Cambodia rewards Catholic Church for its service to society

Thursday, March 17th, 2022

The government of Cambodia has recognised the Catholic Church for its contribution to developing local society.

The Vicar Apostolic of Phnom Penh, Bishop Olivier Michel Marie Schmitthaeusler, representing the Catholic Church, received the “Grand Order of National Merit” from Environment Minister Sam Al Say.

The presentation occurred at the Saint Paul Institute in Takeo Province as part of a graduation ceremony for 114 students.

“The Church is there to help people without hope to have hope,” said French-born Bishop Schmitthaeusler of the Society for Foreign Missions in Paris (MEP).

Schmitthaeusler came to Cambodia as a young priest in 1998 and was transferred to Takeo Province in 2002.

There he founded the “Saint Francois Professional High School” and worked to build up the church community.

He also founded the Saint Paul Institute, the Peace Center, the Peace Village and other social work projects such as the John Paul II – Center for life, which primarily takes care of families with members living with HIV/AIDS.

“The merit of the recognition is due to the collective pastoral and social work of priests, nuns and laypeople. They are works of the Catholic community in the province of Takeo,” Schmitthaeusler noted.

Established in 1995 by King Norodom Sihanouk, the “Grand Order of National Merit” is awarded to Cambodian or foreign citizens who have rendered outstanding services to the nation. In this case, the citation mentions “all the work carried out by the Catholic Church in Takeo Province from 2010 to 2022.”

Cambodia’s Catholic community was persecuted and almost disappeared during the 1975-79 Maoist dictatorship. Phnom Penh’s cathedral was razed to the ground during this period.

The first Mass since that time was celebrated only in 1990. And 90 percent of the country’s Catholics have been baptised only in recent years.

Bishop Schmitthaeusler has often stressed the Church’s message of forgiveness in the war-scarred country. He said that the Church is appreciated because “it touches the heart, it is simple, friendly, prayerful and joyful.”

About 97 percent of the more than 16 million Cambodians are Buddhists and 2% Muslim. According to Church statistics, there are around 75,000 members of the Catholic Church in Cambodia.

The government also granted Cambodian citizenship to Bishop Schmitthaeusler. He had previously received awards in recognition of his special connection to Cambodia and his contribution to developing the country’s society.

The Bishop came to Cambodia as a young priest in 1998 and was transferred to Takeo Province in 2002.