Last May 24, Fr Joseph Doan, EAO Regional Assistant, informed Fr. Matthias Chae and Fr. Adolfo Nicolás that Fr. General has decided to make Cambodia a "Mission Territory" of the Korean Province.
Cambodia continues to be a shared responsibility of the whole Assistancy in what regards Personnel and Financial needs. Thus we firmly hope that different Units will continue to send Jesuits and support the different apostolic projects.
The Official announcement in Korea reads basically like this:
- "Fr. General has decided that the Cambodia Mission Territory is now under the jurisdiction of the Korean Province.
- Concrete modalities for the Jesuit administration of our work in Cambodia should be arranged between the Provincial of Korea, the President of JCEAO and the Major Superiors of the Assistancy in order to safeguard the juridical status and the apostolic commitment of the Assistancy in Cambodia.
- This arrangement does not suppress the commitment of the Assistancy to help the Cambodia Mission in manpower and finances."
With this development, much work is needed to clarify issues that include important administrative points regarding the transition and the future, as well as processes and channels of communication and decision-making.
The Korean Province has accepted this decision with all its challenges. It is taking this news with hope, joy and much generosity. We all rejoice with them and look forward to the coming years of a new level of cooperation and leadership. We also pray that the change becomes a source of new life and inspiration for both, the Province of Korea and the Mission of Cambodia and all the Jesuits and non-Jesuit cooperators in it.