CAMBODIA Poor farmers find strength, hope in Spanish saint

May 18, 2009

BATTAMBANG, Cambodia (UCAN) -- Poor farmers in this northwestern Cambodian province are drawing inspiration from Saint Isidore, their patron saint.

Monsignor Enrique Figaredo blesses the farmers’ committee, Krom Sre, on the feast day of Saint Isidore

About 100 parishioners of the Catholic church in Tahen village, about 15 kilometers from Battambang town, came together for a special Mass on the feast day of Saint Isidore, patron of laborers and farmers.

The May 15 celebration started with a procession of featuring a traditional dance.

"Saint Isidore's life is a good example for me as a farmer," Sie Kimsor told UCA News.

He said sometime his plight, battling for existence in his fields, led to a feeling of hopelessness when crops were not doing well.

"Some years we work hard but our production is down. Sometimes our crops are destroyed by droughts or by floods. When we face these situations, it is easy to fail and doubt our Lord," he said.

But the 23-year-old man said he is able to overcome these negative feelings by emulating Saint Isidore, a Spaniard, who inspires him to persevere in his faith life and pray even when he is tired.

"We have to take time to stay with God," he said.

There are about 130 Catholics in Tahen parish, who are mostly rice farmers.

The procession for Mass starts with a Khmer traditional dance

Theirs is a hard life. They plant crops at the start of the rainy season in April or May, and even with hard work, sometimes the crops fail and they cannot feed their families. Many are forced to leave home to work in Thailand or move to the border during the dry season from December to April, Cham Mich, 50, a parish leader, said.

"Saint Isidore always prayed to God, even in the fields and gained strength," she said. "We like him because his plight was similar to ours."

Mich said that this is the first time that the parish celebrated the feast of Saint Isidore, who is not well-known in Cambodia.

Saint Isidore was born in 1082 in Madrid, Spain. A day laborer, Saint Isidore was known for his kindness to the poor and animals, his deep love for the Eucharist, devotion to the Virgin Mary and a total commitment to Church life.

It is said his master once found Isidore at prayer while an angel plowed for him while on another occasion his master saw an angel plowing on either side of him, so that Isidore's work was equal to that of three men.

King Philip III of Spain is said to have been cured of a deadly disease by touching the relics of the saint who was beatified on May 2, 1619 by Pope Paul V and canonized nearly three years later by Pope Gregory XV.

A painting of Saint Isidro done in Khmer style is displayed during Mass

Spanish Monsignor Enrique Figaredo, apostolic prefect of Battambang prefecture, introduced the feast of Saint Isidore to the parish this year.

Speaking to the congregation at the start of Mass, the monsignor told the parish that Saint Isidore was a simple man, living quietly with his wife and family and following the teachings of the Gospel.

Monsignor Figaredo said the congregation should ask God to help them to be a good farmer like Saint Isidore, to give them strength and bless their crops.

Parish member Sie Kimsor told UCA News that the parish has a project named "Krum Sre" (farmers' committee). This committee works on the rice field and farm belonging to the church.

"We produce about 100 tonnes per year on the 70 hectares of rice field and 20-hectare farm," he said. "The income helps committee members improve their lives as each gets US$30 and 50 kilograms of rice a month. The church also helps the poor in the village during the rainy season," he said.