174 catechumens are going to receive baptism this coming Easter

Posted: 16th February 2005

The celebration of inscriptions of the names at St. Joseph Church, Phnom Penh

Cambodia (C.S.C.): Last February 13, the first Sunday of Lent, the three Ecclesiastical Jurisdictions of the Catholic Church in Cambodia celebrated the “inscriptions of the names” of the catechumens who are preparing to be baptized this coming Easter. This celebration corresponds to the second stage which is a special period that, according to the tradition of the Church, is lived during the time of lent.

The ceremony took place in the central parish of each Jurisdiction with the attendance of the local members of the Church. Msgr. Antonysami, Apostolic Prefect of Kompong Cham told C.S.C. reporters that in the Prefecture of Kompong Cham, as well as in the other jurisdictions of Cambodia, they follow the custom of the early Church to receive the catechumens on the first Sunday of lent in order to walk with them in their last stage of preparation united with the trial and passion of Jesus our Lord. During this period the catechumens will have the scrutiny to be done the following Lent Sundays, integrating bible reflection sessions, daily prayer, rites of purification of their heart and spiritual retreat. Msgr. Antonysami said that in the Prefecture they have inscribed 45 candidates who have been in the catechumenate for several years. Asked about the future of the local Church of Kompong Cham Msgr. Antonysami said that the most important is not to think about the future but about the present Christian life with the new members of our Church. “We –the local leaders- are not their teachers but they shall understand that we are also looking for a better way to follow Jesus as they are”. Ms. Sophoan, 20, from the region of Neak Loeung of the Prefecture of Kompong Cham manifested her joy to C.S.C. reporters for this great moment of her life as she called it. “I have grown a lot in my life as a human being since the moment I started to walk as a catechumen. I come from a Buddhist family. My parents have accepted my new way of living without any bad criticism towards me”, she said.

In the Apostolic Vicariate of Phnom Penh the celebration took place at the headquarters of Saint Joseph’s parish where around 1,000 faithful came together to welcome the 80 new candidates for baptism this Easter.

Bishop Emile Destombes, Apostolic Prefect of Phnom Penh explained that one important aspect of the process of formation of the catechumens is that “the Church has been guiding them in their discovering and acceptance of Jesus Christ as their Savior, the truth and the Light, through the assimilation of the Word of God”. Bishop Emile highlighted the perseverance, faith and love of the pastors, catechists and leaders of the local churches of the Vicariate that have been helping these candidates so that they can go through a real process of conversion, while praying and reflecting together with them.

Bishop Emile gave a special attention to the group coming from the region of Kirivong, 100 km south of Phnom Penh, because –as bishop explained- the members of this local church grew up by themselves at the beginning. Though they didn’t have any available priest to guide them or a catechist to visit them regularly they decided to come together to read the bible, to pray and to feel themselves as members of the Catholic Church. Later on they could contact father Olivier Schmitthaeusl, MEP who has helped them to be fully integrated to the universal Church. “The presence of the first 2 catechumens who are already prepared to receive their Baptism this Easter from Kirivong is a great joy for all of us”, said Bishop Emile.

In the Apostolic Prefecture of Battambang 49 catechumens inscribed their names. Msgr. Kike Figaredo, Apostolic Prefect told C.S.C. reporters that most of them come from traditional Catholic families of different regions of the Prefecture who didn’t have the occasion in previous years to receive Christian formation and be baptized. Most of the Catholic families were dispersed during the civil war in the 70’s and 80’s. On the early 90’s the Catholic communities started to rebuild again. Bishop Kike manifested his joy for this revival that is the action of the Holy Spirit among us.

The fact that most of the catechumens who inscribed their names in order to receive the Baptism this Easter are young people (18-30 year-old) is a sign of the new vitality of the Catholic Church in Cambodia.

Article Source: C.S.C