CAMBODIA
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Interdiocesan Biblical Committee of Cambodia
1. Internal situation
Character : Commission of Bishops’ Conference
Contact Person : Fr. Vincent Sénéchal, mep
E-mail : vincent.senechal@gmail.com
Telephone : 00 855 12 81 01 59 (portable)
Postal address : POB 123 Phnom Penh – Cambodia
2. Activities
During the last years, Fr. Francois Ponchaud and his team of the Cambodian Catholic Cultural Center (CCCC) organized seminars and trainings for new catechists in which the Bible had a central place. Especially from June 2008 to January 2010, a monthly seminar gathered 90 catechists.
During the Year of St Paul, a revised edition of the Pauline letters with new introductions has been published by Fr Ponchaud.
In Pursat, a seminar on St Paul was held for the catechists of Battambang Apostolic Prefecture in Sept 2009.
Since many years, there is a commentary of the four Sunday Gospels of each month in the Catholic Newspaper (“The Messenger”). Similarly, a commentary of the Sunday Gospel of each week is broadcasted in half of the provinces of Cambodia by the Radio Program “Emmanuel”.
Since January 2011, Fr. Ponchaud retired and Fr. Sénéchal became the new coordinator of the Interdiocesan Biblical Committee of Cambodia.
3. Publications in 2009-2010
St Paul’s Letters, CCCC, 2009, revised edition with new introductions, by Fr. Francois Ponchaud (khmer).
Encyclopedia on Jesus, BSC, 2010 (khmer). This book is a translation of the Lions “Encyclopedia on Jesus” (English / USA). This translation is the result of a collaboration between the Interdiocesan Biblical Committee of Cambodia (Fr. Roeun Chat Chai, Mr. Hom Tueu and Fr. Vincent Sénéchal) and a team of the Biblical Society in Cambodia led by the Rev. Sok Nhep Arun, representant of UBS for Vietnam-Laos-Cambodia-Myanmar.
4. Projects for the coming year
Activities in cooperation with the Bible Society of Cambodia:
A Bible Concordance.
A Biblical Lexicon.
The translation of a book: “The Encyclopedia on the Bible” (Lions).
Preparation of Oct 9, 2011 Bible Day under the theme : “God’s Word, Life for the World”.
Activities of the Interdiocesan Biblical Committee
Three seminars on the Bible for newly baptized adults.
Bible games and quizzes in the monthly Catholic Newspaper (“The Messenger”)
Translation of a book: “The Bible Seminar”.
Commentary of the four Sunday Gospels of each month in the Catholic Newspaper (“The Messenger”).
Commentary of the Sunday Gospel of each week broadcasted by the Radio Program “Emmanuel”.
Preparation of a Catholic Study Bible by Fr. François Ponchaud, mep.
5. Other important reflections
It seems that the door is now open in Cambodia for the Gospel. Concerning the Catholic Church, the Biblical apostolate of Fr. Ponchaud (and his team) has produced many good results for 20 years until his retirement in 2010. These results are mainly visible in term of publications (translation of the Bible in collaboration with BSC [1997], commentaries of Biblical books, biblical maps, leaflets, catechesis books relying very much on the Bible, commentaries of Sunday Gospels on radio and newspaper) and of training (seminars for catechists and staff of CCCC). Now a new team has been constituted by the three bishops of Cambodia to continue the work of this Interdiocesan Biblical Committee of Cambodia. The focus will be on reception of the existing tools and on the training of new generations, while continuing the diffusion of the Word of God through radio, newspaper and seminars.
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UPDATED: June 10, 2011
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