January 1, 2016
慈悲聖母－撫愛眾人之母
親愛的朋友及會士兄弟！
每次我到訪柬埔寨宗座監牧區馬德望省，都深受一座極富意義而瑰麗的聖母像 ─ 慈悲聖母所感動。這聖母像於柬埔寨這個殺戮戰場中出現，絕非偶然。聖母像原稱「撫愛眾人之母」。在這座展開雙臂、笑臉迎人的聖母像前，作簡短的默想，有助我們度過2016年慈悲禧年的旅程。
馬德望省宗座監牧，耶穌會士菲加雷多Enrique Figaredo神父的一篇簡短教理講授，為我們展開慈悲禧年之旅，大有幫助：
「瑪利亞懷抱耶穌，她伸開雙手，迎接所有親近她的人。在溫良慈愛的斗篷下，他們兩人都展露令人釋懷的親切笑容。
聖像中間有兩位小孩：一位拿著象徵智慧，助人辨別是非的書本；另一位吹著笛子，表示以藝術、音樂及傳統文化讚美天主。下面還有一位坐著輪椅的小孩，手持象徵和平的白鴿；另有一位小孩使用拐杖，拿著一束象徵愛的花朵。愛是天主最大的誡命：『要彼此相愛，如同我愛了你們。』拐杖與輪椅猶如聖事，使他們恢復尊嚴，讓傷、健人士彼此溝通。
聖母的斗篷象徵一個屬於我們的大家庭：教會。我們都藏身在這斗篷下。
聖像底部有一些蓮花。蓮花在柬埔寨有特殊的意義，象徵光榮、純潔與神聖。」
這個宗座監牧區人口達五百萬，信仰以佛教為主，當地只有10名司鐸，分佈在31個堂區及傳教站，牧養4000 名教友。這款聖母像在當地每個堂區都有恭奉，均由柬埔寨的殘障藝術家雕塑而成。這顯示我們能彼此互助來傳揚天主的愛；而這份愛就是藉著耶穌帶到我們的生活中，不論貧富貴賤。
願這年青的柬埔寨教會這份美善，幫助我們以更新的、滿懷慈悲的心靈，展開這一年！
衷心祝願你們新年快樂！
在鮑思高內
慈幼會賢明漢神父
2014-2020 慈幼會東亞澳區地區議員
柬埔寨馬德望省 （請聯絡省宗座監牧，耶穌會士菲加雷多神父）
Mother of Mercy - Our Mother of Inclusive Love
January 1, 2016
Mother of Mercy – Our Mother of the Inclusive Love
Dear friends and confreres!
Every time I visit the Battambang, Apostolic Prefecture in Cambodia, I’m deeply touched by one of the most meaningful and beautiful carvings of Mary – Mother of Mercy. It’s not by accident, that this statue did emerge in the country of the Killing fields. The original name is ‘Our Mother of the Inclusive Love’. Simple contemplation of this welcoming, embracing and smiling statue of Mary might help us on the journey during the Year of Mercy, AD 2016.
A simple catechesis by the Prefect Apostolic of Battambang, Fr. Enrique Figaredo, SJ helps us at the beginning of this Year of Mercy:
‘Mary is holding Jesus, who is with open arms welcoming all who wish to draw near. Both of them with a disarming smile under the warm cloak of loving kindness.
In the middle of the figure, there are two children: one of them holds a book symbolizing wisdom that helps to discern between right and wrong. The other one is playing the flute putting together art, music and tradition for praising God. One of them is on a wheelchair holding a dove, symbol of peace and the other uses crutch, and is holding a bunch of flowers, the sign of love, God’s greatest commandment: ‘Love one another as I have loved you!’ The crutch and the wheelchair are like a sacrament, that gives them back their dignity and make communion between disable and non-disabled.
The cloak of our Lady is an image of the family we all belong to: the Church. We are all included under this cloak.
In the bottom there are lotus flowers. The lotus flower is the most emblematic flower in Cambodia, a symbol of glory, purity and holiness.’
In the Apostolic Prefecture of are only 10 priests in 31 parishes and mission stations, ministering to 4000 Catholics living immersed among 5 millions of majority Buddhist population. This statue of Our Lady is present in all the parishes of the Prefecture and is carved by disabled Cambodian artists. This also shows that we can help each other in bringing the love of God that Jesus brings to our lives, no matter our condition.
May this beauty of the young Cambodia Church help us to start this year with a renewed heart, full of mercy!
Wish you a truly Happy New Year!
In Don Bosco,
Fr. Václav Klement, SDB
Regional Councilor EAO 2014-2020
Battambang - Cambodia (contact Apostolic Vicar - Fr. Henrique Figaredo, SJ)