Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) - The Holy Father, on December 24, 2009, appointed Fr. Olivier Schmitthaeusler M.E.P., Vicar General of Phnom-Penh, Cambodia, and Secretary of the Bishops' Conference of Cambodia, as Coadjutor of the Apostolic Vicariate of Phnom-Penh. He has been assigned the Titular See of Catabum castra.
Fr. Olivier Schmitthaeusler, MEP, was born June 26, 1970 in Strasbourg (France). His father is a permanent deacon of the Archdiocese of Strasbourg. After finishing primary school, secondary and higher education, he entered the major seminary and completed his studies in philosophy and theology at the Catholic University of Strasbourg. From 1991 to 1994 he was in Japan for a collaborative project with the University of St. Thomas in Osaka. He was ordained a priest on June 28, 1998 and belongs to the Paris Foreign Missions Society. After ordination he held the following positions: 1998-2002: Service in the pastoral zone of Takeo Kampot, Cambodia, 2003-2005: Professor of Church History at the Major Seminary in Phnom Penh; since 2004: Director of the Diocesan Commission for Education; since 2007: Vicar General (Vicar Delegate) of Phnom Penh; since 2008: Secretary of the Episcopal Conference of Cambodia, Head of Youth and Vocations, Head of Rural Development.
The Apostolic Vicariate of Phnom Penh was founded in 1934. It occupies an area of 31,946 sq.km. and has a population of 5,387,000 inhabitants, including 13,085 Catholics, with 5 parishes, 36 priests (4 diocesan and 32 religious), 18 religious brothers, 1 seminarian and 64 religious sisters. The Vicariate is governed by Archbishop Emile Destombes, MEP, whose health is very precarious. (SL) (Agenzia Fides 29/12/2009)
