to ten poor Christian families, from different provinces, returning from camps located on the border between Thailand and Cambodia, came to live in the Boeng Tumpun area of Phnom Penh, hoping to find employment there. These families started to pray at home and to visit their neighbours’ houses. From time to time, Father Émile Destombes came to visit them. Around the same time, the Sisters of Providence began providing assistance to families in need, and to revive the small Christian community. Then (1992) the Caritas NGO contributed to the development of the sector, with the help of the Maryknoll Sisters (1994), who provided medical assistance, while also supporting schooling for poorer children. In 1994, after a meeting of all the Catholic Christians in the parish of Saint Joseph (in the Little Market), the Christians of Boeng Tumpun asked Bishop Yves Ramousse to purchase some land and a small wooden property to start holding Mass regularly. At that time, many priests used to visit the church, for example Fathers François Ponchaud, Werachaï, Ashley, Omer Girardo, François-Xavier Demont and Bruno Cosme. On December 11 of the same year, Émile Destombes appointed, for the first time, a church committee with three principal objectives: education in faith, the liturgy, and social assistance. We consider that date to constitute the beginning of the Church of the Infant Jesus. In 1995 Maryknoll nuns Sister Anne and Sister Regina, together with Ms Sarin, a layperson, set up a sewing project to help some women. Maryknoll also began to help patients affected by AIDS. In 1996, the community agreed to provide accommodation to poorer children who wanted to study in Phnom Penh. In 1997, Sisters of Providence established a centre that enabled girls from other provinces to study at the secondary school in Phnom Penh. Then poor male secondary students came to study in a rented building (the Francis Centre) near the church and participated in community activities. From 2007 to 2017, there was the Clara Centre for young female students, managed by Valeria, an Italian Christian. In addition, every Sunday, many young people from the PSE NGO (For a Child’s Smile) came to Mass. In 1999 Reverend Ashley, a Jesuit, founded the Student Centre (CCSC) to help poor students from other provinces to come for their studies to Phnom Penh. These students took part in Mass as well as other activities of the Boeng Tumpun community. In 2001 a Sister of Providence created a Centre for young people who are deaf and dumb (Light of Mercy).

A new church in Boeng Tumpun

In 2004 the new bishop Émile Destombes appointed Father Mario Ghezzi from the PIME Italian mission to serve in the communes of Boeng Tum, Toul Tang and Konerir. Between June 30, 2006 and January 6, 2008, he built a new church in Boeng Tumpun. The new parish priest helped with the construction of the Saint Ambrose social centre as well as other activities such as the ‘Il Nodo’ NGO, which helped young people train as goldsmiths. He also founded the St Michael Centre to help some young people consider their vocations. Even though the St Michael Centre has now closed, eight young people attended that small theological college. Of those, three became priests. On November 17, 2006, Paula, an Italian Christian, helped to create the St Elisabeth Centre to welcome and care for patients, particularly those with cancer. In 2013, Father Mario constructed the St. Theresa building to house the St Lucy preschool, which had been operating since 2003 under the direction of a Sister of Providence. From the start, nuns from this order have been supporting the community with catechism and liturgy. After appointing Mario to the Takhmao parish in 2014, the new Bishop Olivier Schmitthauesler appointed Father Vincent Sénéchal, from MEP, the French missionary organisation, to head the Infant Jesus parish. In Boeng Tumpun, the new priest contributed to the construction of a baptistery and a bell tower, and sponsored the GSES school for autistic children with Mrs. Many, starting by renting a house near the church. This school opened its doors on June 1, 2017, with six students. Today, there are 315 autistic children and 120 educators. The community plans to help construct a new building on the land next to the church. But funds are lacking.

After Father Vincent was elected to serve on the MEP permanent council in 2016 and returned to Paris, Bishop Olivier Schmitthauesler appointed Father Damien Fahner, also from MEP, to take charge of the parish. His projects included the construction of the St Matthew building, which was to be rented to young Catholics and to serve as a centre for the young people living in the St Francis home. He built a confessional and purchased a new plot of land next to the church. He also built a memorial for the dead.

In 2023, Father Damien Fahner left for France to help serve the MEP Permanent Council team. With no parish priest available, Bishop Olivier Schmitthauesler took charge of the parish with the help of Fathers Samnang and Abraham. But this was an opportunity to recognise that the parish had matured in its faith. In 2024, Bishop Olivier Schmitthauesler appointed me to serve the parish for a period of six years.

Fr François Hemelsdaël, MEP