Don Bosco Cambodia – DBFC

PHNOM PENH — The Cambodia Catholic National Office for Social Communication prepared the workshop on Synodality for the Cambodian Church between 25 and 27 April 2024 at the Diocesan Pastoral Center of the Cambodian capital with the animation of Fr. George Plathottam, Salesian from India, who is the executive secretary of the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conference (FABC) and Dr. Jessica Joy Candelaria, PhD in theology from the Philippines.

The event was attended by more than 70 representatives of the Cambodian Catholic Church, including priests, religious brothers and sisters and member of the lay Catholic groups, delegations and sectors.

The workshop had the objective to train the Cambodian Catholic members in the process of Synod and Synodality, following the invitation of Pope Francis, who said during the opening of the of the XVI Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod on Synodality in the Vatican last October 2023: “The protagonist of the Synod isn’t us, but the Holy Spirit.” Similar expression was added by Mgr. Olivier Schmitthaeusler, Apostolic Vicar of Phnom Penh, during the opening homily of the synodal workshop: “We are used to many meetings in our daily Cambodian Church pastoral activities and all those meetings are important, but this meeting in special is led directly by the Holy Spirit as the Lord is among us: Let’s not lock up the Holy Spirit.”

The animators of the workshop, Fr. George Plathottam and Dr. Jessica Joy Candelaria, led the participants through different topics to create expectative on the synodal work of the Church. They explained how synod and synodality are a journey through different phases where listening is the main element, leading us to a spiritual conversation. “It is not about who talks more, but it is about listening,” said Dr. Joy.

The Synod is also about the participation of the People of God in the Synodal Church in communion, mission and participation in the context of local church.

They presented also a synthesis on documents and pastoral implications and how the final phase of the Synod Assembly will be for next October 2024 and beyond. It was also a space to know the reality of the Catholic Church in Asia, the most populated continent with more migrants, more young people and many challenges’ for the mission of the Catholic Church.