Phnom Penh, Cambodia, 29 February 2016 - In the morning of the second day while the 1000 youth from all Don Bosco education settings in Cambodia did enjoy their sports competitions the Salesian Family members and the Salesian Youth Movement leaders – animators had their with Fr. Angel in the Chapel of the DB Technical School in Phnom Penh. In very open family environment with many questions the main focus of this day was on VOCATION CULTURE in Cambodia.
At present there are 20 SDB of 10 nationalities belonging to the Cambodia delegation and 24 FMA sisters of 12 nationalities, 5 SIHM Sisters, 2 VDB Aspirants, 22 Salesian Cooperators and few hundreds of Don Bosco and MHC Past Pupils forming the Salesian Family of Don Bosco in Cambodia. Blessed with few and solid first Khmer vocations (SDB, FMA, SIHM, ACS and VDB). Also this year another SDB and FMA are expected to make their first profession in the Philippines. At the beginning of their meeting the former President of DB Past Pupils shared the hardworking effort to help our students to get employment starting with their 3 months long on job training in the local industry and supporting their mother schools. Everybody included the Rector Major was happy to see the whole SF together.
Fr. Ángel expressed his satisfaction to see after 25 years quite grown up Salesian Family of Cambodia and share his dreams about the future growth and some news from the Salesian Family worldwide – especially during past DB 200 Year:
"What is important for us in Cambodia today? – We should put together all our energies to build our communion as one Salesian Family! It’s an important witness for Jesus and his Gospel to our youth and to the friends of other religions!"
"I invite you to do all possible to implant well the Salesian Charism in this country! This is the main expectation of the Church from the SF of Don Bosco! We are called to build and transform the Cambodian culture, society and Church through our educational Charism. Family spirit, respect for women, solidarity with the poor and justice should be our main convictions!"
With a special stress the Rector Major addressed the Past Pupils and Salesian Cooperators asking us to take care about their formation especially to be able bring the spirit of Don Bosco into the society and Church and be co-responsible for the sharing of Salesian education and Charism in Cambodia!
The open forum brought few questions of vocation nature: What can we do for more SDB in Cambodia, when the Cambodian youth are asking more consecrated members of the Salesian Family?
The RM invited all to contribute to the growth of Salesian Vocation Culture, to breath the Salesian spirit and do all possible to facilitate the growth of local vocations and to the special care for formation of our lay mission partners especially in our schools! In a lively exchange of opinions the 10th successor of Don Bosco reminded all the world wide experience of many provinces (SDB and FMA) with many schools and other works completely and well entrusted to the lay mission partners (Past Pupils, Cooperators or other SF members) especially in Latin America. At the end Fr. Ángel invited all to be consistent with the role of all Salesian Family religious to be present among the youth and not so much involved in the roles of administration offer more life witness amongst the youth!
Salesian Youth Movement in dialogue with the Rector Major
Become the arms, the smile and the eyes of Don Bosco!
One of the hundred young animators – young men and women (15-25 years old) offered a warm welcome to the Rector Major:
“It is a true blessing and honor to welcome you to our great country of Cambodia. Thank you for coming to spend time with us. Every day the Sisters, Brothers and Fathers, our teachers and staff help us to understand why it’s so valuable to be in the Salesian Family. Through the Salesian Youth Movement (SYM) we have discovered an opportunity to carry out Don Bosco’s call as students. But is is your arrival that alow us to truly feel Don Bosco’s inspiring and motivating presence.”
The meeting was hold in Spanish – Khmer (translation by Fr. Albeiro Rodas) and also the first two Khmer SDB and one FMA were present in this important time.
Vocation focus of this one hour long meeting was again on vocation. Fr. Ángel reminded the young animators in SDB and FMA schools, that our Congregation was started by Don Bosco with the teenagers and young people of their age.
The Rector Major invited all young people (majority of them non-Christians and non-Catholics) to carry dreams about their life. In the name of Don Bosco he assured them, that God has a great dream about each one of them! To discover the roots of their happiness means to be open to serve other and make other happy with their self-less life witness. After this initial invitation followed many quite personal questions.
SYM animators asked Fr. Ángel: how did he overcome his life challenges, about his family background and about his Salesian vocation and motivations.
The Rector Major has shared in a lengthy narrative his fishermen family story, his journey to the Don Bosco School (6 year course, about 450 kilometers from his seashore home village) and the ongoing Salesian journey after his secondary school.
Some youth leaders asked about the Don Bosco dreams about themselves, about Cambodia Salesian family. During the interaction surfaced again the need for clear life witness of the Salesians, telling joyfully, and growing together with the young and prepare them for their real life after graduation and never stop to believe in them!
How to become SDB or FMA today in Cambodia? – The Rector Major expressed his conviction about the need for more youth who become the arms, the smile and the eye of Don Bosco in Cambodia today! The animators are called to become another Don Bosco of today! Does not matter the humble family of origin, excellency in studies but only the deep desire to ask God:
“Tell me, what do want from me? What is your dream about me, Lord? What did you prepare for me to be truly happy?”
We pray that among those listening to the Successor of Don Bosco today are other Cambodian Salesians like Brother Sarong, SDB (first profession ready on May 6, 2016) and Sr. Sophie, FMA (first profession expected on August 5, 2016)!
