Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Phnom Penh (Agenzia Fides) - Catholics in the Apostolic Vicariate of di Phnom Penh are rejoicing for the consecration of a new church, dedicated to the Child Jesus. This is the first new church to be opened in the capital since the times of the Red Khmer and the Communist Revolution. The Mass on 6 January was presided by Cardinal Renato Raffaele Martino, president of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace. Also present the Papal Nuncio Archbishop Salvatore Pennacchio, the Vicar Apostolic of Phnom Penh, Bishop Emile Destombes, other Cambodian bishops and numerous priests, religious and hundreds of faithful.
During his visit Cardinal Martino gave a conference to present the Compendium of Catholic Social Doctrine to an audience of 150 people including representatives of the local civil authorities. The Cardinal explained the basic principles of Catholic Social Doctrine: the human person, the common good, subsidiarity and solidarity.
Cardinal Martino had a meeting with the Cambodian minister for Religious Affairs and Venerable Tep Vong, Buddhist Patriarch of Cambodia, who recalled John Paul II's legacy of peace and dialogue. The Cardinal also visited Catholic healthcare centres, including: a Children's Hospital in Takeo supported by the Bambin Gesù Hospital in Rome; a Hospital run by the Sisters, Daughters of Charity; an Orphanage run by Missionaries of Charity; An AIDS programme run by Maryknoll Missionaries; centres run by Caritas Cambodia; a New Home of Peace in Kompong Thom run by the Sisters, Servants of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
The Cardinal ended his visit with a pilgrimage to the memorial of the Cambodian Martyrs at Tang Kauk, which is also the burial place of Bishop Chmar Salas, the first Cambodian born Bishop killed in 1977 by the Pol Pot regime. The Cardinal encouraged the community of about 15,000 Cambodian Catholics to continue to live and share their Christian faith, hope and charity and to witness to the Gospel, striving to promote the integral development of every person. (PA) (Agenzia Fides 14/1/2008 righe 26 parole 269)
