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

Posted: 23rd July 2004

Pastoral team of Battambang

Chomnom

The Chomnom Christians came through the Khmer Rouge dramatic episode rather successfully : one young couple only out of the 85 families constituting the community was executed, reportedly for committing a fault against the revolution. The families were displaced by the regime, but soon regained their houses and fields. The church, which had been made into a rice loft, suffered little damage, only the bell tower being destroyed. Ta Yon, one of the village elders whom the whole village honoured as a saint, assembled Christians there for prayers, as they had no other possibilities. Sometimes they shared the Eucharistic bread sent them from Thailand. Yat, who used to teach catechism under the Republican regime, taught the children a little. But life was rough and people had first of all to make a living, so religious concerns came second.

After 1992, when people began to be free to move, Fr Bernard wanted to revive the community and regularly dispatched the seminarists to it. A few refugees back from the camps moved into the village. Fr Bernard mobilised the population of the three villages in the neighbourhood to build a school. He provided and financed a teacher chosen among the Christians.

Before dying, Ta Yon delivered his spiritual testament. When he died, a child saw the heavens opening and Ta Yon’s soul flying up to God.

In 2000, Fr Bernard rebuilt the church to resemble a pagoda, decorated with naive frescoes in the Khmer style describing Jesus’ life and one depicting Fr Jean Badré, killed in 1975.

Article Source: Fr. Francois Ponchaud, MEP