austraLasia 1527
Easter growth Part 1: Cambodia
PHNOM PENH: 15th April 2006: -- When Easter and New Year clash, as they do in Cambodia, and Catholics are few in number, then the solution is to bring Easter forward! That's what they did in one of the Cambodian Prefectures, anyway: transferred the Easter celebrations to the week beforehand. But the preparation of catechumens has gone on steadily, and this Easter Vigil, dozens of newly baptised Catholics have resulted from the preparation, including two from the Don Bosco Phnom Penh SYM. They have been prepared with years of catechism and have passed an examination in faith and been declared to have the right disposition. At present Don Bosco Phnom Penh has 24 Catholic and catechumen staff and about 50 Catholic and catechumen students amongst 129 staff and 527 students.
The history of the Church in Cambodia can be traced to 1555 when Fr. Gaspar Da Cruz, a Portuguese Dominican, brought the Good News to Cambodia. But a constant run of war and political conflict has meant that the Church has never grown there. It was only in 1957 that the first Khmer priest was ordained. During the years 1975-79, the time of the Genocide, all Khmer priests lost their lives and their property. All Church buildings were destroyed. It was only in 1990 that Catholic communities were again given permission to start up. The Salesians arrived in 1991 on 24th May.
By the year 200, the Catholic Church in Cambodia had one Apostolic Vicariate and two Apostolic Prefectures - the Apostolic Vicariate of Phnom Penh and the two Prefectures of Battambang and Kompong Cham.
There are 10 SDBs and 16 FMAs living, working and serving in Cambodia. The motto for this year as given by the Salesian Provincial, Fr Dheparat is: "live, learn, love and leave a legacy through optimism and enthusiasm".
We hope to bring you news of other 'Easter growth' occasions in the Region. Some details from Mongolia are trickling in, but we are awaiting confirmation of baptism numbers (not confusing two sacraments: confirmation and baptism!!)
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AustraLasia is an email service for the Salesian Family of Asia Pacific. It also functions as an agency for ANS based in Rome. For queries please contact admin@bosconet.aust.com For RSS feeds, subscribe to www.bosconet.aust.com/RSS/rssala.xml
Easter growth Part 1: Cambodia
PHNOM PENH: 15th April 2006: -- When Easter and New Year clash, as they do in Cambodia, and Catholics are few in number, then the solution is to bring Easter forward! That's what they did in one of the Cambodian Prefectures, anyway: transferred the Easter celebrations to the week beforehand. But the preparation of catechumens has gone on steadily, and this Easter Vigil, dozens of newly baptised Catholics have resulted from the preparation, including two from the Don Bosco Phnom Penh SYM. They have been prepared with years of catechism and have passed an examination in faith and been declared to have the right disposition. At present Don Bosco Phnom Penh has 24 Catholic and catechumen staff and about 50 Catholic and catechumen students amongst 129 staff and 527 students.
The history of the Church in Cambodia can be traced to 1555 when Fr. Gaspar Da Cruz, a Portuguese Dominican, brought the Good News to Cambodia. But a constant run of war and political conflict has meant that the Church has never grown there. It was only in 1957 that the first Khmer priest was ordained. During the years 1975-79, the time of the Genocide, all Khmer priests lost their lives and their property. All Church buildings were destroyed. It was only in 1990 that Catholic communities were again given permission to start up. The Salesians arrived in 1991 on 24th May.
By the year 200, the Catholic Church in Cambodia had one Apostolic Vicariate and two Apostolic Prefectures - the Apostolic Vicariate of Phnom Penh and the two Prefectures of Battambang and Kompong Cham.
There are 10 SDBs and 16 FMAs living, working and serving in Cambodia. The motto for this year as given by the Salesian Provincial, Fr Dheparat is: "live, learn, love and leave a legacy through optimism and enthusiasm".
We hope to bring you news of other 'Easter growth' occasions in the Region. Some details from Mongolia are trickling in, but we are awaiting confirmation of baptism numbers (not confusing two sacraments: confirmation and baptism!!)
Why not comment on this news item?
______________
AustraLasia is an email service for the Salesian Family of Asia Pacific. It also functions as an agency for ANS based in Rome. For queries please contact admin@bosconet.aust.com For RSS feeds, subscribe to www.bosconet.aust.com/RSS/rssala.xml
