The Jesuit Community in Phnom Penh and Banteay Prieb gathered at the Jesuit House in Phnom Penh on May 3 to share about their community life. These quarterly meetings will become a part of building up Jesuit community life in the Cambodia Mission.

Fr Gabriel Je (KOR), Delegate of the Korea Provincial, and Br Matthew Tan (MAS) visited the Marist Brothers (Marist Mission Australia) community at their La Valla School in Takmao, Kandal Province on May 6 to learn about their work in Cambodia.

The newly formed Higher Education Committee, comprising Fr Gabriel Je (KOR) (Chairman), Fr Gregorius Priyadi (IDO) (Vice-Chairman), Br Matthew Tan (MAS) (Secretary), Fr Ashley Evans (HIB), Fr Lee Kyung-yong (KOR), Fr Kim Tae-jin (KOR), Fr Olivier Schmitthaeusler, MEP, Sr Luise Ahrens (Maryknoll Sister) and Mr René Ayala (Lay Missionary with the Quebec Foreign Mission) held their first meeting at the Jesuit House in Phnom Penh on May 6. This is the Jesuit’s initiative to contribute to higher education in Cambodia. It is a response to seeing the inferior standards in education in Cambodia.

The "young priests", Manoj Ekka (RAN), Gabriel Lamug–nanawa (PHI), Oh In-don (KOR), Lee Kyung-yong (KOR) and Kim Tae-jin (KOR) gathered in Sisophon from May 11 – 12 for their Young Priests Meeting and to bid a fond farewell to one of their peers, Sushil Lakra (HAZ), who returned to his province for his tertianship and special studies on May 16. Fr Sushil did a wonderful mission in Sisophon and will be greatly missed by all.

The six regents in Cambodia, Cahyo Christanto (IDO), Kim Du-huyn, John (KOR), Bayu Marsetyawan (IDO), Matthew Tan (MAS), John-Lester Tajon (PHI) and Kwon Oh-chang (KOR) joined the four Cambodian seminarians and other in-formation missionaries for a Seminarian Gathering on May 14. The gathering was organized by the Major Seminary of Cambodia. The two scholastics from Arrupe International Residence in Manila, PJ and Aloysius, who were in Cambodia on Foreign Mission Exposure also joined in the event. The high point of the day was a visit to a Vietnamese Catholic church by the Mekong River to view an old statue of Our Lady of Lourdes, which the Vietnamese community had found in the Mekong River. The 4-foot tall statue was clearly brought from France. The Vietnamese Catholic community has named it "Our Lady of the Mekong".

The six regents continued with their own Regents’ Meeting on May 15 at Banteay Prieb. This bi-monthly regents’ meeting foster the friendship that is our Jesuit Charism. It lends support to the young Jesuits in formation.

The Jesuit priests also joined in the retreat for priests of the three dioceses in Cambodia, at Kampong Som from May 19 – 26.

The mother of Fr Joaqui Salord (TAR), Teresa Salord, passed away on May 21. Fr Joaqui rushed back to Spain on May 19 upon news of his mother suffering a stroke during her serious illness. We continue to pray for Fr Joaqui and his family members in their time of grief.

The first Cambodian Jesuit, Ham Toeun (KAM) made his Simple Perpetual Vows at the Loyola Jesuit Novitaite in Singapore on May 19. Fr Gabriel Je, Delegate of the Korea Provincial in Cambodia was there to receive his Vows. They returned to Phnom Penh, Cambodia on May 20. Ham Toeun (KAM) will proceed to the Arrupe International Residence in Manila for his Juniorate and Philosophy studies.

Fr Priyono Marwan (IDO), Provincial of Indonesia made his visitation of the Indonesian Jesuits missioned in Cambodia. He arrived in Phnom Penh and traveled to Battambang and Sisophon to visit the Jesuit priests and regents serving in Cambodia. He was also able to visit Pailin, close to the Thai-Cambodia border, with Fr Gregorius Priyadi (IDO) to see the work there.

Fr Gabriel Je (KOR), returned to Korea from May 23 -June 1 to further the works of the Cambodia Mission. He met with Fr Matthias Chae, Provincial of Korea and with benefactors of the Cambodia Mission, including the Vicar General of the Archdioese of Seoul, Bishop Andrew Soo-jung Yeom, D.D., The Catholic Education Foundation of the Diocese of Seoul, Presidents of alumni of Sogang Catholic Advanced Management Program, the President of One Body One Spirit Movement, Bishop Luke Woon-hoe Kim, D.D. and other well wishers.