It was a historic moment for the Jesuit Mission in Cambodia when, on 26 March, Scholastic Henry Ky Rike SJ professed his perpetual First Vows to the Society of Jesus. Not since then had a First Vows Mass been held in Cambodia.
The Eucharist was celebrated at the St Francis Xavier Church in Banteay Meanchey Province by Msgr Enrique “Kike” Figaredo SJ, Apostolic Prefect of Battambang Prefecture, Fr Oh In-don SJ, Delegate of the Korean Provincial for the Cambodian Mission, Fr Gregorius Priyardi SJ, Local Superior of the Northern Community, and many other priests.
In his homily, Msgr Kike highlighted three points. First is the need for a communal spirit just as the apostles were sent two by two to evangelise. Second, it is the Spirit that invites everyone to enter into communion with one another. Third, Scholastic Rike’s generous response is a gift from the Almighty God to live out this communal spirit in the Society of Jesus. Msgr Kike sincerely thanked Scholastic Rike’s parents who allowed and supported his decision despite their different faith and beliefs. Their generous giving, he emphasised, moves beyond the boundary of religion and faith, and such attitude already manifests the Spirit that animates the Church, the Spirit of sharing and of communion.
The first of two children, Scholastic Rike was born on 22 December 1986 to Mr Ky Ka and Mrs Soem Tin, in “Site 2” refugee camp in Thailand. Right after the repatriation in 1991, he stayed in Serei Saophoan (Svay Sisophon) where he grew up, and got to know the Church and the Christian faith. He was eventually baptised on 7 April 2007 at St Joseph Church in Phnom Penh while doing his undergraduate studies. In 2018, he quit his job as Data Management Officer of the Ministry of Health in Pailin to join the Jesuit Candidacy House in Koun Prieb. Two years later, he was accepted into the Novitiate of Sta Maria Della Strada in Taunggyi, Myanmar under the guidance of the Novice Director, Fr Fortunatus Parwoto SJ.
In his speech at the end of the Eucharistic celebration, Scholastic Rike shared briefly his vocation story. Throughout all these years, he said, the desire to serve and journey with Christ through ministering to the poor has been his primary calling because it is through them that he can see the face of Christ.
Although there are more than 20 Jesuits working in Cambodia, there are only four local Cambodian Jesuits, including Scholastic Rike. Most of our men working in the mission are missionaries from the Jesuit Provinces of Korea, Philippines, and Ranchi. We pray that more vocations will be given to the Church, particularly to the Society of Jesus in Cambodia.
