Richie's letters
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Since 1991, the Jesuit Mission in Cambodia has been dedicated to cultivating and nurturing Cambodian talent through education. They have provided quality instruction and published essential educational materials for the departments of Philosophy, Mathematics, and Biology at the Royal University of Phnom Penh. Additionally, Xavier Jesuit School, which began in 2014, has continued to expand. It now includes a kindergarten, primary school, middle and high school, a community learning center, and teacher training programs, all aimed at fostering a robust educational environment for the Cambodian community.
“Dare to Dream of a Brighter Future!”
Xavier Jesuit School envisions creating a joyful learning community within a safe environment, where all members have the courage to explore and choose meaningful life paths. The school is committed to pursuing excellence in both teaching and learning methodologies. It aims to nurture students to become loving individuals who care for themselves, others, and Cambodia.
The mission of Xavier Jesuit School is to promote the integral development of the whole person. We strive to form young men and women of conscience, competence, compassion, and commitment, who will contribute creatively to building a just society while serving and caring for the poor.
At the Royal University of Phnom Penh (RUPP), Fr. Ingun Kang SJ lectures on the Medieval History of Philosophy to undergraduate Philosophy majors and teaches courses on Asian Philosophy, Religion, and Philosophy Paper Writing to postgraduate students. At the St. John Mary Vianney Seminary in Phnom Penh, he offers courses in Medieval Philosophy, Philosophy of India, Philosophical Anthropology, and Philosophy of Religion, while also providing spiritual direction to seminarians. Lectures at the Buddhist University of Battambang, which had been on hold, were resumed in 2020. In addition, Fr. Ingun collaborates with various NGOs, Catholic and Protestant groups, and individuals from other religious backgrounds through lectures, seminars, and workshops, promoting youth development and interreligious dialogue in Cambodia.
Fr. Ingun is also the Director of the MAGGA Institute, which he co-founded with Fr. Taejin Kim SJ, to strengthen the intellectual apostolate of the Jesuit Mission in Cambodia. He continued work on the Oxford Dictionary of Philosophy project, which began in 2015. This project has been supported by professors of Philosophy at RUPP, Mr. Puthesan and Mr. Makara, who are researchers at the MAGGA Institute, along with Dr. Kyunghee Kang and Dr. Kin Yong from the Khmer Literature Department at RUPP. They have assisted in translating and proofreading a significant portion of the dictionary. On November 18th, during a seminar in Phnom Penh celebrating World Philosophy Day, Fr. Ingun presented the publishing plan for the Oxford Dictionary of Philosophy and unveiled a draft of the publication to the public.
Fr. Ingun explained the two main purposes of the Oxford Dictionary of Philosophy Translation Project:
In 2020, Fr. Ingun’s team successfully published the dictionary, which garnered significant attention from intellectuals, scholars, and the general public. Plans are in place to donate copies to universities and libraries across Cambodia to ensure that poor students and researchers have easy access to this valuable resource.
Fr. Taejin also lectures on Philosophy at RUPP and the St. John Mary Vianney Seminary. As Vice Director of the MAGGA Institute, he is involved in the research and translation of books related to Ignatian Spirituality, Religion, Philosophy, and Liberal Arts. He also worked as a factory laborer to experience the lives of factory workers and to build relationships with them. This experience inspired him to establish the Roum (meaning together) Center, a space for young, minor workers who live far from home and lack opportunities for proper education.