The Cambodian Salesian Family gathered on Jan. 17 at the Don Bosco Technical School in Phnom Penh for the 44th Salesian Family Spirituality Days.
Organizers said the event focuses on service and a renewed focus on peace and justice amid border-related displacement affecting local families, according to a report by Agenzia iNfo Salesiana.
he nationwide gathering brought together representatives of Salesian groups from across the country. Father Roel Soto, SDB, and Sr Leeza John, FMA, animators of the Salesian Family in Cambodia, led the gathering, while Sr. Sarin Eng, FMA, delivered the welcome talk on behalf of Sr Ched Ditching, FMA, Provincial for Cambodia and Myanmar.
There was online access to the event for those who cannot be physically present and for more people and students to participate in their own location, organised by Don Bosco Kep’s Media Communication Department.
The program opened with the screening of the Strenna presentation by Fr. Fabio Attard, the 11th Successor of Don Bosco, dubbed in Khmer. Sister Tang Savathanak offered reflections and responded to questions from young participants.
Fr. Arun Michael, SDB, Delegate for the Missions, underscored the significance of the 150th anniversary of the first Salesian Missionary Expedition.
Organizers said this year’s Spirituality Days centered on peace and justice, noting the situation of Cambodian families displaced along border areas, including relatives of students enrolled in Salesian schools.
They emphasized that the Salesian mission in Cambodia is rooted in accompanying the people, preserving national identity, language, and culture, while living in obedience to the Gospel.
Sok Aun, representing the Salesian Cooperators, explained the importance of the annual gathering and recalled the pioneering role of teacher Sry Thea, the first Cambodian Salesian Cooperator. In 2004, Sry Thea founded a Salesian Oratory in Takeo Province, which later grew into a Catholic parish.
Cambodia is a predominantly Buddhist country with about 30,000 Catholics and is also home to Hindu, Muslim, Taoist, and indigenous spiritual traditions.
Most students in Salesian schools are not Christian, a reality the Salesians describe as a source of intercultural richness and inclusiveness.
The Cambodian Salesian Family includes the Sisters Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, founded in Thailand in 1937 by Salesian Bishop Gaetano Passoti.
Other groups include the Past Pupils Associations of Salesian schools, and indigenous past pupils of Don Bosco Kep.
Organizers described the Cambodian Salesian Family as a “seed of hope” in a culturally diverse society, where spirituality remains closely linked to ancestral values such as meditation, friendship, and family.
