Cardinal to boycott Independence Events
Colombo Archbishop Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith will not be attending the traditional Independence Day Mass held every year at the All Saints Church in Borella and State Independence Day celebrations, over his dissatisfaction with the investigations into the discovery of a hand grenade at the said church, the Catholic Church announced yesterday (3).
The boycott is also in protest over the delay in meting out justice for the 2019 Easter Sunday bombings and the suffering masses, it is said.
Speaking to the Media at the Archbishop’s House in Colombo, parish priest of St. Ann’s Church Kurana, Rev. Fr. Cyril Gamini Fernando said the annual Independence Day mass had been celebrated at All Saints Church, Borella. But this year, holy masses will be sung and Independence Day programmes would be held in the parishes around the country, he noted.
“We should pray that our country would rid of all the injustice and victimisation, at least in the future,” he said. Rev. Fr. Fernando, who is also the Editor of the Catholic paper, ‘Gnanartha Pradeepaya’, said, “We should look back and think of the wrong decisions that our island’s leaders have taken in the past that has paved the way for the present situation, which calls for a change in attitude and thought among the people.”
He said citizens should ask who is responsible for the loss of equality, justice, and harmony.
Fielding questions, Rev. Fr. Fernando said the Catholic Church feels that the entire hand grenade incident had been orchestrated to instil fear in the minds of devotees. A hand grenade was found at the All-Saints Church, Borella on 11 January as the Church was preparing to mark 1,000 days since the Easter attacks on 14 January. “Although we have faith in the Judiciary, we have little faith in the Attorney General and the Criminal Investigation Departments as we believe that they are all politicised. To get justice for the Easter victims would be to expose the murderous nature of politics,” the priest observed.
Furthermore, he noted that the Catholic Church, having waited for nearly three years for justice to be done to the victims and the current victimisation of innocent over the grenade incident, is ready to take grievances to the international courts to seek justice which judicial system was not prepared to afford aggrieved parties.
(Source: Ceylon Today – By Dilanthi Jayamanne and Aloka Kasturiarachchi)
Latest Headlines in Sri Lanka
- Sri Lanka welcomes 2 millionth tourist, marking historic milestone December 26, 2024
- Sri Lanka Police introduces nighttime traffic rules to enhance safety December 26, 2024
- Today marks 20 years since 2004 Tsunami Disaster December 26, 2024
- Wasantha Handapangoda passes away December 25, 2024
- PM Harini Amarasuriya calls for togetherness, gratitude, and peace this Christmas December 25, 2024
Well, Independence day without Colombo Archbishop his eminence Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith is a Sri Lankan meal without ‘Parippu’. It is encouraging to note his eminence is ready to take grievances to the international courts (and to UN, Vatican) to seek justice hope this will work and we will be able to know the truth (with maha-molakaru) and punish the culprits.
I am disappointed to note the following who did not attend the Independence Memorial Celebrations. The COUNTRY should ALWAYS come FIRST, Not politics. The Catholic Cardinal (I do not think he was missed like the others) UNP and RW, SJB, JVP and TNA. Fellow Sri Lankan Citizens NEVER, EVER FORGET THIS ACTION BY THESE SO-CALLED POLITICIANS. To Fr Fernando I say, you have a warped idea of having faith in the Judiciary but not in the AG and the CID. I do, however, agree with him and the Cardinal, that to get justice for the Easter Sunday victims, President Sirisena and PM, RW of the “YAXAPALANA” regime should be brought to book soon for culpable utter negligence and callousness regarding National Security.
Dr Fernando,
Yes, many should be arraigned.
Don’t the operative branded ‘Sonic Sonic’ and his associates now living in big houses by the sea,