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The CACD meets quarterly and one of the meetings each year is a retreat or reflection day. Today's reflection was scheduled for December but that was the day President Obama and the ASEAN leaders came to Phnom Penh and all the streets were blocked so the retreat was moved to today. Kim Rattana is the executive director of Caritas Cambodia. Bishop Olivier gave a welcome to all the participants. |
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Fr. Ashley Evans is an Irish Jesuit who has been in Cambodia for more than twenty years, starting in the refugee camps on the Thai border. Today he gave the background and context for Catholic Social Teaching from the perspectives of scripture, tradition, the magisterium, and Vatican II. |
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During a short break, James Havey, a newly arrived Maryknoll Lay Missioner, Terry Heinrich, a Marist Brother, and Barnabas, a Missionary of Charity Brother got together outside the meeting room. |
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Part of the process for the afternoon--since it was a day for reflection--was small group discussions. A difficulty in Cambodia is that almost every gathering has a mixture of those who speak English and others who speak Khmer. Everyone at the meeting can function in English but participation in discussions can be difficult in English for those whose first language is Khmer. |
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A second session had Fr. Totet Banaynal, another Jesuit, from the Philippines, as facilitator. Totet took a more interactional approach and asked those attending to reflect individually and in small groups and to share their ideas. |
