The emergence of new communities in the diocese of Batambang (Part one)

Posted: 23rd July 2004

Battambang

Ever since Cambodians were refugees in the Thailand camps, they had had frequent intercourse with the communities of Chomnom and Battambang and the Christians in Battambang did not hesitate to cross the border to fetch subsidies, missals and even the Eucharistic bread. From abroad, we knew how the Christians were living, but nothing much could be done from afar.

On June 14, 1990, Fr Emile Destombes, who had settled in Phnom Penh, obtained permission from the Front to go to Battambang. He would drive there, accompanied by the Front leader. Officially, he was going to initiate Caritas projects : support for an orphanage, then an ambitious development project in the area of Lovea. The location of the latter project was dictated by the proximity of the village of Chomron, where about 90 Christian families had been living for the last 75 years.
26. There he celebrated the Eucharist with a small number of Christians, at the house of Bora, a sister of Fr Bernard, a Benedictine monk killed in 1976 by the Khmer Rouge. The Front representatives were surprised not to be invited to preside the Eucharist. Fr Destombes used to go to Battambang once a month, which allowed him to keep the flickering light of faith and hope alive.

In 1992, a short time before the refugees came back, Fr Bernard Dupraz came to Battambang where he rented a house. Fr Bernard is a priest from the diocese of Chambery in France, lent to the Church in Cambodia through three-year renewable contracts. Four young men who aspired to the priesthood joined him : Viney from PP, officially as his cook, Son as his chauffeur and Ly and Wang who secretly crossed the border from Thailand and joined the group, officially as guard and gardener. Since everything was lacking in Battambang, from time to time the foursome went to the Thai border where Fr Ponchaud and sister Gilberte were waiting for them with large rice sacks bursting with pencils, ballpoint pens, exercise books and books, all hidden under used clothing in order to escape the Thai guards’attention. That is how the « seminary » started.

In 1993, the Administration agreed to give back to the Church the compound which used to be Phum Rumchek parish, as well as the convent of the sisters of Providence and their hospital. The seminary settled there. Fr Dupraz guided the seminarists towards the service of the poor and of the Christian communities which were making a comeback. In 1995, Fr Jean-Marie Birsens sj, came to teach philosophy and take charge of the seminarists' spiritual education. He also helped with the pastoral care of the Christian Cambodians until 1998 when the decision was made to move the seminary back to Phnom Penh.

In addition to his functions as director and teacher at the seminary, Fr Dupraz worked tirelessly as the sole priest, assisted by the four seminarists, within a semi-circular radius of 300 km, from Pursat to Siemreap (for reasons of geographical proximity, the Vietnamese Christians in Kompong Chhnang were served from Phnom Penh).

First in Battambang, where the tiny local community which had survived 20 tormented years, would assemble at Fr Bernard Chhim Chhun Sar’s mother’s. This old lady possessed an old photograph showing her sitting beside her husband, surrounded by their 10 sons, dressed in their best and ranged according to height, among them Fr Bernard in his Benedictine habit, and Bora, their only daughter. They alone survived the Khmer Rouge killing spree, all the men in the family having died. The same is true of almost all the Christian families. Like Fr Destombes in Phnom Penh, Fr Dupraz celebrated the Eucharist only every second day in order to let the Christians organize their prayer by themselves and to show how valuable the Eucharist is. His mission was to educate the community, among other things by making it reflect, however time-consuming and tedious that might be, on its way of life.

Meanwhile, he helped the small community of Ta Hen, located some 10 km south of Battambang, to come to life again. Around the 1960s, Fr Rogatien Rondineau had destroyed its church. A couple full of conviction, Neang Mech and Pou Chhaom, overcame all reservations, assembled the Christians, rebuilt the church and served as leaders to the community.

Article Source: Fr. Francois Ponchaud, MEP