A Catholic bishop recognized by Cambodia’s Buddhist leadership said religions must work together for peace and the common good, describing interfaith cooperation as a powerful witness in a world marked by division and conflict.
Bishop Olivier Schmitthaeusler, apostolic vicar of Phnom Penh, made the remarks after receiving the title “Akka Mahāupāsakabuddhasāsanūpatthambhakr,” meaning “Elder Great Lay Supporter and Upholder of the Buddha’s Dispensation,” during a June 13 ceremony at Wat Botum Vatey in the Cambodian capital.
“Receiving the status of Akka Mahāupāsakabuddhasāsanūpatthambhakr today is a moment of profound recognition of how the Catholic Church and Buddhism walk hand-in-hand for the common good of our people and our country,” Schmitthaeusler said.
The bishop said the recognition reflected years of collaboration between Buddhist and Catholic communities in education, humanitarian work, and social development.
“We know that when Cambodia is full of peace, it radiates a positive influence to the rest of the world,” he said.
“This is a powerful signal: when religions journey together, the world will witness true peace,” he added.
The title was conferred by Supreme Patriarch Nun Nget of Cambodia’s Mohanikaya Buddhist order and presented during a ceremony presided over by Venerable Khim Sorn, third deputy supreme patriarch of the order.
Buddhist leaders said the honor recognized Schmitthaeusler’s longstanding contributions to education, social development, and cooperation with Buddhist institutions.
Speaking during the ceremony, Khim Sorn highlighted Cambodia’s constitutional commitment to religious freedom despite Buddhism’s status as the state religion.
He said the Constitution guarantees “complete freedom of religious belief without coercion” and promotes religious harmony, peaceful coexistence, and mutual respect among different faiths.
For Schmitthaeusler, the recognition marked another milestone in a relationship that began more than two decades ago during his ministry in Takeo province.
The French-born missionary of the Paris Foreign Missions Society recalled how Catholics and Buddhists worked together on local development projects, including the construction of a road linking a Catholic community and Wat Ang Montrey. He said the project helped lay the foundation for deeper cooperation between the two communities.
That cooperation later expanded into education and social services. Schmitthaeusler noted that he supported the establishment of a primary school at Wat Ang Montrey, where children study Pali, Sanskrit, and other academic subjects.
He also pointed to joint humanitarian efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic and assistance provided to displaced families during recent tensions along the Cambodia-Thailand border.
The bishop cited recent dialogue initiatives involving Buddhist and Christian leaders from Cambodia and other Asian countries focused on peacebuilding and reconciliation. Among them was a gathering that brought together representatives of the Holy See, Buddhist leaders, clergy, students, and lay faithful to reflect on ways of strengthening peace through dialogue and cooperation.
The award represents a higher level of recognition from Cambodia’s Buddhist leadership. In 2022, Schmitthaeusler was named a “Maha Upasaka” in recognition of his support for Buddhist communities and his efforts to strengthen dialogue between Cambodia’s Buddhist majority and Catholic minority.
Theravada Buddhism is practiced by the vast majority of Cambodia’s roughly 18 million people. The Catholic Church numbers about 20,000 faithful across one apostolic vicariate and two apostolic prefectures.
The Church was nearly wiped out during the Khmer Rouge era, when religious communities faced persecution and most church buildings were destroyed. Since the restoration of religious freedom in the early 1990s, it has gradually rebuilt and maintained a visible presence through pastoral ministry, education, humanitarian work, and interfaith engagement.
