ASIA/CAMBODIA - New Pastoral Centre named after Benedict XVI

Phnom Penh (Agenzia Fides) – A new Benedict XVI Pastoral Centre recently opened in Phnom Penh. In the presence of over 130 priests, men and women religious and many lay people, from all over Phnom Penh Vicariate Apostolic, Archbishop Salvatore Pennacchio, Apostolic Nuncio in Cambodia, inaugurated the structure with the assistance of Bishop Emile Destombes, Vicar Apostolic of Phnom Penh.
Archbishop Pennacchio spoke on the theme “ Now Christ's body is yourselves, each of you with a part to play in the whole. ” (1 Cor 12,27). The Nuncio underlined that in this year dedicated to St Paul, Catholics are called to become familiar with the ecclesial experience of Paul and to assimilate it: there are many different charisma, but all are at the service of the community. Recalling the catechesis of the Holy Father Benedict XVI, Archbishop Pennacchio encouraged the bishops, clergy, religious and lay faithful to share responsibility and to cooperate with generosity for the good of the entire community.
The conference was followed by the inauguration ceremony. The Benedict XVI Pastoral Centre will host essential diocesan pastoral activities: youth pastoral, charitable activities, catechesis on the Sacraments and on the Liturgy. The Centre's coordinator is Fr. Olivier Schmitthaeusler, a member of the Paris Foreign Missions, who is very happy to accept this charge and says he hope the Centre will “improve community synergy, stimulate all the members to share experience and responsibility, to build up the unity of the Church”. With this Centre, “we hope to give new impulse to pastoral activity and evangelisation in the Vicariate of Phnom Penh, and to be increasingly a sign of God's love in Cambodia and promote fruitful dialogue between faith and culture”. The hall of the Centre has been embellished with a marble bust of
Benedict XVI. (PA) (Agenzia Fides 16/3/2009 righe 26 parole 263)