Building up the Diocesan Team

Religious Communities

Over the past years the number of priests in the diocese has grown from 2 to 9. While some are still developing their capacity in Khmer language, they are already visiting the communities and sharing their lives.

Ta Phung Church

The priests comprise two Diocesan Priests, both Cambodians: Fr. Pierre Tonlop Sophal is the Vicar General of Battambang Prefecture, and Fr. Dominique Nget Viney who was ordained in December 2001. Two MXY Priests from Colombia (Fr. Hernan Pinilla and Fr. Pedro Gomez); one PIME Priest from Italy Fr. Franco Legnani and four Jesuits: two from Indonesia (Fr. Heri Bratasudarma and Fr. Greg Priyadi sj), one from the Philippines (Totet Banaynal) and Msgr. Enrique Figaredo from Spain.
There are members of other religious communities assisting in various social/pastoral projects. The number of religious communities has grown with others expected in the near future:

Religious Sisters

Providence de Portieux (Sr. Cecile, Sr. Regine and Sr. Adelphe): they have a children's hostel and are implementing a variety of rural development and health programs in the Prefecture on behalf of Jesuit Service.
Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul (Sr. Mercy, Sr. Sol and Sr. Eulie): they care for the welcome center for the sick in Battambang center, youth programs, running a number of kindergartens for the prefecture.
Missionary Society of the Sacred Heart of Jesus (Sr. Marta): outreach program in Battambang
Thailand Foreign Mission-Lovers of the Cross (Sister Porntip, Sr.Sudathip, Sr. Kalaya): they look after social and pastoral work in Kompong Thom
Salesian Sisters of Don Bosco (Sr. Teresita, Sr. Sol, Sr. Teresa Maria): vocational training for girls.
Infant-Jesus of Chauffailles, Japan: social and pastoral work in Siem Reap
Missionaries of Charity: social work and welcome centre for sick and poor people in Siem Reap

Religious Brothers

Salesians of Don Bosco (as mentioned below for Don Bosco society)
Jesuits (as mentioned below for Jesuit Service Cambodia)

There have been annual gatherings of pastoral workers of the prefecture. With so many new personnel, these meetings serve mainly as orientation. But it is expected that they will also become occasions for building solidarity among the workers of the prefecture as an aid to planning.

NGOs

The Prefecture works in collaboration with NGOs present in north-west Cambodia.
Our main partners are the Jesuit Service and Caritas. Given its experience and presence in the area for many years, under the leadership of Sr. Denise Coghlan and Fr. Joaquin Salord sj, JS offers to the prefecture expertise in the work with the disabled. It also provides human and material resources for the diocese, namely wheel chairs which are manufactured in its center Banteay Prieb; assistance for the hearing program; and logistical support such as visa arrangements or registration of vehicles. Jesuits working in the Prefecture are members of JS.
Caritas is implementing a number of health and rural development programs in the prefecture, such as the home AIDS care project in Siem Reap, under the leadership of Bernadette Glisse.

Other NGOs with which we collaborate and/or are working in the Diocese:

• Don Bosco society: vocational training programs.
• New Humanity: will be soon implementing new projects on behalf of the prefecture.
• Japan Lay Missionary Movement: have deputed two lay missionaries to work for the prefecture.
• Emergency: Since we do not as yet have specialist physiotherapists residing at the centre, we are limited only by the capacity of our cooperating institutions. Emergency Hospital has excellent capacity for corrective surgery, and gives immediate treatment free of charge.
• Handicap International: Provide prosthesis and other devices as well as physio-therapy
• ICRC: Provide prosthesis and other devices as well as physio-therapy
• Medicins sans Frontieres (MSF)