Jesuit involvement in Cambodia began in 1979 within the refugee camps on the Thai border, initially through the Catholic Office for Emergency Relief and Refugees (COERR), and later through the Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) in 1981. These camps housed 600,000 Cambodians who had fled the civil war that followed the Vietnamese invasion and the collapse of the Khmer Rouge regime. The pioneers of the mission prioritized care for the disabled and education within the camps.

1990

JRS entered into an agreement with the Cambodian government, allowing a pioneering group—Br. Noel Oliver SJ, Sr. Denise Coghlan RSM, Sr. Marie Jeanne Ath CDP, and Fr. Jub Phokthavi SJ (then a lay volunteer)—to begin operations in Cambodia.

1994

JRS in Cambodia transitioned into Jesuit Service Cambodia (JSC), facilitating the expansion of its programs and services. That same year, the mission was formally established by the then Superior General of the Society of Jesus, Fr. Peter-Hans Kolvenbach SJ, who entrusted it to the Jesuit Conference of Asia Pacific, formerly known as the Jesuit Conference of East Asia and Oceania.

1997

The International Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL), in which JSC’s Director Sr. Denise Coghlan and other JSC members played pivotal roles, was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. JSC team member Mr. Tun Channareth, who had lost both legs in a landmine explosion, accepted the award on behalf of the ICBL.

2000

One of Cambodia’s three administrative ecclesiastical units, the Battambang Prefecture, was entrusted to the Jesuit mission, with Msgr. Enrique (Kike) Figaredo SJ, being appointed as the Prefect Apostolic. This marked a significant expansion in the mission’s reach and responsibilities.

2006

Fr. Kolvenbach entrusted the Cambodian mission to the Korea Jesuit Province. Fr. Gabriel Je SJ was appointed as the first Delegate of the Korean Provincial to the Cambodia Mission in 2007, followed by Fr. Indon Oh SJ in 2013.

2014

The mission launched an education project in the remote Banteay Meanchey province, establishing Xavier Jesuit School. The school comprises a community learning center, a small kindergarten and primary school, a medium-sized secondary school, and a teacher resource center.

2019

Banteay Prieb, established by JRS in 1991 as a center for people who had lost limbs to landmines and others with disabilities, celebrated its last graduation ceremony. The Cambodian authorities decided to repurpose the land for a National Rehabilitation Center, a comprehensive facility hosting multiple organizations and services. Over 2,000 young Cambodians with disabilities who participated in the Banteay Prieb program found a place of healing and skill development, providing them with opportunities for employment or income generation.

2022

Father General appointed Fr. Ohchang Kwon SJ as the new Delegate for the Cambodia Mission.