Cambodia raised $50,000 to build a new church during Covid-19

Cambodians who fled to Vietnam during the 1970 war returned to their native place after twenty years. But it took almost two decades to build a new church in the Pourti Ban, in Koh Thom district of Kandal province, 60 km south of Phnom Penh.

Bishop Olivier Schmitthaeusler of Phnom Penh inaugurated Saint Joseph Church and blessed the bell stand dedicated to Saint Mary at Pourti Ban parish on February 20.

The parishioners started the project to collect funds to build the church as the pandemic began, with little hope of its completion in the foreseeable future.

Dev Tieng, a parish committee member, said that the church was built on July 22, 2020, and completed on July 22, 2021. The new church was built with the cooperation of Catholic communities, raising funds both inside Cambodia and abroad.

“I am happy that we have a new church, and when this church was built, we were miserable because we did it during the time of the Covid-19 pandemic,” Dev Tieng told RVA News.

Father Peter Le Van Tinh, the Parish Priest of Saint Joseph Church stated that “today is the happiest and most important day in the Pourtiban community. We started the Church building in Covid-19 without the hope that it would complete. By the grace of God, this work is done.”

“This church is not an ordinary place but a temple of God,” Said bishop Olivier Schmitthaeusler. “Today is a special time for the whole Phnom Penh diocese, a love for the community and God.”

Bishop Olivier walked three times around the church and the people, for a distance of 22 meters and 9 meters wide church building.

"It is a special place, a holy place for worship that we out of mortal life and get into a holy place for worship, where God is present,” the prelate said.

Pourti Ban parish was born before 1970. During the civil war in Cambodia, some Catholics moved to Vietnam. After the civil war, they returned to the same place in 1990.

At present, Pourti Ban Parish has 64 Catholic families of about 200 people active in evangelism, catechumenate, charity, and education.

“Every time we go to church to pray, we know that God is powerful through our faith and prayer. The church is in the middle of this village (is) to know that God is present,” Bishop said.

Bishop Olivier told the faithful to pray, hear the Word of God, and celebrate the sacraments in this church.

Funds for the church construction s and bell came from local catholic communities such as Chrey Thom, Koh Teav, Sa-ang, Tuol Krasang, Boeung Chhouk, Pochentong, Champa, as well as donations from local and abroad priests and some communities from Vietnam.

The funds raised were UDS 49,511, while the construction cost was USD 51,011. Bishop Olivier added 1500 to clear the bill and thanked the donors for their magnanimous contribution.