There are now four Catholic Churches and eight Learning Centers in Siem Reap Province.
1) St. John’s Church, Siem Reap town
A simple wooden church built in 2004, St. John’s Church has become the center of our activities, such as, catechism, liturgical celebrations and charity services for the poor. In Siem Reap, we have about five hundred Catholics. The patron Saint of Siem Reap church is Saint John, the Apostle. It has a Learning Center for English and Khmer literacy classes, leadership training and computer classes for Youths.
2) St. Mary’s Church, Ta Om
Taom is a small village about 60 km south west of Siem Reap town. In this village is the ruins of an old church built in 1910. They said that there used to be a big Catholic community in this village. Because of war in Vietnam and problems in Cambodia, the church was deserted in 1970. In 2004 the leaders of the village gave back the old church to the Catholic Bishop of Battambang. In the same year we built a Learning Centre behind the old church as a centre for activities for poor children in Taom, An Long sar and Botrong. Now we have two catechists working in this village to provide programs like pre-school and value education, Khmer and English literacy classes as well as the community rice soup program. We hope that the presence and service that we give will enkindle the faith of the community in this old deserted church.
3) St. Paul’s Church, Chong Khnies
We have another church and learning center in Chong Khnies, a floating village 10km south of Siem Reap consisting of mainly landless Vietnamese immigrants . This floating church, which is also known as the Karaoke church because it was formerly a Karaoke parlor; serves the needs of seven Catholic families consisting of about seventy people.
4) Church of the Infant Jesus, Prek Toal
Prek Toal is another floating village in the northeastern tip of Battambang Province. In February 2006, we found a Catholic community who call themselves the Christmas Group. It was started by a simple woman, a housewife, who was baptized in 1972 in Phnom Penh. Her simple, joyful and faithful life attracted many people. They call themselves the Christmas Group because they came together for a big celebration only on Christmas days.
For this community we built a floating church and learning center which was blessed on November 12th, 2006. In this church we have several programs including catechism, liturgical celebrations, rice soup and value education for the children, Khmer and English literacy classes for adults and youths, as well as community education on relevant topics and so on. For these activities, we have assigned two catechists to work and stay in this church for several days a week.
Other Catholic Communities & Learning Centers in Siem Reap, Cambodia
1) The Catholic community in Kompong Khleang
In late August, while we were building a floating church for Prek Toal community, we found a small Catholic community in Kompong Khleang, a village on the Tonle Sap Lake, about 60 km south east of Siem Reap town. Geographically this village is located in Sotnikum District in Siem Reap province. There are about 50 baptized Catholics in this community. They come from different communities to earn a living in this village. They have been living in this village for more than 5 years without a priest or a church. When we visited them on August 28, they were very happy and they expect that we give them some pastoral and spiritual advice. Eventually, we have to build a church for this community.
2) Learning Centers
The Church has built Learning Centers to serve the poor in the more remote villages in Siem Reap by providing community rice soup program and basic hygiene activities, school assistance, helping with house building/repair, emergency support for the sick, pre-school and value education to the children as well as community education for families.
- Khna Thmai Village
- Old Piek Snaing Village
- Phnom Kraom
