PHNOM PENH (UCAN) -- Marriage in Cambodia, where Catholics are few and Catholicism does not have deep roots, presents challenges to the Church along with opportunities for inculturation.
"One main difficulty is that a good number of Catholic couples like to celebrate traditional wedding ceremonies before going to church for the Catholic blessing," explains Colombian Father Omer Giraldo, parish priest at Neak Loeung Church, southeast of Phnom Penh.
"We prefer they have only one ceremony at the church, if they indeed want to witness to the Christian faith," the priest of the Yarumal missionary society told UCA News recently.
"Quite often we, as priests, are confronted with the value of the genuine faith experience when couples or families hold two ceremonies," he continued. Nonetheless, he acknowledged that when both the bride and groom are Catholic, "it is easier to agree on things."
According to Father Gerald Vogin, a Paris Foreign Missions priest, the local Church allows a Catholic to marry someone from another religion in a church ceremony, but with certain conditions.
"Many couples are Buddhist and Catholic, so when they ask for marriage, we require they be engaged for six months. Otherwise, they are not yet really 'old' enough, in the way of responsibility, to be a couple," he told UCA News. "If they asked for marriage rashly, I will reject it," the parish priest of Kompong Cham Church, northeast of Phnom Penh, told UCA News.
According to government figures, Catholics form less than 0.2 percent of Cambodia's 14 million people. Buddhists account for more than 95 percent, and Buddhism is popularly seen as part of the identity of the predominant Khmer ethnic group.
Mary Rat Thida, 31, who was married in 2007, was "very excited" to get married at St. Joseph Church in Phnom Penh.
"Even though my husband is not a Christian, our celebration was Catholic. The wedding ceremony was very simple and full of Cambodian traditions," she told UCA News. Later they also had a traditional wedding steeped in Khmer Buddhist culture.
"Because of his love for me ... he is willing to do whatever I suggest, and he has tried to do so," Thida said, laughing loudly. "Sometimes he wakes me up to go to church now. And he always brings me."
The Catholic woman added: "I reciprocate. I respect his beliefs as well."
Father Vogin described their marriage as somewhat typical, and explained the normal wedding-preparation process.
"The lesson we give them has five steps. First, the couple has to freely choose to be married, even when they are entering a marriage prepared by the parents. The couple must be honest and faithful to one another," he said.
"They cannot have abortions, because a child is a gift from God, and they must agree to educate their child in Catholic thought and traditions," he continued.
"Finally, the couple has to be responsible in society," he said, pointing out that "they need the people around them to help them grow."
Truong Leap Ronluc, a member of the liturgy committee at St. Joseph Church, told UCA News about some of the ancient Khmer traditions the Cambodian Church has incorporated into wedding ceremonies.
One example she cited is bangvel popel, the welcoming ceremony the priest gives the new couple. "In this case the light of Jesus is given to the new couple for a happy life, after the Gospel reading," she said.
"Then there is chong dai, for which the bride and groom carry a sword. They are to be like the weapon -- which also has two faces -- and protect their life through any circumstance or difficulty."
Ronluc added that the bride and groom also go around together to receive help from relatives -- "not only ideas but also material and money." She also pointed to "bach phkasla, which means blessing, done with flowers."
However, Eoung Tri, also of the liturgy committee, told UCA News: "The most important part of the wedding is the ring, which comes with God's blessing and the new spouse's promise."
"One main difficulty is that a good number of Catholic couples like to celebrate traditional wedding ceremonies before going to church for the Catholic blessing," explains Colombian Father Omer Giraldo, parish priest at Neak Loeung Church, southeast of Phnom Penh.
"We prefer they have only one ceremony at the church, if they indeed want to witness to the Christian faith," the priest of the Yarumal missionary society told UCA News recently.
"Quite often we, as priests, are confronted with the value of the genuine faith experience when couples or families hold two ceremonies," he continued. Nonetheless, he acknowledged that when both the bride and groom are Catholic, "it is easier to agree on things."
According to Father Gerald Vogin, a Paris Foreign Missions priest, the local Church allows a Catholic to marry someone from another religion in a church ceremony, but with certain conditions.
"Many couples are Buddhist and Catholic, so when they ask for marriage, we require they be engaged for six months. Otherwise, they are not yet really 'old' enough, in the way of responsibility, to be a couple," he told UCA News. "If they asked for marriage rashly, I will reject it," the parish priest of Kompong Cham Church, northeast of Phnom Penh, told UCA News.
According to government figures, Catholics form less than 0.2 percent of Cambodia's 14 million people. Buddhists account for more than 95 percent, and Buddhism is popularly seen as part of the identity of the predominant Khmer ethnic group.
Mary Rat Thida, 31, who was married in 2007, was "very excited" to get married at St. Joseph Church in Phnom Penh.
"Even though my husband is not a Christian, our celebration was Catholic. The wedding ceremony was very simple and full of Cambodian traditions," she told UCA News. Later they also had a traditional wedding steeped in Khmer Buddhist culture.
"Because of his love for me ... he is willing to do whatever I suggest, and he has tried to do so," Thida said, laughing loudly. "Sometimes he wakes me up to go to church now. And he always brings me."
The Catholic woman added: "I reciprocate. I respect his beliefs as well."
Father Vogin described their marriage as somewhat typical, and explained the normal wedding-preparation process.
"The lesson we give them has five steps. First, the couple has to freely choose to be married, even when they are entering a marriage prepared by the parents. The couple must be honest and faithful to one another," he said.
"They cannot have abortions, because a child is a gift from God, and they must agree to educate their child in Catholic thought and traditions," he continued.
"Finally, the couple has to be responsible in society," he said, pointing out that "they need the people around them to help them grow."
Truong Leap Ronluc, a member of the liturgy committee at St. Joseph Church, told UCA News about some of the ancient Khmer traditions the Cambodian Church has incorporated into wedding ceremonies.
One example she cited is bangvel popel, the welcoming ceremony the priest gives the new couple. "In this case the light of Jesus is given to the new couple for a happy life, after the Gospel reading," she said.
"Then there is chong dai, for which the bride and groom carry a sword. They are to be like the weapon -- which also has two faces -- and protect their life through any circumstance or difficulty."
Ronluc added that the bride and groom also go around together to receive help from relatives -- "not only ideas but also material and money." She also pointed to "bach phkasla, which means blessing, done with flowers."
However, Eoung Tri, also of the liturgy committee, told UCA News: "The most important part of the wedding is the ring, which comes with God's blessing and the new spouse's promise."
9 comments:
Damn Catholic, they can do everything in order to keep their status quo as Vietnam is doing towards Cambodia.
I am agree with Cambodia Constitution that allows freedom of worship, Otherwise, Cambodia will remain communist state. Khmer People should be open-minded and take what is good. Don't be like the recent PM. He takes no comments from other. What a looser!!! Come on, just walk out from your office. I am so embraced to have you as a Khmer PM.
KhmerNationalist
True, but the constitution didn't say anything about Religious invasion.
and you would tell us and draw the line of an invasion and diffusion? You will deny people's personal conclusion and acceptance to invasion and cohercion? come on buddy grow up. If you wish to be buddhist stay a buddhist. Those who wish to be a hindu they can stay a hindu, and those who want to convert to christianity or islam they can do so.
Don't bicker at other's personal choices. No one is knocking down your door to convert you.
Hey, what are you, some type of Dumbo or something?
Invasion means it came from the outside, and that is a "No No".
Diffusion is no problemo when it genuinely driven from within. No other type of diffusion is allowed.
Got the picture?
Except for the Buddhist monk blessing, if I do not mistaken,all other wedding ceremonies are only traditionnal ones. Not Buddhist ones.
We Cambodians or Khmers cling too hard to our tradition and customs.
Didn't the KR killed, directly or indirectly, 2 millions people by using this same mentality of intolerance toward our own follow Khmers?
We all spriritually die. Buddhism is no more in Cambodia, but slogan and pride.
Strive to revitalize Buddhism by following Suddhatta Gottama and not only build useless temples.
One thing for sure, if Suddhatta Gottama is stillk alive and say us something, he will bless us by seeing us converted to Christian and follow Christ Jesus.
Nonsense, KR killed all religions, not just Buddhist.
i don't think they abandoned cambodian tradition. it looks like they just integrated their new found religion into their wedding. it is called religious tolerance, and there is nothing wrong with that. buddhist religion will always be the dominant one in cambodia and other minor religion is tolerable and that could be good for our society to allow people the freedom of worship any religion they prefer as long as they don't force it down our throat.
"...allow people the freedom of worship any religion they prefer as long as they don't force it down our throat." -- 2:49
That is right, 2:49, and that is what we mean by you have freedom, so long it doesn't intruded on other people freedom (such as forcing people to do something) or creating chaos (like causing Muslim to become suicide bombers) in our society as stipulated in our constitution.
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