Building Bridges with twin Dioceses in the Holy Land and Cambodia
Since 2002 the Diocese of East Anglia is privileged to have formed special charitable relationships with two twin dioceses, the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem (the Holy Land) and the Apostolic Prefecture of Battambang (Cambodia).
As well as individual parishes and schools entering into twinning arrangements and supporting humanitarian projects within those partnerships, our Diocese has provided funding for a number of initiatives including house renovations, educational provision, medical support, catechetical initiatives, sponsoring of seminarians, university scholarships and music activities.
Holy Land
In the Holy Land, efforts are channelled through the Latin Patriarchate which has an established procedure for assessing funding requests and monitoring their delivery in order that the money raised is used to best effect.
If you would like to know more about supporting a possible project from your parish, or as an individual or group, please contact Mgr Peter Leeming, who has responsibility for the relationship between the two dioceses.
Various deaneries and parishes have established special links with particular parishes and schools in the Holy Land or taken on specific projects. They include:
OLEM, Cambridge – Beir Zeit Parish; Sacred Heart, St Ives – Aboud Parish; St Peter and All Souls, Peterborough – Ramallah Parish; St Philip Howard, Cambridge – Taybeh Parish; Our Lady and St Etheldreda, Newmarket – Beit Sahour Parish; St Dominic, Downham Market – Gaza School; Brandon and Mildenhall – Jifna School.
From time to time, pilgrimage groups visit the Holy Land. If you would like details about these, or to discuss supporting a project or twinning your parish or school, please contact: Mgr Peter Leeming.
Cambodia
In Cambodia, our Diocese has helped to build a learning centre at Ta Om, restore a nursery and middle school at Kompong Ko, built nursery schools in Nikum and Chrab Viel, restored a church in Ta Om and a parish centre in Pailin. For more information about supporting a project in Cambodia, please contact Mgr Philip Shryane at Huntingdon.
Various deaneries and parishes have established special links with particular parishes and schools in our twin dioceses, or taken on specific projects. They include:
Various deaneries and parishes have established special links with particular parishes and schools in Cambodia or taken on specific projects. They include:
Bury St Edmunds Deanery – Siem Reap; St Mary’s, Ipswich – Battambang & Chamnoam; Costessey – Ta Hen; North Walsham – Sisophon; Ely – Prek Taol; St Francis of Assisi School, Norwich – Kbal Spean School.
From time to time, pilgrimage groups visit Cambodia. If you would like details about these, or to discuss supporting a project or twinning your parish or school, please contact: Mgr Philip Shryane at Huntingdon.
A parishioner from St Mary’s in Ipswich has written a book about the friendship which has grown up with villages in Cambodia through the diocesan Building Bridges scheme. Dr Marie-Madeleine Kenning’s book, Then the Khmer Rouge Came, charts the developing relationship between the Diocese of East Anglia and the Battambang Prefecture in Cambodia. The book, at £14.99, is available from mariemadeleinekenning@gmail.com.