Presence, fraternity and perseverance: the Franciscan mission in Cambodia

From 3 to 5 March 2026 the Minister General, Br. Massimo Fusarelli, and the Definitor General for Asia and Oceania, Br. John Wong, visited the Order’s mission in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. This was the first visit of a Minister General of the Order of Friars Minor to this missionary presence, which belongs to the Province of St Francis in Vietnam. Throughout the visit they were accompanied by the Minister Provincial, Br. John of God Nguyen Phuoc.

On the occasion of the eighth Centenary of the Transitus of St Francis, the Minister Provincial brought to Cambodia relics of St Francis, St Clare and St Colette, which were exposed for public veneration during the various meetings and celebrations. It was a simple yet eloquent sign of Franciscan communion and of being rooted in a history that continues to bear fruit even in this land, despite the many challenges and sufferings present here.

Cambodia, a Southeast Asian country in the Indochina region, has around 16 million inhabitants. Ninety-five per cent of the population is Buddhist. Catholics number about 20,000 and are distributed in the Apostolic Vicariate of Phnom Penh and two Apostolic Prefectures. Most Catholics are of Vietnamese origin. Some families have been present in the country for more than a century, but many lack official documentation and do not have access to fundamental civil rights, including public education for their children. There are also challenges linked to the ongoing border conflict between Cambodia and Thailand, internal displacement, human trafficking and the growing industry of online scams.

The Franciscan presence in Cambodia dates back to the sixteenth century, when Portuguese friars arriving from Malacca reached the Khmer Kingdom at the invitation of the king. That early mission, however, was destroyed in 1594 following Siamese attacks. The present mission began after the invitation of the Minister General in 2009 to the East Asia Conference to establish a presence in this country. The following year the initiative was entrusted to the Vietnamese Province, and in August 2010 the first missionary fraternity of three Vietnamese friars arrived in Tuol Krosang.

Tuol Krosang lies about 20 kilometres from Phnom Penh. It is a poor village inhabited by farmers, fishermen and day labourers. Located in a low-lying area, it is affected each year by a flood season lasting about six months. Many children are unable to attend school. Around thirty Vietnamese families live in the village alongside Cambodian families, in a context marked by discrimination and tensions between the two communities.

Today the fraternity of the Order of Friars Minor in Tuol Krosang is composed of four friars. They provide pastoral care in six villages, the furthest about 70 kilometres away. They also run two small kindergartens and two small primary schools offering only the first and second years of education, due to the limited financial resources of both the friars and the families. The friars transport children from nearby villages, provide scholarships, school supplies and even bicycles to make school attendance possible. They visit families, assist in building and repairing homes, and offer financial support to pregnant mothers, the elderly and the sick.

The fraternity is also actively involved in meetings of clergy and religious, retreats and pastoral activities of the Apostolic Vicariate. Each friar has his own responsibilities and initiatives, yet these are always lived in a strong Franciscan spirit of mutual support and fraternal collaboration. Relations with other religious are good; there are about one hundred religious in the country, seventy of whom are Vietnamese.

The vision of the friars is clear: to evangelise among the Cambodian people, to help Vietnamese migrants obtain legal documentation and integrate into society, to be a bridge of reconciliation between the two communities, and to offer educational opportunities to poor children. This year they also began a centre to welcome orphaned boys between the ages of five and twelve.

During the visit, Br. Massimo and Br. John spent time with the missionary fraternity, visiting the church, orphanage, kindergarten and small school in Tuol Krosang. They celebrated Mass with the Vietnamese migrant community of Bungchuk and shared a Lunar New Year dinner with community leaders. They also visited the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum, a place of remembrance of the Khmer Rouge period, where between 1975 and 1979 up to 20,000 people were imprisoned and tortured, with only twelve confirmed survivors. Five of them were present to welcome the visitors.

The friars also met the Apostolic Vicar, Bishop Olivier Schmitthaeusler, and took part in a celebration marking the opening of the Franciscan Jubilee Year together with the religious and priests of Phnom Penh. Because of heavy rains, it was not possible to reach two Cambodian villages served by the fraternity, as the roads were flooded.

In dialogue with the Minister General, the Minister Provincial said: “We want a Franciscan presence here, to help the Bishop help the faith grow and to support the development of the people. From the beginning we have been building and repairing churches and houses for the poor.”

Br. Massimo reminded the friars: “Through you, our Order is present in this small and young Church, marked by tensions and conflicts. Presence is the most important part of our charism. Your presence here guarantees the presence of the Order in Cambodia.”

Br. John Baptist Dung, one of the first missionary friars in Phnom Penh, highlighted the challenges of the mission, noting that among the poorest there is not yet a real culture of education. The youngest member of the fraternity, Br. Anthony Dung, emphasised the fraternal dimension of their common life and the need to develop resources in order to offer a better future to the people.

The friars hope to serve the Khmer community more and more, and to welcome friars from other Entities of the Order into the missionary fraternity, giving the presence an increasingly international face.

In his address to the religious and priests of the Vicariate, Br. Massimo recalled the image of the seed on the occasion of the eighth centenary of the Transitus of St Francis. The seed continues to grow, generation after generation. Also in Cambodia, through the simple, poor and fraternal life of the friars, and through their perseverance, that seed bears fruit of mercy, faith, fraternity and peace.