Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Phnom Penh (Agenzia Fides) - After 20 years of war and the opening of the country in 1989, the Church in Cambodia has wished to insist especially on the formation of local clergy. All the Cambodian Bishops and priests were assassinated during the regime of the Pol Pot, between 1975 and 1979. There are currently 5 local priests, recently ordained in the past several years, who carry out the pastoral service for the country’s three dioceses. There are also about 70 missionary priests. There are four seminarians currently in formation in Saint Jean Marie Vianney Major Seminary.
On May 14, an encounter was organized for all the seminarians present in Cambodia. The 17 seminarians come from Korea, France, the United States, Philippines, Indonesia, and continental China, and will remain in Cambodia for somewhere between 6 months to 2 years. They belong to various different missionary institutes and religious congregations, and are in Cambodia making a pastoral experience that normally takes place after finishing studies in philosophy.
It is the third consecutive year in which the Seminary of Phnom Penh organizes an encounter of seminarians in Cambodia. “We come from different countries, different dioceses, but we all have the same desire to become priests,” one of them said. The seminarians are involved in various activities: living with Christian communities, learning the Cambodian language, apostolate with the disabled, participating in programs run by NGOs, etc.
Fr. Bruno Cosme, Rector of the Seminary, pointed out during the encounter that the presence of seminarians from various parts of the world is an encouraging sign for the Church: the small Church of Cambodia, with its openness, thus becomes a sign for other countries and an example of faith beyond its borders.” During the day of encounter and fellowship, the seminarians visited the small Vietnamese community of Areaksat, located on the shores of the Mekong, several kilometers from Phnom Penh. (PB) (Agenzia Fides 16/5/2008; righe 25, parole 313)
