the Messenger

Women's
Day
The Catholic weekly of sri Lanka
March 8
Sunday, March 6, 2016
Vol 147 No 10
24 Pages
Being witnesses to
God’s Divine Mercy
"
T
he Catholic Church
is the only established institution
that stands up for love
and compassion in this
sinful world, giving witness to the mercy of God
our Father,” the Archbishop of Colombo, His
Eminence Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith stated when
he presided at the 7th
National Congress of the
Apostles of Divine Mercy
held last Saturday at the
Church of the Risen Lord,
u n d e r N o. Q D / 1 1 / n e w s / 2 0 1 6
“ R e g i s t e r e d i n t h e D e pa rt m e n t o f P o s t s o f Sr i L a n k a” Kadolkelle in Negombo.
Delivering a talk
on Divine Mercy, His Eminence pointed out that the
Holy Father, Francis having declared an Extraordinary Year of Mercy is asking us to become “filled
with this Divine Mercy
and share that mercy with
our fellowmen. Thus the
Catholic Church calls us
to be instruments of God’s
Divine.
Contd on Pg.15
Rs: 30.00
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CONCERN FOR FISHERIES
INDUSTRY IN NEGOMBO
Concern has arisen in Catholic circles about the ongoing Port City Development Project which they allege
can disrupt the fisheries industry in the Western coastal belt.
Due to the resultant dredging of sand from
the Negombo beach front many Catholic villages are in
fear as this will lead to sea erosion and difficulty in the
hauling of nets.
Sources state that due to the Port City Development Project many Catholic villages coming down
from generations may be destroyed and many fishing
families will face severe economic hardships due to
loss of their livelihood.
Sources also state that this will change the behavioural pattern of waves resulting in changes in the
reproduction of fish and other marine species.
A protest by concerned parties and fisheries
organisations is being planned to draw attention to
this grave problem.
Please send in your Easter articles
Email: [email protected]
Postal: The Editor Messenger
Colombo Catholic Press,
No. 2, Gnanarthapradeepaya Mawatha, Colombo 8.
Pope’s Prayer intentions for March
Universal: Families in Difficulty
That families in need may receive the necessary support and that children may grow up in healthy and
peaceful environments.
Evangelization: Persecuted Christians
That those Christians who, on account of their faith,
are discriminated against or are being persecuted,
may remain strong and faithful to the Gospel, thanks
to the incessant prayer of the Church.
Pix and text by T. Sunil Fernando and Roshan Pradeep
Recruitment to Class III of the
Sri Lanka Education Administrative
Service - 2015/16 Amendments
The Public Service Commission. has extended the last
date for receiving applications for the limited competitive and open competitive examinations to fill vacancies in the general cadre and special cadre in Class III
of the Sri Lanka Education Administrative Service until
March 28, 2016.
The number of times of sitting for the examination has also been extended. According to the new
service minute, it is possible to sit three times for the
limited competitive examination and twice for the open
competitive examination.
On the request of the Minister of Education
Hon. Akila Viraj Kariyawasam, the age limit also has
been extended as follows:
w For the open competitive examination
- 30 years to 32 years
w For recruitment on merit and seniority
- 50 years to 52 years
w For recruitment on merit and seniority
- 55 years to 58 years
Rev. Fr. Ivan Perera
Archbishop's House
Colombo 8.
Phone: 0112699129
Archdiocesan Children's Day
I
t was the vision of Archbishop
Jean-Marie Masson, OMI to seek
the intercession of Our Blessed
Mother to save Sri Lanka (then Ceylon), from the misfortunes of World
War II. In utmost faith he gathered
school children to the grotto to pray.
He was hopeful of building a Basilica
dedicating it to Our Lady of Lourdes.
With the passing away
of Archbishop Masson before the
completion of the project it was
left to the first Sri Lankan Archbishop of Colombo, His Eminence
Thomas Cardinal Cooray to see the
project to completion.
Archbishop Cooray too
gathered the little children to pray
to the Blessed Mother. It was in
1947 that the first Children’s Day
was celebrated. This was held on
May 17 and was organised by the
then General Manager of Schools,
Rev. Fr. D.J. Anthony and presided
by His Eminence Thomas Cardinal
Cooray.
The highlight of this first
Website: colomboarchdiocesancatholicpress.com
Children's Day was the recitation of
the Holy Rosary and the consecration of all the children to the Blessed
Mother. Since then Children’s Day
has been held every year with the
celebration of the Holy Eucharist
and the consecration of the children
to the Blessed Mother.
This year we celebrated the
69th Children’s Day on March 5 at
E-Mail:
the Basilica of Our Lady of Lanka in
Tewatte presided by the Archbishop
of Colombo, His Eminence Malcolm
Cardinal Ranjith.
“…but whoever causes one of these
little ones who believe in me to sin,
it would be better for him to have a
great millstone fastened around his
neck and to be drowned in the depth
of the sea” (Matthew 18:6).
ccpmessenger @yahoo.com
[email protected]
2
The Messenger
Feast of Holy Family at Panadura
NOTICE
The Following Brothers of the Archdiocese of Colombo, having completed their
Seminary formation, are preparing for their Ordination to the Priesthood. I kindly
request you to inform in writing to: Very Rev. Fr. J. D. Anthony Archbishop's House,
Borella, Colombo 08, Tel.0112695471 Fax. 0112692009 E-mail. absecretariat@
sltnet.lk; if there are any impediments and irregularities for their Ordination to the
Priesthood, on or before the 20th of March 2016.
Name
1. Bro. Gihan Priyashantha Peiris
2. Bro. Nicholas Prasanka Rodrigo
3. Bro. K. G. Sheman Wickramasinghe
4. Bro. H. Nuwan Chathuranga
5. Bro. Harsha Dineth Rajakaruna
6. Bro. Shashika Manoj Rodrigo
7. Bro. Rex Vincent Jayaseelan
8. Bro. Samith Kumara Neththasinghe
9. Bro. Noel Shanaka Dilhara Mendis
10. Bro. S. M. D. Felician Nisal Madushana
11. Bro. Rasika Dilushan Perera
12. Bro. Gerald Christy Ward Ferreira
13. Bro. Ruwan Tharaka Alwis
14. Bro. Bernard Prabath Inbarajan (O.Cist) March 6, 2016
Parish
Duwa
Pamunugama
Nittambuwa
Nittambuwa
Kala-Eliya
Welihena
St. Andrew's (Col.15)
Bopitiya
Ragama
Nalawalana
Weligampitiya
St. Peter's, Negombo
Dehiyagatha
Kotahena
Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith
Archbishop of Colombo
29/02/2016
New Assistant Priest for
Nattandiya Parish
Rev. Fr. Shehan Ferdinandez, the new Assistant Parish
Priest for Nattandiya was given a warm welcome by the
parishioners and priests of the parish.
S. F.
The
Christian
Family Movement celebrated
the feast of Holy Family
recently in a grand way
at Our Lady of Sorrows
Church in Walana. Panadura. The Family Movement leaders of the parish did their best to bring
about a meaningfully cel-
ebrated service to its parishioners.
In his homily Rev.
Fr. Shelton Dias, Parish
Priest said that the family
is the backbone of society
and it should grow with
the vision of Christian life.
He called the laity to join
the movement and uplift
Airline Academy held it's 76th Award Ceremony at
Grand Oriental Hotel recently. Here a participant is
receiving an award from the Chief Guest Hon. Harin
Fernando, Minister of Telecommunication and Digital Infrastructure. Also in the picture, is Mr. Deepal
Perera, International Travel Consultant and Airline
Professional Instructor who conducted the course.
the society in Panadura
especially in the parish.
Rev. Father also
thanked the Family Movement leaders for extending their co-operation in
the affairs of the church
especially in the Family
Apostolate.
Turin Fernando
CATHOLIC
HALF HOUR
Tune in to Catholic Half
Hour on Sunday March 6,
2016 at 8.00 pm, on the
English National Service
of SLBC on 97.4 or 97.6
MHz. for a meaningful reflection on the ‘Parable
of the Merciful Father’ in
keeping with the theme
of the Special Jubilee Year
of Mercy, “Be merciful just
like your Father is merciful,” presented by Trevor
Ludowyke.
Admission to Catholic International Schools
Grade 1
Grade 2
Distribution of Dry Rations
to needy families
Book Launch
Elders' Day at Nattandiya
Duwana St. Joseph's Death Donation Society of Pallansena Parish distributed dry ration parcels including
medicines to needy families of the area in connection
with the Year of Mercy.
The Society also elected the new Office Bearers:
President: W. Don Nimal, Vice President: Tyronne Wekkasinghe, Secretary: Jude Lasantha Perera, Asst. Secretary: Hemantha Moraes, Treasure: Ruwan Naotunne.
A religious book titled "Sri Lankawe SampraM. de C. daika Ha Dharmadaniya Kitunu Saba Viyaptiya" authored by Mr. Hemal Perera, Kalutara, was launched at a
ceremony at Kalutara, Katukurunda R.C. School Hall. The Elders' Day was celebrated recently at the Nattandiya
Chief Guest was Rev. Fr. Lawrence Ramanayake, Parish Parish organised by the Death Donation Society of the
Priest Kalamulla and Dean Kalutara Deanery.
Parish under the guidance of the Parish Priest, Rev. Fr.
Picture shows the author presenting the first Upali Churchil.
Nearly one thousand parishioners of Pallansena made copy of the book to his mother Mrs. Clara Fernando.
Sriyanganie Felicia
D. Anselm Fernando
their Lenten pilgrimage to Calvary Mount at Hiniduma.
Parish Priest Rev. Fr. Jayantha Nimal, Assistant
Parish Priest Rev. Fr. Nalin Kumara Fernando and Rev.
Fr. Michael Rukman Rodrigopulle OFM Cap. delivered
ccpmessenger @yahoo.com - [email protected]
the sermons taking turns at each station. A joint Holy
Telephone: 2695984, 2678106
Mass was offered at the 12th station.
Website:colomboarchdiocesancatholicpress.com
Melvyn de Costa
Lenten Pilgrimage of
Pallansena Parish
Messenger E-mail
3
Since February 1869
Editorial
Email:[email protected]
Website:colomboarchdiocesancatholicpress.com
Telephone: 011 2695984
March 6, 2016
‘I’ have been crucified
with Christ
A
March 6, 2016
The Messenger
s we move closer and deeper into Lent the Sunday
Scripture readings also show how when we allow
the Lord to search our secret thoughts and hidden motives He reveals serious sins which we have not seen.
Last Sunday February 28, the Third Sunday in
Lent the First Reading tells us about the dramatic encounter between Moses and the Lord - an epic event
that changed world history. Catholic Bible scholars tell
us that the burning bush is a sign of God’s love - there is
fire which does not destroy us but purify us like the finest gold is purified in the hottest fire. That is the nature
of God’s love.
Similar to the fire that came at the Pentecost,
not destroying as normal fires do but purifying and
gradually making perfect to be in the image and likeness of Christ. Whatever the mode of communication
near the Burning Bush the most significant message
comes when Moses asks what God’s name is. The response “I am” has a deep and important meaning. God
alone is “I.” So when we stress the “I” for ourselves God
cannot work. We need to get this clear. If there is the
“I” factor if the ego is working in us if we are seeking
personal glory, power, prestige or the personal security
and success that comes from money and wealth then
God cannot and will not work in us or with us.
That is why St. Paul realising this 2000 years
ago proclaimed the immortal words, “I have been crucified with Christ and it is no longer I that live but Christ
lives in me” (Galatians 2:20).
If the “I” or ego factor was so devastating in
St Paul’s time it is much more self destructive in this
day and age when selfishness, greed and wickedness
are virtually glorified in a capitalist market economic
system. It is the monstrosity of the “I” factor that has
brought about potentially catastrophic global warming and a crisis where the world’s 62 super billionaires
own more resources than half the world’s population of
3500 million. Most of the pollution is caused by the rich
countries but those who suffer most are billions of poor
people.
Perhaps largely because of the subconscious
wounds Moses suffered when he as a baby was put in a
basket and allowed to float in the Nile, Moses is known
to have been a stammerer. After he fled from Egypt and
was living fairly comfortably, looking after his fatherin-law Jethro’s sheep, God calls Moses for a challenging
mission - to go to the mighty Pharaoh and say, “Let my
people go.” The stammering Moses trembled but God
gave him the promise made more than 350 times in
the Bible - “Fear not I am with you.” Note the “I” is for
God alone. So Moses went and history was rewritten.
There is an important message for us here: Whatever
our faults and weaknesses may be, when we give the
truth of our hearts to God He calls us to a mission that
is beyond our imagination and understanding. We also
need to say, “Here I am Lord, is it I Lord, I have heard
your call. I will go Lord if you lead me.....”
Often He will tell us what He told Peter, “Leave
your boats behind, leave them on familiar shores. Set
your heart upon the deep, leap with me in faith...”
In last Sunday’s Gospel Reading Jesus stresses
the importance of repentance which means not just
feeling sorry or guilty but making a 180 degree turn
from unbelief to faith, from despair to hope and from
hatred to love.
When asked a question about the Galileans
who were killed in a tragedy Jesus dismisses the theory
of Karma but warns all of us that if we do not repent
and turn to the path of prayerfully doing God’s will, we
all will perish. The Word of God is not a request. It is a
command. When we obey and live it then we will bear
lasting fruit for the Kingdom.
‘Official Document on
Cardinal Cooray’
T
he Postulator for the Cause, Rev. Fr. Leopold
Ratnasekera, OMI informs the Messenger that
the official document known as the ‘Positio Historica’ or a detailed account and report on the life
and work of the Servant of God, Thomas Benjamin
Cardinal Cooray, OMI together with records of those
who bear witness to his sanctity and heroic practice
of virtue, is now being prepared. Material from various archives such as at Archbishop's House, Provincial House of the Oblates, archives at the Oblate
Scholasticate, Ampitiya, at the National Seminary,
the National Archives and material to be consulted
in due time at the Vatican archives will be used in
the compilation of this document. Any miraculous
favours or cures if available are to be documented
with medical reports.
The Positio Historica is absolutely required
to advance the Cause in the dicasteries of the Vatican, particularly in the Sacred Congregation for the
Causes of Saints. Once this document is accepted,
the Servant of God will be declared ‘Venerable’,
which precedes him being declared ‘Blessed’ and
later on ‘Saint’. It is a long process and the success
of the Cause will depend much on the needed "miracle" required for each stage.
At present, the Postulator is visiting parishes on all weekends by prior appointment in order to make the faithful aware of the process going
on, seeking their prayers for its success. In particular, he exhorts them to visit the tomb of Cardinal
Cooray, in the crypt of the Basilica at Tewatte where
his remains are interred since November 3, 1988
and pray for favours and miracles they might desire.
Powerful miracles are sure to hasten the success of
the cause.
A Cardinal Cooray
canonization poster
is being distributed
in all parishes to
be exhibited in the
churches and prayer
cards are available
on request. Those
who obtain favours,
cures or miracles,
please contact:
The Canonization
Secretariat,
Archbishop's
House, Borella,
Colombo 8.
Thomas Cardianl Cooray, OMI
It will be recalled that Cardinal Cooray OMI,
the Servant of God, was the first Sri Lankan Archbishop of Colombo and Sri Lanka's first Cardinal
and is reputed to have died in the "Odour of Sanctity." While he ushered in a great transformation in
the Archdiocese and led the Sri Lankan Church for
nearly three decades, he was also closely associated
with popes, beginning with Pius XII to John Paul II
in affairs pertaining to the Universal Church.
The Servant of God, Thomas Cardinal Cooray, OMI was consecrated Coadjutor Bishop with
right of succession on March 7, 1946 at St. Lucia's
Cathedral by the then Apostolic Delegate to India
and Ceylon, Archbishop Most Rev. Dr. Leo Kierkels
CP. This year marks therefore the 70th Anniversary
of his Episcopal Consecration. The Co-consecrators
were Rt. Rev. Dr. Edmund Peiris OMI, Bishop of Chilaw and Rt. Rev. Dr. Bernard Regno OSB, Bishop of
Kandy.
THE FIRST TABERNACLE
We pray in front of the Tabernacle, we meditate in front of the
Tabernacle, we try to establish a
direct conversation in front of the
Tabernacle, we feel the Presence
of the Lord in front of the Tabernacle. But have you ever thought
about the indelible relationship
which Mother Mary had with the
Tabernacle….?
John (1:14) emphasizes:
“The Word was made flesh and
dwelt among us.” So this particular sentence will paraphrase that
Baby Jesus was the Tabernacle
within her, and she became the
first Tabernacle of this world for
us by carrying Baby Jesus in her
womb reverently and with awe.
God had told Moses, “Make a tabernacle that I may dwell with my
people.” Tabernacles were of stone
and gold until an angel came to
the Blessed Mother and asked her
if she would become the Mother of
Our Lord. She said, “I am a virgin. I
do not know man.”
And God said: “In the
older tabernacles there was the
Shekinah, ‘the cloud of my presence,’ that overshadowed the
temple. Now my Holy Spirit will
overshadow you, and he that will
be born of you will be called the
Son of the Most High God.” In a
certain sense, it was Mary’s first
Holy Communion, for she had
within herself the Eucharistic
Body and Blood. Though Mary
was not a priest, she was able to
say the words of consecration as
we priests can never say those
words, because her body was giving life to the humanity of Christ.
“Blessed is the Womb that bore
Jesus and the Breasts that nursed
you” (Luke 11: 27).
Mother Mary felt the Real
Presence and the sacredness of
carrying Baby Jesus in Her Womb
as she had a coherent relationship with God and the Holy Spirit
from the point of Annunciation.
She rebuked all disappointments,
problems, weaknesses that came
her way to give the real essence
and the formidable sacredness to
this Sacred Tabernacle which was
her womb. She was there with Jesus from womb to tomb.
Mother Mary fulfilled
God the Father's will not only as
the first tabernacle but also as
the profound character that first
went to the way of the cross becoming a transcendental model
for all of us. So let us take the
model of Mother Mary into our
own lives and try to absorb the
real sacredness and the devotion
which overflows from the treasured Tabernacle into our own
life.
Let us take a firm determination to perceive the Sanctuary of the Lord rather than being
a Tabernacle for Satan during this
season of Lent.
Bro. Ashan Peiris
First Year Philosophate
Thatha...! The sermon
is over
Camillus
29.03.2008
4
The Messenger
Church in the Modern World
Pope tells Curia and Vatican
personnel to practice Mercy daily
S
boundaries. It is faithful, constant,
unconditional dedication, so that
even the weakest may be reached
by His mercy” he said.
Pope Francis also urged
those present to cultivate and practice a strong pastoral attitude with-
in all Vatican work environments,
“especially towards the people we
meet every day.”
“May no one feel neglected
or mistreated, may everyone experience the loving care of the Good
Shepherd.”
Archbishop of Singapore slams Madonna
concert as 'pseudo-art'
ingapore's music fans
can do better than Madonna, the local Catholic
Archbishop has said
The
American
pop star stopped in Singapore as part of her “Rebel
Heart” tour – and Archbishop William Goh says
the concert is “causing a
stir” among Catholics and
other Christians.
In response, he
urged the faithful to reflect on how Christianity
offers a contrasting vision
of the arts and the world.
“As the people of
God, we should subscribe
to authentic arts that lead
us to God through the appreciation of beauty, harmony, goodness, truth and
love, respect, unity and the
transcendent,” he said.
He encouraged
Christians and others not
to support “the 'pseudo
arts' that promote sensuality, rebellion, disrespect,
pornography, contamina-
tion of the minds of the
young, abusive freedom,
individualism at the expense of the common
good, vulgarity, lies and
half-truths.”
The music star
Madonna is notorious
for her exploitation of
Christian symbols and
iconography, as well as
her provocative performances. On her current
tour, scantily-clad dancers
wear nuns' habits while
dancing on cross-shaped
stripper poles.
Madonna
was
barred from performing
in Singapore in 1993 after
local authorities classified
her performance as obscene and "objectionable
to many on moral and religious grounds."
Archbishop Goh
encouraged the faithful not to support people
whose art denigrates and
insults religions, while “including anti-Christian and
UMBAI - More than
500 young people
cutting across religions
gathered in Mumbai
recently for a meeting
themed, Religious Fundamentalism: A threat to humanity and creation.
The Daughters
of St. Paul organised the
meeting in collaboration
with various educational
institutions and schools
in the city.
The forum was
intended to be a platform
to learn from each other,
in a fruitful exchange of
religious traditions, val-
ues, ideas and experiences. All participants vowed
to work to "build a better
India, a better world."
Sister
Ananda
Amritmahal,
Headmistress of Sophia College,
said that all human beings are equal in the eyes
of the Master/Creator,
even if they use different
methods to communicate
with the Creator, urging
respect for each other and
not to feel "in competition
with other religions."
Young people expressed their awareness
of the threat posed by
ASHINGTON—Fourteen Bishops representing
the Catholic Church in Canada, Latin America
and the United States concluded three days of prayer
and dialogue at the 38th Meeting of the Bishops of the
Church in America on February 25.
Gathering together after the two visits of Pope
Francis to the region, the Bishops spoke of a strong
sense of fraternity and solidarity as they shared their
pastoral experiences of being one Church in America.
Participating in the meeting were the elected
officers of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops
(CCCB), the Latin American Episcopal Council (CELAM)
and the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB).
Despite the complexity of issues facing Catholics today and the distinct cultures within the Church,
the Bishops shared a common desire to invite everyone
into an encounter with Jesus Christ. The Bishops witnessed to how the love of Jesus heals and unifies. Their
discussions were wide ranging. Immigration, evangelization of urban cultures, the rights of native peoples,
physician assisted suicide, the danger of pornography
and the growing threat to religious freedom around the
world were all on the agenda the first day.
On the second day, the Bishops shared with
each other the various projects underway in support of
the Year of Mercy. A particular focus was the topic of
mercy in the 'Aparecida' document. As one participant
said, "the work is to reveal the presence of God and encourage prophets of mercy."
The Meeting of the Bishops of the Church in
America is part of a series of informal gatherings, previously known as the Interamerican Meeting of Bishops,
held every few years since 1967 to emphasize the unity
of the Church in the Western Hemisphere. This year's
meeting was organized by the CCCB.
Pray for the Sick
Archbishop of Singapore William Goh Seng Chye
immoral values promoted
by the secular world.”
In his homily for
the 50th anniversary of
Singapore independence
in 2015, the Archbishop
emphasised four pillars
that have helped Singapore
become an advanced country: self-sacrifice; justice
and equality; economic de-
velopment; and moral and
spiritual development.
That
homily
pledged the Church’s cooperation with the government “to prevent moral
decadence, to strengthen
the institution of marriage and to promote justice, peace and harmony.”
Young Indians against religious fundamentalism
M
'2016 Meeting' of Bishops of the
Catholic Church in America
concludes with a sense of ‘Urgency
to Make Mercy Practical’
W
P
ope Francis has told members
of the Roman Curia to tend to
their flocks with generosity and
mercy and has urged them to become a ‘model’ for all.
The Pope was speaking
during his homily at Holy Mass in
St Peter’s Basilica last Monday, as
he celebrated the Feast of the Chair
of Peter and the Jubilee of Mercy for
the Roman Curia and all the Institutions related to the Holy See.
“Pastors are first of all required,” the Pope said, “to have God
Himself who takes care of His flock
as a model.”
He reminded them that God
goes in search of the lost sheep, reconducts them to the fold, cares for
the wounded and heals the sick ones.
“This kind of behaviour
is the sign of love that knows no
March 6, 2016
Harmony in a pluralistic, multi-cultural and
multi-religious society
religious fundamentalism
today, the desire to go beyond religious differences
and live in peaceful coex-
istence and harmony in a
pluralistic, multi-cultural
and multi-religious India.
The head of the Manila’s Catholic Church has asked the
faithful to break down the “isolation” and “loneliness”
that further burden those who are physically ill.
Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle of Manila urged
Filipinos to pray for the sick in need of constant care
and help and make them feel loved.
“When you are sick, especially when it’s contagious, you will be isolated and alone. And maybe that is
one of the hardest feelings a sick person could have—
loneliness,” the prelate said.
India's Christians 'sidelined'
from government benefits
C
hristians in India said they want State and federal
authorities to offer fair and equitable job and education opportunities to all religious minorities.
"Government self-employment schemes for
minorities, for example, are not reaching out to the
Christians at all," said Sujit William, addressing the
Rashtriya Isai Mahasangh or National Christian Forum
in Bhopal recently. The forum's national president said
the government has made such regulations that it is almost impossible for Christians to benefit from them.
The Indian government has classified Christians, Muslims, Sikhs and Jains as belonging to minority communities on account of their low populations
and designed quotas such as scholarships, interest-free
loans among others to promote social and economic
standards
India’s 172 million Muslims comprise 14 percent of the country's 1.2 billion population. The second
largest minority, Christians are just 24 million, or 2.3
percent of the population.
Other religious minorities such as Buddhists
and Jains are too negligible that they don't get any benefits, forum officials said.
5
The Messenger
EPilEPSY, CONVUlSiONS, FiTS
these are frequently used words in health care which
may have a serious significance or a situation which is
not that serious if properly attended to and guided by
a well informed doctor. This is due to message from an
abnormal centre (collection of nerve cells) in the brain
which results in a fit or convulsion. There are other conditions that may be mistaken or simulate a fit.
The commonest is a fainting attack. There is
nothing sinister in a faint. It is due to sudden decrease
in blood flow to the brain. It is important for us to differentiate a fit from a faint. There is an abnormal identical sensation or a feeling (aura) that often predisposes
a fit. Before a faint one will feel sweaty, dizzy and things
around you turning. Faint always occurs when standing,
never when horizontal, usually at the morning school
assembly or morning prayers in the hot sun. In both you
fall horizontally, but loss of awareness is very short in a
faint. Fits are commoner in the nights but you never faint
in your sleep. Duration of unconsciousness is longer in a
fit. In a fit there are associated features like jerky movements followed by a period when the limbs are tight and
the jaw is stiff. There are some predisposing causes for
fits. After a fit one will fall asleep for a long time or have
a headache, whereas after a faint you are quite normal.
Sleep apnoea or momentary stoppage of
breathing in the night is now commonly described. One
will groan, gets restless in the night which episodes occur many times. Day time sleeping is associated with
this where you may meet with an accident if you drive
a vehicle. The treatment is in giving an oxygen mask in
the night. These kits are now available.
Apart from a faint there are other non neurological causes that may mimic a fit. Lack of blood flow
from the heart due to an outflow obstruction is an important cause which can be diagnosed by examining the
heart. Pseudo fits are not uncommon often due to psychological reasons a person can mimic a fit like episode
to draw attention. Habit spasms are where one carries
out the same action repeatedly which may be harmless
but does not appear normal. Examples are blinking the
eyelids, smacking the lips, always wanting to walk balancing on the metal railway lines when walking on the
rail lines. Day dreaming, another recurrent activity is
self explanatory. Narcolepsy is where one falls asleep
recurrently during the day. This is dangerous if it happens while driving. Breath-holding attacks are seen in
little preschool children, who when they get angry or
when in pain, stop breathing and may even go blue.
Treatment is to shock the child with a smack.
The commonest and the simplest form of fit is
what children get with high fever - the typical febrile
fit which is seen in 3% of children. The age group is
between 3 months to 6 years. There is usually a family
history of a parent having had this. It is often benign,
occurs at the onset of fever, lasts a few minutes, does
not repeat itself for the same fever and does not occur
after the first 24 hours of fever. Recurrence rate is one
in three for future fevers. The chance of recurrence is
higher if the first episode was under one year age.
If these features are different it is more sinister and is called an 'atypical febrile fit' when special
paediatric help is needed. Unbearable headache, vomiting and being drowsy with a fit may be a manifestation
of a serious infection in the brain. To prevent further
episodes of febrile fits the mother should carry paracetamol in her handbag and give the drug at the first evidence of fever, the correct dose four times a day. Tepid
sponging should be practiced. Rectal tubes containing
an anti fit drug are available for use at home to prevent
a fit to be used by a mother who can handle it. Very often the parent is very excited and need care, guidance
and understanding than the treatment of the child. Turn
the child to the left side, extend the neck to facilitate
breathing, never give anything by mouth during a fit.
He might get aspiration pneumonia. Never put a metal
object like a spoon between the very tightly clenched
teeth to prevent tongue been bitten. A bitten tongue
will heal easily but broken tooth will be very difficult to
put together.
EPILEPSY
It can be defined as recurrent fits other than a
febrile fit in the absence of a brain disease. Diagnosis
depend lot on the accurate description by a person who
has seen the attack. Clinical examination, investigations
like an electroencephalogram (EEG), MRI, CT scans and
other newer investigational techniques are carried out
to get further information. These are not always essential unless requested by a specialist. Very useful information is a video clip of the attack from which the
doctor can get very accurate information. There are different types of epilepsies. The commonest type which
many of us have seen is called the Grand-Mal (major
type). Here the patient falls down, there is stiffening
followed by jerking of the body, stiffening of the jaws
and frothing from the mouth. After the episode patient
sleeps for long period of time. There is Petit-Mal (minor
type) seen mainly in children where the child stands
March 6, 2016
Health related
issues in Sri lanka
By Dr. Maxie Fernandopulle
and stares unaware of what is going on. It is also called
absences, which can be precipitated by breathing fast
for a few minutes. There are many other varieties of epilepsies which a neurologist or an experienced doctor
can diagnose.
Once diagnosed one of the many available drugs
that is most useful for the type identified will be prescribed. It has to be taken for a long time, at least till one
is fit free for two years. You have to report back to the
doctor regularly. There are adverse or ill effects of the
drug which the doctor should inform. If one drug does
not work an alternate drug or a second, less commonly
a third drug may need to be added. One must never stop
taking the drug. If one misses the morning dose a double
dose has to taken in the night. If you suddenly stop the
drug the very serious, killing situation called the status
epilepticus or uncontrolled unstoppable fit may occur.
Most epilepsies can be cured. While on the drug
you can carry on your usual job with the advice of the
doctor. There have been a test cricket captain, a professor of surgery who were epileptics. One can get married
and have children. There are few things one must avoid
till it is well controlled. No swimming alone. No working
with fire or sharp instruments. Do not drive or cycle by
yourself alone. Avoid staying alone for long periods. Do
not climb trees. Avoid known precipitating factors. Do
not miss meals. Do not talk about your illness to others.
There is often an unnecessary social stigma
attached to this disease in our countries. In countries
where epilepsy is considered another disease entity the
epileptic attaches a tag on his body which says “I AM AN
EPILEPTIC,” so that if one gets an attack your bystander
will know what to do.
Note
There were two errors in the article published on January 14th and 28th. The corrected sentences are
1 When bathing a baby do not allow water to get into
the ear
2. Ladies have died after applying unregistered toxic cosmetics on their bodies and not unregistered costumes.
The error is regretted. I thank Mr. Max Jayamanne for
pointing these errors out. Reader’s comments or suggestion, or names of useful topics to be published are
welcome.
Email: maxiefernandopulle @gmail.com
‘antibiotics: a Friend Turning Enemy’
s
ri Lanka’s private
health sector has
apparently suffered
a major heart attack and
by-pass surgery is needed. Imagery and realities
apart, the President on
February 28 went to his
home-base of Polonnaruwa to open the cardiology unit of the renovated
district hospital there. As
for the heart attack, some
of the serious symptoms
were exposed at a seminar held on February 26
by the Sri Lanka Medical
Association on the theme
‘Antibiotics: A Friend Turning Enemy’.
The well-attended seminar chaired by
Prof. Gita Fernando and
Dr. Iyanthi Abeywickreme,
was addressed by Prof.
Chandanie Wanigatunga,
Prof. Shalini Sri Ranganathan, Dr. Kushlani Jayatilleke and Dr. Eugene Corea
among others. Important
facts were given in the
opening address by Prof.
Gita Fernando, Consultant
Physician and Emeritus
Prof. of Pharmacology,
Faculty of Medical Sciences at the University of Sri
Jayewardenepura.
According to her,
antibiotics must be used
mainly for treatment of
infections caused by bacteria. They act either by
stopping the multiplication of bacteria or killing
bacteria. Hence, an adequate dose of antibiotics
should be given at appropriate intervals to achieve
this purpose. It is important to use antibiotics only
if they are necessary and
they should be prescribed
by a doctor. They should
not be used for treatment
of viral infections such as
the common cold or viral
diarrhoeas which are self
limiting and do not benefit
from the use of antibiotics.
Selection of antibiotics is
based on how effective
the drug is on a particular
bacterium. Prof. Fernando has warned that the inappropriate use of antibiotics leads to the problem
of antibiotic resistance.
As a result, some antibiotics may become ineffec-
tive when used for certain
bacterial infections.
Antibiotic
resistance is a global problem. To
reduce resistance, she recommends certain measures:
• Use antibiotics only
when necessary;
• Avoid self medication;
• Use the correct dose for
the appropriate duration;
• Follow the doctor’s advice about the correct
dosage regimen;
• Do not stop antibiotics
early when you feel better;
• Do not keep any remaining antibiotics at
home and such antibiotics
should not be given to any
other person;
• Look at the expiry date
of the antibiotic;
• Do not use antibiotics
for prevention of bacterial
infection except in specific
instances to be decided by
your doctor.
Among the distinguished guests present was Professor Lal
Jayakody, Chairman of
the newly-appointed National Medicines Regulatory Authority (NMRA)
which is now playing a
major role in implementing Prof. Senaka Bibile’s
principle for the rational
use of medicines and the
essential medicines concept with the objective
of making quality drugs
available to the people at
affordable prices.
One of the speakers exposed a major scandal. During the past few
decades, about a hundred
varieties or compounds of
the antibiotic Amoxicillin
have been registered for
import and prescription
in Sri Lanka. In contrast,
Britain which is known
to have one of the best
National Health Services
allows the prescription
or sale of only five varieties of this antibiotic. With
about hundred varieties
being registered here, we
see chaos and dangerous
confusion, with even doctors not knowing what
to prescribe for whom,
while the price difference
ranges from Rs. 5 to about
Rs.100.
We urge the
NMRA to act urgently to
reduce the number of antibiotics being imported.
This will be a major step
towards
implementing
the Bibile-principles and
restoring a health service
where the well-being of
patients is given top priority. With about 40 percent of the pharmacies
knowing to be indulging
in a profitable business
without a qualified pharmacist being present, an
appeal was made for doctors to write prescriptions
in block letters because
most of the time the pharmacy sales people cannot
read their fowl scratches,
and therefore there is a
danger of the wrong drug
being given.
An appeal was
also made for doctors to
follow the regulations and
prescribe drugs not only
under the brand name but
also to write the generic
name. We hope all parties
will cooperate to restore
a patient-friendly health
service because the reality is that the once sacred
vocation of medicine or
healing has now to a large
extent become a big polypharmacy business with
attendant rackets.
Courtesy Daily Mirror
6
The Messenger
March 6, 2016
A Radical Emptying during Lent through
prayer, Fasting and almsgiving
A
s we cycle through our Christian story, what will
the Season of Lent mean in your life this year?
Lent is a journey of Christian simplicity. It is the
time in the liturgical year that prepares us for Holy
Week culminating with Easter.
A Benedictine nun and author, describes Lent
as a time that "calls each of us to renew our ongoing
commitment to the implications of the Resurrection
in our own lives, here and now." The journey through
Lent is the purging of "what is superfluous in our lives
and the heightening and intensifying, of what is meaningful."
In a world that often measures worth by accumulation of wealth, success and prestige, we are reminded during Lent that we follow the One who denied
all of those things to demonstrate God's Kingdom vision. Lent offers us a yearly necessary pause to examine our lives in the light of the cross.
As we journey once again toward the cross,
we strip ourselves of the distractions and distances
we have placed between ourselves, God, others and
creation. Lent is a time of radical emptying by means
of prayer, fasting and almsgiving, so we can draw ever
closer to the One we seek. We practice repentance and
experience reconciliation. On Ash Wednesday, Christians come face-to-face with their own mortality-from
dust we come and to dust we will return. This has the
power to cut to the heart of things as we consider this
enduring question: What matters most?
This part of the story may be the hardest to
understand and one of the most important. It evokes
diverse theological perspectives and many lingering
questions. It continues to be a reorientation of everything we thought we knew about power and success.
This Christ pattern of death and new life leads
us through what we dread to what we love. It reminds
us that things most worth in our lives are not usually
easy. At some point or other each of us who claim to
follow Christ must stand before the cross. We respond
to the call, "Come follow me," remembering that resurrection hope sustains along the way.
Fasting: There are tremendous spiritual and
social implications to living Lent. The practice of fasting confronts a culture that continually tries to get us
to accumulate more than we need. I can hardly think
of a more culturally subversive act than this: To utter
aloud the word "enough."
Our own rest from the race toward excess allows creation a rest, too. For a brief moment, we are
not asking for anything other than what already is. We
may see more clearly the beauty or injustice that surrounds us when we step outside ourselves and really
notice what is there.
Fasting also connects us with those around the
“You are not forgotten”
Pope Francis
greets a young
Mexican
faithful at the
Cathedral of
San Cristobal
de las Casas,
where he told
a simple message to the
people of
Mexico:
“You are not
forgotten.”
The Master's Teaching on Repentance
In one of his numerous confrontations with the religious leaders of his day, Jesus told a parable about repentance. A man told both his sons to go work in the
family's vineyard one day. One son refused at first, but then changed his mind
and went ahead to work. The other son said that he would go to the vineyard,
but did not. What might have gone on in the mind of the first son as he decided
to go to the vineyard after all? Let's take an imaginative look at what may
have moved him to change his mind.
• "I don't want to listen to my father right now,
but I know this is wrong. I can really be stubborn
sometimes! Right now, I admit that I was wrong to
ignore my father's words."
• "I must have really hurt my father. I can't imagine
what it must feel like to be rejected and spurned
by your own son!".
• "What should I do? What I just refused to do!
Simply telling him I'm sorry isn't enough. My
words have proven untrustworthy in the past. I
want my father to know he can trust me. I want to
show him that I can be an obedient son."
• "Working in the vineyard like this, I'm acknowledging that my father deserves my obedience and
respect. Not my will, father, but yours be done!"
world who do not have regular opportunity to participate in what we have given up for this intentional time.
If fasting from a meal, how do your own hunger pangs
help you remember those who do not know where
their next meal will come from?
To fast is to empty ourselves of that which
distracts or separates us from our relationship with
God. Because we encounter God within ourselves and
the world around us, relationship with God contains
both of these dimensions. Fasting is an opportunity for
deeper and more intentional connection. Giving something up simply for the sake of giving it up misses the
point. It is what we do in the place of what we have
given up that matters in our journey of emptying out
and reconnecting with God.
Prayer: Without prayer, fasting and almsgiving are merely actions we do out of tradition without
much meaning. Prayer is our conversation with God.
It is through prayer that we find the strength to fast.
It is through prayer that we develop a closer, more intimate relationship with God. This relationship makes
us so grateful for the blessings He has bestowed upon
us that we eagerly give to those less fortunate than us.
The Church, in its wisdom, understands that prayer is
essential to any action we Christians may undertake.
almsgiving: It should be obvious by now,
that almsgiving is simply a response by us to God, a response that we have come to through prayer and fasting. It is an expression of our gratitude for all that God
has given us and a realisation that in the Body of Christ,
it is never just "me and God." Through prayer and fasting we come to a deeper understanding that the needs
of all are the responsibility of all in the Body of Christ.
Works of Charity and the promotion of justice are integral elements of the Christian way of life we began
when we were baptized.
Ridley Casie Chitty
Spiritual Renewal
God, heavenly Father,
look upon me and hear my prayer
during this holy Season of Lent.
By the good works Thou inspire,
help me to discipline my body
and to be renewed in spirit.
Lord, during this Lenten Season,
nourish me with Your Word of life
and make me one
with You in love and prayer
Fill my heart with Your love
and keep me faithful to the Gospel of Christ.
Give me the grace to rise above
my human weakness.
Give me new life by Your Sacraments,
especially the Mass.
Father of love, source of all blessings,
help me to pass from my old life of sin
to the new life of grace.
Prepare me for the glory of Your Kingdom.
I ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son,
Who lives and reigns with You
and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever.
Amen
7
March 6, 2016
The Messenger
Lord I am coming home
by: Kishani S. Fernando
T
his Sunday’s Gospel – the Parable of the Prodigal
Son is one of the most beautiful parables related
by Jesus – showing the magnitude of the fathers
unconditional and ever merciful love.
Pope John Paul II, writes "Although the word
'mercy' does not appear, [in this parable] nevertheless
expresses the essence of the divine mercy in a particularly clear way. Mercy — as Christ has presented it in
the parable of the Prodigal Son — has the interior form
of the love that in the New Testament is called agape.
This love is able to reach down to every prodigal son,
to every human misery and above all to every form of
moral misery, to sin. When this happens, the person
who is the object of mercy does not feel humiliated,
but rather found again and 'restored to value'. The father first and foremost expresses to him his joy, that
he has been 'found again' and that he has 'returned to
life'. This joy indicates a good that has remained intact:
even if he is a prodigal, a son does not cease to be truly
his father's son; it also indicates a good that has been
found again, which in the case of the prodigal son was
his return to the truth about himself" (Dives in misericordia, 5).
This Parable is beautifully illustrated by the Sri
Lankan folk painter Ricahrd Gabriel on the right wall
over the altar in the Church of ‘Christ the King’ at Pannipitiya. The scene is pastoral. It shows the rich homestead of the Father. The corn fields are ripe and it is
harvest time. The stalls are filled with animals. There
are many servants in attendance. The main actors of
the parable; are powerfully projected, that if you contemplate on them long enough, you could almost hear
them speak. The elder son’s angry tone... the younger
sons humble contrition... and the fathers joyful exclamation! The scene is further animated by
the servants of the household who
are quick to carry out the father's
bidding. We see one servant
leading the fattened calf
to be made ready for
the feast which the
father proposes,
while another
waits expectantly with
the best
robes.
A pair of slippers are also prominently displayed signifying that the son has come back to his
father after his wanderings, and he intends not to
stray again. The artist even includes a nosy parker,
further enlivening the scene, who has stopped his
work but with rake still in hand has dared to get
close enough to the main group to listen to their
discussion.
This oil is typical of Gabriel’s style, showing
his simple and direct approach, using sober colors
and powerful outlines.
Also seen here are two other paintings on
the same theme. Murillo’s oil on canvas (1668) and
an African version of the story depicted on a post
card by Jesus Mafa.
“God adds” - a man called Joseph
Scripture provides minimal
material for the popular cult
of St. Joseph. The Gospels mention him by name (the name
“Joseph” means “God adds” or
“God gathers”) only about 15
times: He appears briefly in
connection with the early life
of Jesus, then simply disappears. The Evangelists record
not a single word spoken by
St. Joseph. And without a traditional burial place, he didn’t
even leave bodily relics.
St. Joseph was universally ignored for a long time. In
fact he was considered an ecumenical stumbling block and
was rated as only a minor figure in the story of Christ’s life.
It seemed to many Christians
that minimizing St. Joseph
magnified Mary. The Church
Fathers remained studiously
incurious about his
life, although they
mentioned him occasionally in passing.
Liturgical veneration of St. Joseph began in
the fifteenth century, fostered by Sts. Brigid of Sweden,
Bernadine of Siena and St. Teresa to mention a few.
Pope Pius IX (1870) declared him patron and protector of the universal family of the Church. However although the Roman calendar had first listed St. Joseph’s
feast day in 1479, it wasn’t until the 17th century that
grandiose Latin hymns were written for this celebration. He received his own special office in the Roman
Breviary in 1714, and his name was inserted in the Litany of Saints in 1729. In more recent times he has been
accorded even greater honour. Pope John XXIII
made St. Joseph patron of Vatican II (1961)
and inserted his name in the
canon of the Mass (1963)
while Pope St. John Paul
II firmly set him in
the foreground of
efforts to renew
family, society, and the
Church.
At present
there are
two major feasts in his honour. On
March 19 veneration directed to
him personally and to his part in
the work of redemption, while on
May 1 he is honored as the patron
of workmen throughout the world
and as our guide in the difficult matter of establishing
equitable norms regarding
obligations and rights in the
social order.
Today St. Joseph stands firm
as patron for many causes.
He is also the patron of the
dying because both Jesus
and Mary were at his
death-bed.
The images shown here
are: Awood carving
from Mariya Nirmala
Convent Chapel, Hunupitiya (left), St. Joseph's Church Uyana
Moratuwa (centre),
a wood carving from
Good Shepherd Convent Chapel, Bandarawela (right ).
8
The Messenger
March 6, 2016
Convent of Our Lady of Victor
BY TRUTH TO CHARITY
Our Former Principals
Mother Mary of St. Philip
Mother Mary Clarice
Mother Holy Sacrifice
Mother Marie
Philomena
1926-1950
Rev.Sr.
Frances Monks
1951-1968
Rev. Sr
Benita Fernando
1968-1981
Rev. Sr.
Henrietta de Silva
1981-1984
Rev. Sr.
Shirley de Silva
1984-1996
Rev. Sr.
Chamaline
Perera
1996-2006
Western Band
Choir
Eastern Band
C
Principal
Rev. Sr. Sujeeva Nonis
2007 - to date
Deputy Principal
Rev. Sr. Chamila Fernando
2013 - to date
onvent of Our Lady of Victories
was founded on March 9, 1886
and it serves as a premier
Catholic educational institution in
Moratuwa. It is run by the Congregation
of the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary.
The year 2016 also coincides with the
130th anniversary of the presence
of this Religious Congregation in Sri
Lanka. A Eucharistic Celebration was
held on March 4, at the newly refurbished Chapel to mark the occasion
with Rev. Fr. Susith Silva, Rector of
Aquinas University College, as the Chief
Celebrant.
In 1885, on his visit to Rome,
Archbishop Msgr. Christopher-Etienne
Bonjean, OMI was instrumental in
negotiating with the Foundress of
the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary,
Rev. Mother Mary of the Passion to
take back eleven nuns for the purpose
of setting up a school in Moratuwa.
Seven remained in the Convent and
the other four joined the nursing staff
of the General Hospital Colombo. In
1886, the School started with only nine
students and two teachers and it was
a dream fulfilled for the Catholics of
Moratuwa as they had yearned
for a Catholic girls’ school in their
home town.
The first Principal was
Rev. Mother Mary of St. Philip.
The present Principal is Rev. Sr.
Sujeeva Nonis, a past pupil of
the School. The first Sri Lankan
Principal was Rev. Sr. Benita Fernando,
who is also a past pupil of our school.
The School which started with
only nine students and two teachers
can boast of 99 teachers and 2200
students today. The results secured by
our students stand out to prove the
continued endeavour of the efforts
commitment and keen interest taken
by our qualified and dedicated staff to
pursue academic excellence. At the GCE
Advanced Level examination, many
students are selected to follow courses
in the university in various disciplines.
In 2014, out of 89 students 81 were
selected to the University. Six students
obtained 3A passes in the commerce
stream. 168 students sat for the GCE
Ordinary level examination 8 students
obtained 9A passes and 11 students
obtained 8A passes. It is inspiring
New Computer Laboratory
Library
Science Laboratory
to see the flourishing results being
obtained by our students. The students
are provided with a fully equipped
laboratory, a well stocked library and
a state of the art computer laboratory
to enhance their knowledge while
engaged in their learning activities.
Over the past 130 years the
Convent of Our Lady of Victories
has produced intellectuals from all
walks of life. It is envisaged that the
same tradition will continue with the
students in the future and they will
enhance their lives with a broader
vision of understanding and reasoning
to face new challenges.
At Our Lady of Victories,
the main endeavour is to give the
students a deep spiritual formation in
the Franciscan spirit of simplicity, joy
and peace. It is undoubtedly faith in
God that shapes the life of a Christian.
Amp
our c
God.
well
the v
stud
is dir
the s
vario
are i
resp
YCS a
enco
spiri
enco
their
stud
athle
well.
prow
by an
Athletes
Dance Troupe
P
9
The Messenger
March 6, 2016
ries celebrates 130 years 1886-2016
ple opportunities are provided for
children to grow in faith and love
. Our motto ‘By Truth to Charity‘, as
as our crest defines and inculcates
values we hope to nurture in our
dents. With this in mind, attention
rected to the spiritual needs of
students and the staff by way of
ous religious exercises. Parents
invited, to emphasise the spiritual
ponsibility towards their children.
and other religious societies
ourage the students to uplift their
ituality. The Franciscan Society
ourages the students to discern
r vocation to Religious Life.
In the sphere of sports the
dents are given opportunities in
etics and a variety of games as
. Every year they display their
wess and bring fame to the school
nnexing trophies, shields, in their
respective events. Many have participated
at international level
in games such as
Netball, Badminton and
Basketball.
Four of our guides won
the President’s Award
which is the highest award
a guide can win. Six others
have qualified for the
President’s Award.
In the aspect of cocurricular activities
various societies organise
programs to discover and
display their talents. Our
objective in encouraging
our students to join
different societies is that
they will one day grow into
individuals who have a
strong desire to serve the
community while pursuing
their future desires.
The Western Band,
Eastern Band add colour
Post Primary Blocks
Vice Principal
Mrs. Sandya Wijeweera
2014 - to date
Vice Principal
Mrs. Cherrylle Fernando
2015 - to date
The Convent
Tutorial Staff
to many school
occasions and church
functions. The School
Choir performs at
various occasions
and participate
in competitions
organized by the
Department of
Education. They
Past Pupils Association Committee 2016
have obtained places
The following verses of the
at Provincial level and National level.
School
Anthem
composed by Rev. Sr.
The performances of the Choir at
Kenelm quite appropriately suggests
religious functions and Carol services
the renewed hope of producing an
have inspired many audiences.
honest individual with religious zeal,
Our Oriental dancing troupes are
loyalty and commitment.
capable of presenting colourful
performances which are appreciated
We’ll honour all our life
by many. They also gain many places
The standard of our Convent
in the competitions organised by the
The blue of constancy,
The white of purity;
Department of Education.
These treasures blest will aid us
The Past Pupils Association
Through life’s weary combat,
actively participates in numerous
With heart and mind on high
projects. In the recent past they
To gain the Victory.
undertook to landscape the school
garden and raise funds to refurbish
School of our girlhood years
the Chapel which was built in 1930.
Thee fondly do we cherish,
The PPA has celebrated 80 years of
To thee our love we vow,
its existence and their contribution
Our steadfast loyalty:
towards their Alma Mater throughout
May ever ‘neath thy rule
the years is immeasurable.
Our Lady’s lilies flourish
Over the years the Chapel has
In wisdom and in grace
proved its value as a haven of spiritual
In Truth and Charity.
solace, a power house of prayer and
Cherrylle Fernando
a source of inspiration to the entire
Victorian community.
Layout Design and Photographs:
The dedicated service
Mrs. Suranji Cooray
rendered by the past principals
(Member
of the Staff)
and past teachers to build up this
Achini Perera (A/Level Student)
institution to what it is today is
appreciated with great
reverence.
Board of Prefects 2016
Convent Chapel (built in 1930)
Netball court,the Primary
and Post Primary Blocks
Primary Block , Gym and Basketball Court
10
The Messenger
March 6, 2016
TRIBUTE TO A GREAT MOTHER AND VOTARY OF ST: ANTHONY
Mary Carmen Ratnayake Kulatunga of Talangama
When the Lord pours his grace into your life,
it is not for your private consumption but as an experience to be shared with others. Impelled by this thought
and emboldened by the biblical exhortation not to' hide
one's light under a bushel, I make bold to say that it has
been given to me to be one of the oldest living clients of
St Anthony today.
To explain how this happened would take me
to the very beginning of my life when 88 years ago I was
born to two exemplary parents, my mother steeped in
Catholic tradition ad my father a baptized Catholic hailing from Buddhist stock. When in keeping with custom,
an astrologer was consulted and my father was told
that my life was in danger for seven years and certain
rituals have to be performed, it was not to my mother's liking. Not to be outdone she suggested that if my
life was in danger, she will entrust me to St Anthony's
protection. Accordingly she devised her own ritual and
took me to St Anthony's shrine at Kochchikade for seven years with my image cast in metal, a silver coin and
other offerings.
This is recorded in an improvised diary she
kept, an extract of which is annexed hereto for print if
space permits. This is how I became St Anthony's oldest client, and if there be any who visited this shrine
more than 88 years ago, please speak up for we are
waiting to rejoice with you.
Another rare piece of information culled from
the improvised diary is that when my mother got married at All Saints Church in Borella on 30th December
1925, several priests assisted at the wedding mass, including Rev: fathers : Theobald de Silva, P J Dominic, J
B Meary Le Jennie etc. All this attention was showered
on her because she was a dedicated pioneering instrument in the hands of the Good Shepherd nuns engaged
in the cause of girl's education in Ceylon.
When the Good Shepherd nuns of Kotahena
formed their branch at Cinnamon Gardens in 1902
which later became St. Bridgets Convent, my mother
was among the first batch of students. Her photograph
appears in the Bridgeteen Centenary Souvenir as head
of a four generation family who studied there. She left
school after passing the Cambridge exams and was
handpicked for a teaching career. She taught at Our lady
of Victories Convent Moratuwa(1913-1915), All Saints
Girls English School Borella (1915-1924) and Holy
Cross Girls English School Gampaha (later Holy Cross
College)(1924-1928), in the last named as head Teacher in a pioneering effort to advance Catholic education
in Gampaha. Her efforts were followed later on by her
kinsman Father Philip Dissanayake who launched St
Jude's shrine at Indigolla .
Whatever the Good Shepherd nuns (and my
mother, if you please) touched turned to gold. She
hailed from a village called Talangama, now a distinguished suburb of Colombo. Her ancestors were no
less distinguished than her in the service of Church
and State. Her great grandfather was the "proponentu"
appointed by the Dutch governemt to propogate the
Dutch Reformed religion. Her grandfather - Don Johanness Gabriel Ratnayake, also a high official under early
British rule, although a Dutch Reformist, decided to
convert to catholicism on his deathbed. Accordingly he
received a deathbed baptism from Archbishop Bonjean
in 1885 with Fr. J Vistarini acting as God father. Father
John Leo Ratnayake who first conceived the idea of a
Church for Talangama South and who laid the foundation stone for the original church at Pelawatta - St John
Del Bastone in 1872 was her mother's brother.
Today the church of Our Lady of Fatima at Talangama North, stands on part of a land owned by her
grandfather. It had come up for a fiscal sale to recover
some taxes. Instead of buying the land back, it was so
arranged that the Archbishop be the successful bidder
at bare cost. My mother of course, true to her nature,
distributed the ancestral wealth she inherited among
her siblings and lived a frugal life without being a burden on this earth.
Leslie Peiris Wettasinha
JOHN PAUL WE
LOVE YOU TOO" was the
cry of the Catholic masses
when the Pope visited this
country years back. From
that time I was closely devoted to this pontiff.
During
that
period I used to do a
daily walk on the public
grounds in Panadura on
the advice of my doctor.
I was accompanied by a
gentleman who was few
years younger to me. We
walked regularly and
were physically in good
shape. My devotion to
John Paul continued and
I prayed specially for his
canonization. My walking
partner was a Buddhist.
We continued our walk
and I was happy that I
have a good companion
and a friend. Suddenly,
my friend stopped coming for the walking exercise as he had fallen ill.
His voice also had failed
and he did not like to see
anyone. I too was similarly refused. I did not ask for
any details of his sickness.
When I called his wife she
was very upset and I assured her of prayers and
told her that I am a catholic. I continued to pray
to hear that my prayers
had been answered and
my friend has totally recovered. His medication
had been stopped and
he is happily walking
in his home compound.
He spoke to me over the
phone and thanked me
for my prayers. Within a
week St. John Paul II was
canonized.
I praised the
Lord for the miraculous
cure.
Pahan Vee Pahanak
'Pahan vee Pahanak' a collection of poems by
Gnanarthapradeepaya writer, Pitipana M. Jayaweera
was launched in commemoration of the 150th Jubilee
celebration of the Gnanarthapradeepaya.
Picture shows His Eminence, Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith accepting the first copy from the author.
T. Sunil Fernando
Devotion to St. John Paul II
Book Launched
“The First Snow
Fall” an English novel
was written by Dymphna
Sanjali Ogilvia a former
student of Loyola College
Negombo and Ave Maria
Convent Negombo at the
age of 14 years. Through
this novel, she gives an
inspirational message to
the misled youth of today and to parents who
neglect their parental responsibilities.
Rev. Fr. Daya Shelton
Welikadaarachchi
has recommended this
novel to be included in
“Pahan Poth Pela” for
the 150th Jubilee of the
Colombo Catholic Press
and the Catholic Messenger Newspaper. She had
to translate this English
novel into Sinhala within
a month. She named it as
“Hima Warusawaka Arabuma”.
She’s not only an authoress but a lyric writer,
composer and a singer as
well. Her CD is named as
“1998”.
Ogilvia’s novel was
presented to His Lordship
Rt. Rev. Dr. Emmanuel Fernando, Auxiliary Bishop
of Colombo on December
19. 2015. On December
27, 2015 she presented
the novels and the CD
to Rev. Fr. Daya Shelton
Welikadaarachchi and to
the soft skills trainer Mr.
Sanath Gamage. And on
January 13, 2016 she presented her work to our
President His Excellency
Maithripala Sirisena.
“Any reader who
doesn’t read this introduction will imagine a wise,
experienced and a matured authoress. It baffles
me how such a young
writer has such a vast and
unmoving view about life,
love & marriage” – Sanath
Gamage.
Get this book
and CD from Vijithayapa,
Sarasavi and Samanala.
Read it and feel the snow.
“COOL!”
to St. John Paul for my
friend's speedy recovery.
This went on for a number of months. A couple
of weeks later I called his
wife and was surprised
Turin Fernando
Panadura
Triple victory for St. Lawrence's Convent
The Christmas
2015 postage stamp designing competition was
held under the patronage
of Christian Affairs Department of the Ministry
of Tourism Development
and Christian Affairs in
coordination with the
Philatelic Bureau of the
Department of Posts and
the Catholic Church.
The presentation
of awards to the winners
of the first stage of the
competition was held on
December 6, 2015 at Sts.
Peter and Paul Church,
Ragama. Present at the
occasion were His Grace
Archbishop Emeritus Rt.
Rev. Dr. Oswald Gomis, several Ministers and Members of Parliament, Priests
and distinguished guests.
In this competition the first prize for the
design of the Christmas
2015 stamp was won
by Yushani Wijesinghe a
student at St. Lawrence's
Convent while the first
place for the best design for the Christmas
Card was won by Imalsha
Perera, a grade 10 stu-
Yushani Wijesinghe
Imalsha Perera
dent attending the same
school. They were also
awarded certificates and
cash awards by President
Maithripala Sirisena at
a ceremony held at Jaffna during the National
Christmas Festival on December 20, 2015.
Beside this, in the
open Christmas draw-
ing competition the Art
Teacher of the School Ms.
Gayani Tharushika succeeded in obtaining second place. Ms. Gayani
Tharushika is also serving
as a teacher at the Sunimala Daham Pasala at St.
Mary's Church, Weliwita.
M. Joe Paris
11
March 6, 2016
The Messenger
y
Not toda
Don't t
Hi Young Builders!
Don't count the days
Make Lent Count
The season of Lent is Self-denial, penance and meditation on the passion of Jesus our
Lord and Saviour. It is also a very good time for a
little extra prayer as we prepare ourselves to celebrate the gift of forgiveness, our gift of salvation
and our hope in the Resurrection.
Lent is also a time where prayer with the
family is important, try to find some time to pray
with mum, dad and the rest of the family. As a
young builder of the Kingdom of the Lord you can
take the leadership to call all your family members for a few minutes of prayer in front of the
Altar at home.
By the way try to give-up some little
thing that you like during this time, and say 'No'
to some of the food you enjoy. Please don't forget
to sent in your articles and drawings. Remember
you can and must inspire others.
God bless you
"Builders of the Temple of the Lord"
re
We a
Girl's come and help us! Boy's come and help us!
ing
Fast
fL
ent
empt
in
o
n
the seaso
No Tha
nks
Colour the picture
My Heavenly Mother
Laughter
is
God's
Blessing
My Heavenly Mother;
I ask you to teach us how to love one another,
as you love us, and as you wish us to love.
A love free from deception and fear.
A love that springs from deep within our
open hearts to overflow and stay with
those we meet
through our days on this earth.
A love that shines as the stars in the
Heavenly skies. Somewhere,
dear Mother, in our being,
may You be reflected - and your love shine
out to save those in the depth of dark and despair.
Guard us with your purity - the purity given
freely in the love of a tiny child.
And through your childrens love for one another
may your plans be accomplished.
Stay with us.
For you gave us the gift of Love to pass on to others
You gave us the gift of Peace to give to others
And you gave us the gift of Joy.
Teacher: Where is your homework?
Pupil: I lost it fighting this kid who said
you weren't the best teacher in the
school.
St. James' Sunday
School
English Medium
Grade - 1
VIHAS
WIJESINGHE
12
12
Children / Youth
The Messenger
The Messenger
March
2016
March
6,6,
2016
Let us get ourselves remitted of the punishments of sin
by entering through the Door of Mercy
( With the approval of Church authorities)
We are in the year of mercy which ends in November this year. Pope Francis who declared this year,
year of mercy, not only expects us to show mercy to
our neighbour in a special way in this year, but also has
opened a door for us to receive God's mercy in a very
special way, i e getting ourselves remitted of the punishment of our sins by being entitled to an Indulgence
by making a good confession, hearing Mass, receiving Holy Communion and entering through a door of
mercy. In the archdiocese of Colombo, doors of mercy
have been opened in St. Lucia's Cathedral Kotahena
and Basilika church, Tewatta. In other dioceses doors
of mercy have been opened in selected churches.
It is humanity to commit sins again and again
and Gospel of St. Mathew 18: 21 and 22 shows us that
fact very clearly as follows:
"21. Then Peter came to Jesus and asked 'Lord,
if my brother keeps on sinning against me, how many
times do I have to forgive him? Seven times?' 22 'No,
not seven times' answered Jesus, 'but seventy times
seven. '"
Our Lord, who showed infinite mercy to the
mankind, established the sacrament of confession as a
solution to this human weakness. However, it is Catholic teaching that, though we are pardoned of our sins
and remitted of the eternal punishment of them when
we make confession, we have to undergo the temporary punishment of our sins in this world or purgatory.
That fact has been explained in the book captioned
'Catechism of the Catholic church' which has been recommended by Pope St. John Paul II as a sure norm for
teaching the faith and thus a valid and legitimate instrument of Ecclesiastic, as follows:
1473 "The forgiveness of sins and restoration
of communion with God entail the remission of the
eternal punishment of sins remains.
It is also Catholic teaching that those who do
not undergo the punishment of their sins in this world,
have to pay their penalty in the purgatory. The following examples show how painful, the punishment in
purgatory is:
• St. Thomas Aquinas, the Prince of Theologians, says that the fire of Purgatory is equal in intensity of the fire of Hell, and that the slightest contact with
it is more dreadful than all the possible sufferings of
this Earth.
• St. Augustine, the greatest of the Holy Doctors, teaches that to be purified of their faults prior to
being admitted to Heaven, souls after death are subjected to a fire more penetrating, more dreadful than
anything we can see, or feel, or conceive in this life.
• St. Cyril of Alexandria does not hesitate to
say, "that it would be preferable to suffer all the possible formats of Earth until Judgment day, than pass
one day in Purgatory. "
• Some of those who have understood the
gravity of the punishment in the purgatory and who
have been declared Saints after death, have prayed that
they be allowed to pay the penalty of their sins before
they die.
When we ponder on all what is mentioned
above, we could realize that, it is a priceless gift that
we could receive in this year of mercy, to get ourselves
remitted of the punishment of our sins that we have
committed throughout our life time. Our chief pastor,
His Eminence Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith, has set an
example to us in this regard, by making a confession
to a priest, celebrating Mass and entering through the
door of mercy in St. Lucia's Cathedral, Kotahena. Let us
follow that example and get ourselves remitted of the
punishment of our sins that we have so far committed,
by making a good confession, hearing Mass, receiving
Holy Communion and entering through a door of mercy in a selected church.
and the people of Israel: "Against you, you alone, have
I sinned, and done what is evil in your sight" (Psalm
51: 4). At the heart of his sin was the sorrow it brought
to God. Sometimes, it's easy to see how our sins hurt
our loved ones. Biting words and selfish choices
can destroy family unity very quickly. But
how often do we consider the way our
sin affects our relationship with
God? When we sin, we erect a barrier between ourselves and our loving Father. We tell him that he isn't
welcome in our hearts. Ultimately,
sin can even cut off the flow of God's
grace and protection over our lives.
No wonder all of heaven rejoices
every time one of us repents and welcomes Jesus back
into our heart (Luke 15:7)!
When we recognize and acknowledge our
sin, we can be sure that the Holy Spirit is at work in
us. Every day, God invites us to examine our thoughts
and deeds and ask his Spirit to uncover our sin. It's not
because he wants to make us feel guilty, but because
he wants us to receive his healing and purification. As
David acknowledged, only God can remove guilt and
shame (Psalm 51:2), convince us not to sin again (51:
12), and most importantly, make us into more loving,
compassionate people (51:13).
Freedom through Repentance. Have you
ever felt guilty, even after receiving the Sacrament of
Reconciliation or after having apologized to a close
friend? You know you've been forgiven, but your conscience still bothers you. You know God doesn't want to
see you bound in guilt and shame, but you can't seem
to shake the feeling. How do you get free? The first
step is to recognize God's healing power whenever you
ask forgiveness or receive absolution. Accept by faith
that God has forgiven you and wants to heal you. Stand
against feelings of guilt! Don't let them rule your conscience. Believe that healing has occurred, even if you
don't feel it.
If your mind continues to dredge up memories
of past sin, ask the Holy Spirit to rein in your thoughts.
It's amazing how our memories can replay the same
scenes again and again, like a tape recorder, and leave
us gripped by guilt. Shame over past financial debt, guilt
over sexual temptation or sin, even remorse over jealous
thoughts or bitter words can spring up with the slightest reminder. As soon as this happens, turn to the Lord
quickly. "Holy Spirit, I know you dwell in me. I submit my
thoughts and memories to you. Come and set me free!"
Repentance ...
I
t seems that the older we get, the harder it becomes
to forgive and to ask for forgiveness. When five-yearold boys get in a fight, they seem to be able to get past
their differences quickly. They apologize so easily and
seem almost incapable of holding grudges. But for
adults, repentance and forgiveness seem much more
difficult.
Perhaps it's because we can tell the difference
between simply saying "I'm sorry" and humbly asking
a person for forgiveness. We know that true repentance
involves a genuine sorrow for the hurt we have caused
and an intention to change. How intimidating this can
seem!
No wonder we find it difficult! But if we look
closely at Scripture, we can come to recognize another,
more freeing, truth: First and foremost, repentance is
the work of the Holy Spirit to soften our hearts and
make us like Jesus.
The Spirit's Work in Repentance
We can never hear it enough: One of the greatest gifts God gives us is the Holy Spirit. Through the
Spirit, our hearts can be lifted up into his presence.
Through the Spirit, we receive the power to live as Jesus did.
And, through the Spirit, we learn to repent
of ours sins and receive God's purifying love in our
hearts. Once character in Scripture who is often linked
with repentance is King David. It's true that the story
about David's sin with Bathsheba and its aftermath
says very little about David's repentance (2 Samuel 1112). However, Psalm 51 gives a very detailed picture
of what may have been going through David's mind
as he considered the consequences of his actions and
brought his sin before God for forgiveness. Let's take a
brief look at this psalm to get a glimpse into the heart
of true repentance.
Have Mercy, Lord! As he faced up to the sins he had
committed and the inner drives that led him to sin, David cried out, "Create in me a clean heart, 0 God, and
put a new and right spirit within me" (Psalm 51: 10).
David came to see that he couldn't change his heart on
his own. The best he could do was try to hide or run
away from his lusts and cravings. Only God could make
him into a new creation. Only God could free him from
the desires that had caused so much havoc. It simply
wasn't enough just to apologize. David needed to be
changed deep in his heart.
David also understood that there was more to
his sin than its devastating effect on Bathsheba, Uriah,
The Way Back to
God
W.M.Fernando
Kanuwana,
Jaela.
Finally, acknowledge that God's love for you is greater
than any sin you could ever commit. State in your heart
that God wants to set you free because he loves you too
much to keep you in darkness.
Remorse or Repentance? One of the clearest examples of the difference between the shame that
comes with remorse and the freedom that comes with
repentance happened on the day Jesus was crucified.
Both Judas and Peter had rejected the Lord on Holy
Thursday (Luke 22:47-62), but these two men had
radically different reactions to their sin. Judas was so
overcome by guilt that he went out and hanged himself (Matthew 27:3-10). Can you imagine what it must
have felt like for Judas to have his memory haunted by
this act of betrayal? Judas was so troubled by it that he
seems to have forgotten everything he learned as a disciple of Jesus. He lost sight of how much Jesus loved
him and how much he had already healed and forgiven him. All he could see was his sin, and it drained
him of hope. He convinced himself he could never be Is
forgiven.
Peter was also shaken to the core after he denied knowing Jesus (Matthew 26:75). At this critical
moment, this "rock" of the church realized that Jesus
wasn't his primary concern at all. Self-preservation,
even at the cost of his Master's life, was far more important. But Peter's sorrow was different from Judas'.
Despite the bitter memory of his denial, Peter also recalled Jesus' promises of forgiveness and brought his
sin before God and asked for pardon and peace. As a
result, Peter became a humbler and more compassionate man of God.
This is how the Spirit works. He convicts us of
sin, but at the same time he fills us with hope that we
can be forgiven and changed.
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Messenger
March
March6,6,2016
2016
Richard Gabriel
ichard Gabriel,
an artiste that
has drawn paintings and murals in various religious shrines
passed away in Melbourne, Australia on
February 19 at the age
of 92. He was a practicing Catholic and most
of his celebrated paintings were drawn in
churches and religious
institutions. His artistic
masterpieces are daily
seen and appreciated
by art-lovers of this island.
He was the last
surviving member of
the 43 Club, which was formed in the year 1943
headed by Modernistic artiste and photographer,
Lionel Wendt. He was the youngest member of
the Club at that time. He was amongst the august
company of George Keyt, Justin Deraniyagala, Ivan
Peries, Aubrey Collette, L.T.P. Manjusri and Harry
Peiris. They combined the local art forms with the
European Modernistic creative skills and fashioned
an authentic, distinguishable Sri Lankan style of
paintings. They all had basic training in the Western art-forms. But art connoisseurs could clearly
distinguish their painting- styles from each other.
George Keyt's paintings were more three
dimensional and voluptuous than the caricatures of
Gabriel. Even when Keyt portrayed the life of Lord
Buddha the figures reminded us about paintings of
Ajantha or Sigiriya. But some of Gabriel’s paintings
were two dimensional and sketchy. They remind
us about caricatures of Audrey Collette than three
dimensional Renaissance masterpieces of Rembrandt or Michael Angelo.
In the famous Village Scene of Richard
Gabriel there are men and women wearing plain
white sleeveless dresses, a farmer in a loin cloth, a
young man milking a cow or a goat, a seated young
woman combing her hair, a young mother holding
her baby, woman drying her washed clothes, a musician playing a flute and a boy holding a goat or a
BiTS &
PiECES
By Ariel
dog. The grass is green and there are five trees. This
painting is more three dimensional than most of the
characters of his other paintings. The characters cover
the whole painting. There is little room for incidents
happening beyond the horizon .
This masterpiece reminds us of Prof S.B. Disanayake’s description about Richard Gabriels’s artistic
creations: “His semi-surrealistic paintings with their
vocabulary of bulls, horses, dogs and crows are shown
variously symbolizing cruelty, violence, sexuality, spiritual aspirations and man’s separateness and integration with the animal world, in landscape settings with
a sense of charged or poised threshold in the relationship between animals and men.”
There are many more unknown paintings that
were done by this master in other countries. Some of
his works are exhibited among the permanent collection of Petit Palais museum of Paris. He had exhibitions
in the UK, France, Venice and Sao Paulo. Many art lovers would have purchased his paintings at these exhibitions. A three-paneled painting named “Creation”
adorns the living room of one of his friend’s home in
Templeton, California. Most of his collections are preserved in Sri Lanka mainly in churches and religious
institutions such as St. Theresa’s Church, St. Aloysius
Seminary and the Jesuit Chapel in Colombo. Besides
these some of the drawings of Richard Gabriel are
housed in the galleries of Sapumal Foundation in Co-
lombo 7, started by one of his 43 Club colleagues,
Harry Pieris.
Richard Gabriel is not only a painter but also
a sculptor. The statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary at
the National Seminary at Ampitiya and the bust of
Rev. Fr. Peter Pillai are two of his famous creations.
Richard was born in Matara and moved
to Colombo after the early demise of his father. He
studied at St. Peter’s College and during this time his
pictures drawn for War Effort Picture Competition
showed his talents as an artiste. After his studies at
St. Peter’s he was given a job as an art teacher at St.
Joseph’s College, Colombo by Rev. Fr. Peter Pillai. He
won a British Council Scholarship and studied in the
Chelsea School of Art in Britain. He also was made a
honorary member of Michelangelo Academy of Florence, Italy.
Among many of the paintings that he drew
for the Church of St. Theresa of Child Jesus, in Thimbirigasyaya, the centerpiece above the altar is the
most eye-catching and prominent. This painting depicts St. Therese of the Child Jesus enjoying the beatific vision in heaven. She is surrounded by an orchestra of angels who are playing trumpets, drums,
cymbals, violins and violas. This beatific vision is the
goal of every Catholic at the end their mortal lives.
I am sure Richard Gabriel, as a good Catholic
tried to achieve the same eternal crown at the end of
his life. Everyone is sure that he is enjoying the joy
of heaven after his long life as an artiste who painted
so many murals of Christ, the Blessed Mother, the
saints and angels. Knowing his holy life we are sure
we can paint his picture among the humans and angels in this mural. But we cannot find an artiste of
Richard’s calibre to interpolate his picture into this
august mural which adorns the center piece above
the altar of St. Theresa’s Church, Thimbirigasyaya.
L’Osservatore Romano lauds the film
‘Spotlight’ as brave, not anti-Catholic
VATICAN CITY - The film 'Spotlight', directed
by Tom McCarthy which won the Oscar for best picture
recently, is a courageous movie that is not anti-Catholic, the Vatican daily L’Osservatore Romano said in two
articles dedicated to comment on the Oscars.
Historian and journalist Lucetta Scaraffia, in
an op-ed titled “It is not an anti-Catholic film,” writes
that 'Spotlight' “is not anti-Catholic, as has been written, because it manages to voice the shock and profound pain of the faithful confronting the discovery of
these horrendous realities.”
In another article published in the same edition, L'Osservatore Romano's movie reviewer Emilio
Ranzato writes that 'Spotlight' “is not an anti-Catholic
film because Catholicism in itself is not even mentioned.”
“It runs the risk of being against the Church
because it tends to generalize; but generalizations
are inevitable when stories have to be told in just two
hours,” he adds.
'Spotlight', Ranzato writes, “is without doubt
a film with the courage of denouncing cases that need
to be condemned without hesitation and it does it in a
detailed manner, grounded in an investigation that is
both serious and credible.”
“A film like ‘All the President's men’ remains
distant, but McCarthy's instead is a good work, done in
a very non Hollywood-style,” he concludes.
Several leading US bishops have also commented on the movie 'Spotlight'. Last November, the
President of the US Conference
of Catholic Bishops discussed the
role of the media in promoting
accountability.
“The media was one of
the major forces pushing the
Church to respond in a way that it
had failed to do up to that point,
and we are better for it,” Archbishop Joseph Kurtz of Louisville
said in a blog post at the time.
He noted the Charter for
the Protection of Children and
Young People that was adopted
by the US bishops in 2002. The
charter directs efforts to create
a safe environment, report suspected abuse and cooperate with
civil authorities, discipline offenders and work toward healing
and reconciliation for victims.
Stressing the need for
continued transparency and vigilance, Archbishop Kurtz reiterated his sorrow for all those who
have been victims of abuse.
“We can only be healthy
as a Church and as a society if we
honestly confront the sexual abuse
of children and rebuild relation-
A scene from the film 'Spotlight', promoting Investigative Journalism
ships one at a time,” he said. “I have been
inspired by those victims I have met and I
encourage all victims of sexual abuse and
all those who know of any abuse to seek
help and to contact law enforcement. I
know our pastors, counselors and all in
pastoral ministry stand ready to reach
out and support you.”
“Please join me in seeking forgiveness for the sins of members who
have hurt children and work with me in
efforts to protect our children and
youth. May God’s grace guide us.”
Vatican Radio, which gave
the film an enthusiastically positive review in October when it
screened at the Venice Film Festival, also praised 'Spotlight' in its
Oscar wrap as a "rigorous and authentic" reconstruction.
Catholic News Agency
14
the Messenger
Children / Youth
i will leave this place and go to my Father and say:
'Father, i have sinned against heaven and against
you.'
(lk. 15:18)
First Reading. Joshua. 5: 9- 10
The Lord who rescued the Israelites from Egypt
tells Joshua that He has rescued them from the reproach
of Egypt. The Israelites having observed the Passover
consumed the products of the land.
Second Reading. 2 Cor. 5: 17-21
St. Paul tells his Corinthian converts to be reconciled with God, as God in His goodness has reconciled
the world through Christ.
Gospel. lk. 15: 1-3, 11-32
Jesus is accused of welcoming sinners. But He
relates to them the parable of the Prodigal Son wherein
He shows that God is the merciful Father who awaits the
return of the prodigal son. Nevertheless the elder brother refuses to accept the brother.
Reflection.
The compassionate and merciful love of God is
being presented in order that we may turn away from
our sinful ways and return to the Lord.
In the First Reading we see how God’s love and
mercy rescued the Israelites from the slavery of Egypt.
Living in slavery in Egypt was considered a punishment
from God. The Israelites repent and ask God to rescue
them from their slavery. God out of mercy rescues them
and leads them to the Promised Land where they settle
down. All this happened because of the infinite mercy of
God.
In the Second Reading St. Paul is very clear
that God out of His mercy reconciled the world to Himself through His Son Jesus Christ. For our sake He made
Christ like a sinner though He knew no sin, in order that
in Him we might become righteous. This He did because
of His mercy and love towards sinful mankind. Such is
the mercy and love of God.
The Gospel shows the love of God for the sinner
March 6, 2016
Fourth Sunday of lent
through the Parable of the Prodigal Son. What is stressed
here is the love of God, the greatness of the Love of God.
The greatness of the love of the father could be seen if
we look at the sinfulness of the prodigal son. First of all
in the prodigal son there is lust for wealth. He requests
his portion of the wealth. Then we find disobedience; he
leaves the father without listening to him. He then leaves
his God given Promised Land; then he goes to a foreign
land to live. Then the prodigal son spends the wealth
with his friends. We are only too aware of the sins one
commits when one wastes his money. The Gospel says
that he squandered his property in loose living. For a Jew
to work under a foreigner was considered sinful and the
Jews considered swine as dirty animals.
The parable says that the prodigal son not only
looked after the swine but even fed himself with the food
served for the swine. Now he steals food. This goes to
prove how sinful the son had been. Nevertheless the
father awaits the return of the son. Thank God the Son
decided to go back to the father. The father not only embraces him on his return but orders the servants to dress
him up and kill the fattened calf. Such is the love of the
father. If a human father acts in such a manner then how
much more will God our heavenly father love us? We are
often at times like the Elder brother who never bothered
about our brother and who refuses to accept others as
our brothers. But the father‘s love was quite different.
Out of his mercy and love God awaits the return of the
sinner. Therefore let us not hesitate to turn away from
our sinful ways and turn to the Lord.
aid Story 1.
The story is said of a son who one day had a big
quarrel with his father and then ran away from home. He
was living for a long time away from home. Having heard
about the story of the prodigal son and the love of the
father in one of the Churches. He had a conversion. He
wanted to go home and ask pardon from the father. But
he was not sure whether the father would forgive him
and accept him back. Therefore he wrote to the father
that he would on such and such date go in front of their
home and if the father is not angry and if he is ready to
forgive him; to have a white flag put on the tree right in
front of the house and that he would then come home
the following week. On that particular day the son got on
to a bus that would take him on that way. As the bus was
nearing his home he began to get excited. He was afraid
that the father would not welcome him. Whether there
would be any flag at all? Therefore he said the whole
story to the man seated next to him and asked him to see
whether there was a flag put up in the tree in front of his
home. And unable to bear it he looked on the other side.
Soon the man shouted and asked the son not to delay but
immediately to get down and go home. For the father not
only had put a white flag on the tree right in front of the
house but on all the trees in the garden. Such was the
love of this father. And the son too got down from the bus
and went home only to be welcomed by the father.
aid Story 2.
There are three ways that prepare us for life’s
trials. One is the Spartan way that says, “I have strength
within me to do it. I am the captain of my soul with the
courage and will that is mine, I will be master when the
struggle comes.”
Another way is in the spirit of Socrates, who affirmed that we have minds, reason and judgment to evaluate and help us to cope with the enigmas and struggles
of life.
The Christian way is the third approach. It does
not exclude the first two, but it adds, “You don’t begin
with yourself, your will, or your reason. You begin with
God, who is the beginning and the end. When your
strength grows weak and your reason fails you, faith in
the Creator gives you the power to overcome all things.
Rev. Fr. Ciswan De Croos
“This man receives sinners and eats with them”
Rev. Fr. Don Anton Saman Hettiarachchi
1. Last Sunday we were with
Jesus to listen to a parable –
the Parable of the Barren Fig
Tree. This Sunday we are once
again with Him. We are not all
alone with Him. We see Him
surrounded by a host of tax collectors and sinners. They come
to Him. They want to listen to
His Word, as we do. He makes
no hesitation to receive them.
He talks to them. He eats with
them. What a scene!
2. Last Saturday (27th February) at the 7th National Convention of the Apostles of Divine Mercy, held at Risen Christ
Church, Kadolkelle, Negombo
His Eminence Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith stressed on the
uniqueness of Christianity. The
concept of ‘mercy’ is found in
other world religions too. But
it blossoms fully in Christianity as its Founder climbs on to
a hill; as He climbs on to a tree;
as He extends His Hands on the
wood of the Cross; as He allows
His Body to be broken, Blood to
be shed on Calvary; and then, as
He dies. The Mercy of God, fully
blossomed forth!
Similarly, this is also something
unique about Jesus of Nazareth. That’s His table fellowship
with tax collectors and sinners.
This is where He behaves like
a non-conformist rabbi, having
cultivated a practice contrary
to common rabbinic custom.
He eats with the religiously
lost or marginalized. This does
definitely put Him in a constant
state of ritual impurity. But He
acts out in His own life the loving embrace of a God welcoming sinners home.
3. This eccentric behaviour of
Jesus causes grumbling (Greek:
diegogguzon = ‘they grumbled,
complained’) among the Pharisees (i.e. ‘the Separated’ as they,
in their attempt to preserve the
holiness of the Law of Moses,
avoid contact with Gentiles, sinners and any Jew who does not
meticulously observe the Law)
and the scribes.
These religious leaders of the
day object to Jesus’ keeping
company with the marginalized, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.” It is in
this context that He addresses
to them and to us today’s parable – the Parable of the Lost
Son – a comparison found only
on the Pages of the Gospel of
Mercy (Luke) – a classic of spiritual insight and a literary jewel
which does blossom out with
new meaning for each reader
and at each reading!
4. The Parable illustrates Jesus’
particular concern for the lost.
He defends His actions. His defense is based on God’s loving
mercy for the repentant sinner.
His ‘Hesed’ (solidarity, mercy)
extends to all. There is always
joy in the heavens over the recovery of what is lost, “But now
we must celebrate and rejoice,
(luke 15,1-3.11-32)
because your brother was dead
and has come to life again; he
was lost and has been found.”
His response upon finding the
lost is total joy – with no admixture of rebuke or grumbling. So
God’s love is a rejoicing love.
5. The Parable portrays the father as running to the younger
son and kissing him before he
can give the prepared, rehearsed
speech of repentance: “While
he was still a long way off, his
father caught sight of him, and
was filled with compassion. He
ran to his son, embraced him
and kissed him.” He goes out to
the younger son now and later,
to the elder son when he refuses to enter the house, “… his father came out and pleaded with
him.” Thus we see the father’s
prodigality in love to both of his
sons. So God’s love or mercy is
unconditional. He does not love
us only on the condition that we
stay good and do not stray into
sin. He loves us even when we
stray – and to the point of going out for us. “When I go forth
to find YOU, I find YOU seeking
me” said Yehuda Halevi. Is this
not the Christian love that is expected of us?
6. In contrast to the joy in the
heavens, the opened-armed
earth-shattering
acceptance
of the father; there is hostility of the elder brother. At this
scene, the Parable dramatizes
the value of those whom others despise as lost and stresses
that the elder brother should
not be jealous of the father’s
benevolent treatment of the
sinful younger brother. Thereby
it corrects also the Pharisees’
attitude toward sinners: their
self-righteousness which leads
them to be resentful to sinners.
7. Let us turn to Francis, our
Pope, the great, the good. In this
Parable, “Jesus reveals the nature of God as that of a Father
who never gives up until he has
forgiven the wrong and overcome rejection with compassion and mercy … God is always
presented as full of joy, especially when He pardons … we
find the core of the Gospel and
of our faith, because mercy is
presented as a force that overcomes everything, filling the
heart with love and bringing
consolation through pardon”
(Misericordiae Vultus # 9).
LItURGICaL CaLenDaR YeaR C
March 6th - March 13 2016
Sun: FOURtH SUnDaY In Lent
Jos.5:9a,10-12; 2 Cor.5:17-21;
Lk.15:1-3,11-32
Mon: Is.65:17-21; Jn.4:43-54
tue:
ez.47:1-9,12; Jn.5:1-16
Wed: Is.49:8-15; Jn.5:17-30
thu: ex.32:7-14; Jn.5:31-47
Fri:
Wis. 2:1a,12-22; Jn.7:1-2,10,25-30
Sat:
Jer.11:18-20,Jn.7:40-53
Sun: FIFtH SUnDaY In Lent
Is.43:16-21 phil.3:8-14; Jn.8:1-11
15
A
Children / Youth
The Messenger
March 6, 2016
Moscow and the Vatican: “The mentality of
brotherhood, not of competition”
fter almost a thousand years that
have failed to bring about any
meeting between the head of the
Catholic Church and the head of Russian Orthodox Church, a plane heading
from the Vatican and another one heading from Moscow touched down in Cuba
to pave the way for a meeting between
the leaders of the two Churches, namely
Pope Francis and Patriarch Krill.
The Cuban island has become
one of the symbols of global reconciliation. After the reconciliation attained
with the United States that had been
brought about last year, Cuba hosts a
"reconciliation" meeting between the
two Churches which serves as a positive
significance that paves the way for a new
millennium of brotherhood.
In 1054, the East–West schism
took place. Constantinople named itself
the second Rome and Moscow named
itself the third Rome. Today, the state of
peace and reconciliation prevails among
“the leaders” who restore the status quo
ante of being “brothers.” The Pope had
met with Patriarch of Constantinople
Bartholomew, the ecumenical patriarch.
Two years ago, he met with Patriarch of
Coptic Orthodox, Pope Tawadros who
had visited the Vatican. He, consequently, meets with the Russian Patriarch to
lay the groundwork for a state of collective procession towards unity.
It is worthy to note, in this regard, that the first millennium has been
the millennium of harmony for there is a
common tradition recognised by all the
Churches. Furthermore, there are common teachings which are hoped to be
reactivated in the days to come following years of estrangement, as well as of
tense and frozen relations.
The Cuba meeting, which included a hug between "the two brothers" and the signing of an important 30point statement, focused on the need to
instill cordiality in the world of today. It
also stressed that the mutual points relevant to concord are much greater than
the doctrinal differences or rather those
triggering disputes. The document neither touches on any doctrinal issue nor
on the causes that led to the Schism. It
rather called for focusing on the common denominators which would consolidate the spirit of brotherhood rather
than "the spirit of competitiveness”
which prevails among the various religious components.
The document touched on issues relevant to justice and peace in the
world, and called for the need to cement
solidarity among the various Churches,
as well as among the various religions
in an atmosphere of respect for religious
freedoms for every person as well as for
every “religious group."
The document the two leaders
signed, in the presence of Cuban President, Raul Castro points relevant to the
prevailing conflicts in the Middle East. It
is regrettable that it did not mention the
Holy Land and the Palestinian-Israeli dispute as the statement merely addressed
the situation in both Iraq and Syria. The
statement explicitly noted: “No crime
may be committed in God’s name, for He
is the God of peace.” On interreligious
dialogue, the two leaders said: ‘”It is
indispensable in our disturbing times.
Differences in the understanding of religious truths must not impede people of
different faiths to live in peace and har-
mony.” The document also touched on
the current persecution of Christians of
the Middle East and called for preserving the historic Christian presence in
this holy spot of the world. It also called
for the release of all the detained kidnapped particularly the Metropolitans
of Aleppo, Bishops Yohanna Ibrahim and
Boulos Yazigi who had been kidnapped
three years ago where nothing has transpired about their fate.
The document underlined the
value of family within the framework of
marriage between man and woman, and
rejected all forms of new "marriage",
especially after having some countries
consider same-sex marriages as a form
of legal family. It also condemned miscarriage and euthanasia because human
Pope Francis meets with CEO of Instagram
VATICAN CITY - The CEO
and co-founder of Instagram, Kevin Systrom, was
received in a private audience with Pope Francis
at the Vatican's Apostolic
Palace recently. Systrom,
was blessed by Pope Francis and said it was an honour. The Pope and Systrom
spoke about the power of
images "to overcome cultural, geographic or generational barriers," according to a Vatican source.
Systrom
who
posted an image of his
encounter with the Holy
Father in his Instagram
profile said: “Today I had
the honour of meeting
Pope Francis. We spoke
about the power of images to unite people across
different cultures and languages. It was by far one
of the most memorable
experiences of my life!”
It is well known
that Pope Francis and the
Vatican are open to adopt-
Pope and Instagram CEO meet to discuss power of images
ing new technology. Even
his predecessor used social media.
Systrom wrote
that the honour of personally interacting with
Pope Francis was one of
his life's most memorable
experiences. Systrom gave
the Pope a book with ten
MAW SEVANA
'Maw Sevana' shade for boys which was started by the
Legionaries of Mary at Mattakkuliya in 1974 to provide
a home away from home for destitute children, completes 41 years of fruitful service this year.
The priority of 'Maw Sevana' has been to meet
all maternal, educational, spiritual and health needs of
the resident boys and to help them grow up with love,
dignity and safety in the belief that a happy childhood
will lead to responsible adulthood.
Maw Sevana was accordingly designed to cater for
30 boys in three cottages under the maternal care of matrons.
specially curated Instagram photos sourced from
all over the globe. The
carefully selected photos
showed migrants in the
Middle East, the Arctic
landscape and its change
due to global warming
and also the aftermath of
the earthquake in Nepal.
Even though the
Pope does not have an official Instagram account, he
is considered quite tech.
He has about 8.75 million followers across his
networks. In 2014, Pope
Francis even hosted a
Google Hangout. He often
happily takes selfies with
those who want them.
We were able to continue this work during
this 41 years mainly due to the generosity of our donors. Presently this institution is in need of funds to
continue this humanitarian service.
Your donations may be sent in favour of Maw
Sevana and addressed to:
The Secretary Board of Management, No: 12, Centre
road, Colombo 15.
HNB current A/c No.
- 0970 100 10716
NDB current A/c No.
- 101000066215
Tel.No.
- 0112529560
E.mail
- [email protected]
dignity is sacred at all stages of life.
Furthermore, the Cuba Declaration between the two Churches is a new
prelude for Christian unity which is increasingly an exigent target. Despite the
fact that the road to attain the target is
still long, yet the first step in this direction is merely taking a route in the right
direction. The Pope and the Patriarch
said: “This is possible and necessary.” We
are awaiting a second and a third summit in both the Vatican and Moscow.
This article from the Vatican Insider
was written by Rev. Fr. Rif’at Bader,
Director of the Amman-based Catholic
Centre for Studies and Media.
Contd. from Pg. 1
Being witnesses....
Mercy in this world that is devoid of mercy.
“How much God loves us is evident from the
fact that Jesus Christ took upon Himself the sins of everyone in this whole world and offered His life on the
cross. This is the reasoning in the revolutionary Catholic faith,” His Eminence said.
“The one special moment when we can feel the
love, compassion and mercy of God the Father is in the
Holy Eucharist. Having received His body in the form of
a host, it runs through our body as it becomes our spiritual food,” he said.
He noted that Jesus Christ chose to forget Himself and through the Last Supper on Holy Thursday
raised us up to a position of gaining eternal life and if it
were not so, Jesus Christ’s sacrifice on the cross would
be just a death of another hero.
‘This is my body, this is my blood. Do this in
memory of me.’ With this statement Jesus Christ made
His sacrifice on the cross immortal. This sacrifice on
the cross is relived at every moment not only in our
country but throughout the world in the Holy Eucharist
and brought alive through eternity. When the priest celebrates Holy Mass, Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross is relived
giving flesh to Divine Mercy.
Hence His Eminence said that to the extent that
we attune ourselves to the will of God, Divine Mercy will
work more and more in us. “Catholics are a people who
have experienced Divine Mercy and today our Church
needs a spirituality that is spearheaded by mercy. It is
not possible for anyone to separate us from God’s love
unless we do so ourselves,” His Eminence observed.
His Eminence also reminded his audience that
the Catholic Church dates back to over 2000 years having descended from the Apostles and built on the faith
of the Apostles. Whatever notions, the fundamentalists
may come up with it is important that the faithful do not
get deceived.
A large number of the faithful from the Archdiocese of Colombo and other dioceses attended the Congress.
Rev. Fathers Gyom Nonis (Parish Priest, Battaramulla), Anton Saman Hettiarachchi, George Ananda,. Lakpriya Nonis
(Parish Priest, Kadolkele) and Rev. Fr. Reshmi Suresh also
participated.
16
W
Children / Youth
March 6, 2016
Tongue-tying tongue twisters
to twist your tongue a ton
hen somebody speaks about tongue twisters,
a childhood image comes to mind. We remember how we attempted to recite a tricky
rhyme or phrase as fast as possible without tripping
over the verbal challenges and hurdles lurking within
these tongue-tying sentences.
By combining the effects of alliteration (repetition of a sound), particularly of similar but not identical sounds, with a phrase designed such that it is made
very easy to slip accidentally, these sentences and poems can be guaranteed to provide us with lots of fun
and laughter.
But tongue twisters are not only for lighthearted linguistic fun and games. They serve a practical purpose in practising pronunciation. English tongue twisters may be used by our students of English to improve
their accent and also by speech therapists to help those
with speech difficulties.
The history of tongue twisters is interesting.
In bygone times, the strange effects of tongue twisters
were experienced as a magical power. People uttered
tongue twisters to cast spells or place hexes.
Why would people attribute supernatural
powers to tongue twisters?
Perhaps part of the reason is that it produces
curious effects on the mind.
I believe that it is not too much of a stretch to
say that, under the right conditions, it is capable of pro-
Our Heavenly Guide
When trouble strikes and trials arise
At times one feels so low
Remember that Our Saviour is Alive
And HIS Love shines on us, below
Since the world received the power to choose
Sin and trials roam around the universe
Thus, as long as we take part in this life's journey
We have to be prepared for the worst
But no matter what happens in our lives
We need not worry or be troubled
Because Our Lord Jesus has paid our price
We are assured of eternal life
Surrender every minute of your life
To our loving Lord Jesus above
And HE will be your earthly guide
Until you reach the Heavenly shores.
Thusini de Silva
I Resolve
To strip the soul of all pretense,
To hold each day in reverence,
To keep the head and heart apace,
To make this world a worth-while-place,
To share my bread with those in need,
To tolerate a neighbour's creed,
To keep a stride without a strut,
To make a home in house or hut,
To have the grit to grin at loss,
To master life and be its boss!
R
the Messenger
ducing alternate states of awareness that may be interpreted as spiritual or paranormal experiences.
However, Tongue Twisters are great fun. This is
one of the few types of, wordplay that exist in every language. There are lots of well-known ones in English.
As a warming up exercise, try saying these
three times aloud and fast:
1. Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers.
2. She sells seashells by the sea shore.
3. Freshly-fried flying fish.
Now, for a little bit more difficult twisters:
Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers. Did Peter
Piper pick a peck of pickled peppers?
If Peter Piper picked a peck of peckled peppers, where's
the peck of pickled peppers Peter Piper picked?
How much wood would a woodchuck chuck If a woodchuck could chuck wood?
He would chuck, he would, as much as he could,
And chuck as much as a woodchuck would If a woodchuck could chuck wood
A tutor who tooted the flute
tried to tutor two tooters to toot.
Said the two to their tutor:
"Is it harder to toot,
The World Needs thee
Oh God!
The world needs Thee Oh God! I need Thee most
The world is weary, sad, from coast to coast,
Thy people are frustrated, the way is lost The storm is unabated, at man's own cost.
God Saviour, lead Thy children - far or near;
The good, the bad, the trodden - cast out fear.
Stretch out Thy Hand Redeemer, lift us up
Thou shed Thy Precious Blood and drank the Cup!
Save both Saint and Sinner - every child,
We are Thy banished children - wayward, wild!
Take us to Calvary, Oh Sacred Host!
Give us the Bread and Wine of Life to toast!
Father, forgive poor sinners - I'm sinner too To whom else can we turn, if not to You?
For mortal flesh is fickle, frail and weak,
Thou true and faithful Friend, to Thee I speak!
Man's quest for Truth goes on - for Love and Peace;
Oh, quench our thirst fore'er, our yearnings cease For man does not realise he's seeking Thee,
And he can never rest till he finds Thee!
I am so restless, Lord, I've searched in vain Earth's glory is so hollow - not worth the gain,
Oh Holy Spirit! Dwell upon the earth Renew it and give it a new birth!
Rita Ameresekera
Live longer with good habits
esearch has found that people who generally live longer do so partly because of good
habits.
1) Laugh and fun, don't be gloomy.
2) Let byones be bygones. Dwelling on the
past inflicts unnecessary stress.
3) Early to bed, early to rise, is healthy and wise.
4) Stay lean, being just 30% overweight is bad.
5) Keep learning, reading and socializing - an alert
and active mind keeps brain cells healthy.
6) Keep working, doing something you like.
Don't retire, it slows down your body.
7) Be the boss of your own life.
Letting others push you around produces stress.
8) Too many pills ruin your body, take just
what you need.
9) Constantly alternating between weight gain
and loss is bad.
10) Exercise, quit smoking and eat less fatty foods
11) Do not worry about health and death.
just get on with your life and enjoy it.
Or to tutor two tooters to toot?"
Mr. See owned a saw.
And Mr. Soar owned a seesaw.
Now, See's saw sawed Soar's seesaw
Before Soar saw See,
Which made Soar sore.
Had Soar seen See's saw
Before See sawed Soar's seesaw,
See's saw would not have sawed
Soar's seesaw.
So See's saw sawed Soar's seesaw.
But it was sad to see Soar so sore
just because See's saw sawed
Soar's seesaw
As the finale, let me give you my most cherished twister.
Try it.
She is a thistle sifter
and she has a sieve of sifted thistles,
and a sieve of unsifted thistles,
and the sieve of unsifted thistles
she sieves into the sieve of sifted thistles, because she is a
thistle sifter.
Hope you haven't ended up with a twisted tongue!
Happy Twisting!
Lionel Wijesiri
➣ HEALTH TIPS -
Super Fruits
Kiwi: Tiny but mighty,
This is a good source of potassium, magnesium, Vitamin E and fibre. Its Vitamin
C content is twice that of an orange.
Apple: An apple a day keeps the doctor
away.
Although an apple has a low Vitamin
C content, it has antioxidants and flavonoids which enhances the activity of
Vitamin C thereby helping to lower the
risks of colon cancer, heart attack and
stroke.
Strawberry: Protective Fruit.
Strawberries have the highest total antioxidant power among major fruits and
protect the body from cancer causing,
blood vessels clogging free radicals.
Orange: Sweetest medicine.
Taking 2-4 oranges a day may help keep
colds away, lower cholesterol, prevent
and dissolve kidney stones as well as
lessen the risk of colon cancer.
Watermelon: Coolest Thirst Quencher.
Composed of 92% water, it is also
packed with a giant dose of glutathione
which helps boost our immune system.
They are also a key source of lycopene
- the cancer fighting oxidant. Other nutrients found in watermelon are Vitamin C and Potassium.
Guava and Papaya: Top awards for Vitamin C
They are the clear winners for their high
Vitamin C content. Guava is also rich in
fibre which helps prevent constipation.
Papaya is rich in carotene, this is good
for your eyes.
17
Children / Youth
the Messenger
March 6, 2016
International Women’s Day
Amelia Earhart
She was the first woman
to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean. This was
an extremely courageous
act, but affected history
because her strength
and bravery inspired legions of women. As she
flew across the skies
she changed the limits
of what women believed
they could accomplish.
March 8, is celebrated as International Women’s Day. This year’s campaign theme is ‘Pledge for Parity’. Women’ Day was first was originally
y
called International Working Women’s Day.
International Women's Day was first observed as a popular
event after 1977 when the United Nations' General Assembly invited member states to proclaim March
8 as the UN Day for women's rights and world peace.
Let us on this day remember some great women whose lives have been a total dedication to
uplift not only the dignity of women but that of humanity as well.
ed bus, resulting in the
Montgomery Bus Boycott,
which was a watershed
moment in the American
Civil Rights Movement
and led ultimately to the
end of segregation in the
United States. Parks has
become an iconic symbol
of standing up for what is
right and her actions have
Joan of Arc
Rosa Parks
inspired countless other The 19-year-old: She is
Parks refused to give up women to do the same, one of the bravest women
her seat on a segregat- throughout the world.
in history. As the English
political activist, and lecturer. She was the first
deaf, blind and mute person to earn a Bachelor of
Arts degree. She changed
history by showing that
there is no barrier that
is too high to get over to
achieve your goals and
dreams. Bravery is one of
the character traits that
Keller had to have in orHelen Keller
der to persevere through
Aung San Suu Kyi
Helen Adams Keller was the darkness and into the
She was made a politian American author, light.
cal prisoner for almost
Mother Teresa
Was the leader of a group
of nuns in India. She devoted her life to give dignity to the lives of the sick
and poor in the world. She
changed history by inspiring countless people
to help improve the lives
Meriam Ibrahim
of the suffering around
Was a brave Sudanese
the world.
woman sentenced to
death for refusing to re-
By sirohmi gunesekera
in the dark
“I was
watching tv last
night when suddenly the lights
went off. I was
scared,”
said
Pavitra.
“ D i d n’ t
you get the message that there
would be periodic power cuts
until the Norochchalai Power Plant is repaired?
The Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) requested the
patience of consumers,” said Rohan.
“I forgot to buy candles and matches so
I had to stay in the dark. Eye doctors warned us
F
a
m
i
l
twenty years in her country, Myanmar, but maintained a dignity and leadership that turned the
world against the government that kept her captive.
She was finally released
for good in 2010 and then
became the leader of the
country. Much like Nelson
Mendella in South Africa,
Aung San Suu Kyi is a inspirational figure that inspires people to persevere
for what is right.
nounce Christianity. Sudanese authorities had
said Ibrahim was guilty
of rejecting Islam in favour of Christianity, but
her conviction for "apostasy" and adultery was
overturned on appeal,
following weeks of international controversy. She
was later released and
met Pope Francis.
against using the light of hand phones as it would
damage the eyes,” commented Pavitra.
“So what can you do in the dark? If you are
alone, you can talk to God and pray. You can do the
same if you are in a group. A family can even enjoy a
confidential chat or sing a song. What about singing
the hymn “What a Friend We Have in Jesus!”?
“Yes, if there are lights one is constantly
watching television or playing video games on the
computer. Some people who only have the radio,
keep it on and listen to music or songs throughout.
No electricity means that the house is silent and
human beings can use their ingenuity to talk, sing
or play games. How about playing “Guess Who?”
One person thinks of someone and the others ask
questions and guess the identity. The person who
thought of the name can limit the answers to “Yes”
or “No,” said Rohan.
“Anyway, it is high time we Sri Lankans
limited our dependence on Electricity, especially
Hydropower,” said Pavitra, adding, “We all have so
many gadgets powered by Current! No wonder we
panic when it comes to a Power Cut. Some of us
have generators so we don’t feel the loss but they
are expensive.”
“Let’s make a break and talk to God in the
dark,” suggested Rohan.
army was poised to invade France, Joan of Arc
rallied the French troops
to an unlikely victory in
the battle of Orleans. She
truly believed that she
was on a mission from
God to defeat the British
and she actually fought
in the battle. Joan of Arc
changed history forever
and proved the bravery of
women to the world.
a shrine for the 'brave' wolf
O
nce upon a time there lived a little girl
called Red Riding Hood. One day her
mother asked her to take a basket of fruit
to her grandmother, who lived alone in a cottage
in the forest.
It happened that a wolf was lurking in
the bushes and overheard the conversation. He
decided to take a short-cut to grandmother's
house and get the goodies for himself. The wolf
killed and ate the grandmother, then dressed in
her nightgown and jumped into bed to await the
little girl.
When she arrived he tried to grab her. But
this frightened the child and she ran screaming from
the cottage.
A woodcutter heard her cries and rushed
to the rescue. He killed the wolf with his axe saving Red Riding Hood's life. All the town people
hurried to the scene and proclaimed the woodcutter a hero.
But at the inquest, several facts emerged.
1. The wolf had never been advised of his rights.
2. The woodcutter had made no warning swings
before striking the fatal blow that killed the
wolf.
3. The Civil Liberties Union stressed the point
that, although the act of eating grandma may
have been in bad taste, the wolf was only "doing his things."
4. The Students for a Democratic Society contended that the killing of grandma should be considered self-defence since she was over 30, and
therefore, couldn't be taken seriously because
the wolf was trying to make love, not war.
On the basis of these considerations, the
woodcutter was indicted for aggravated assault
with a deadly weapon.
Several nights later, the woodcutter's
cottage was burned to the ground.
One year from the date of "the incident at
grandma's" her cottage was made a shrine for the
wolf who had bled and died there. All the village
officials spoke at the dedication, but it was Ridding Hood who gave the most touching tribute.
She said that while she has been selfishly grateful for the woodcutter's intervention,
she realised in retrospect that he had overreacted. As she knelt and
and placed a wreath in
honour of the brave wolf,
there wasn't a dry eye in
the whole forest.
Wisdom Stories
18
Children / Youth
the Messenger
Young World
Our lady of lourdes
Sports Meet
Kalutara deanery
teacher's retreat
Captains of the winning House receives the Trophy from
MP Nattandiya, Hector Appuhamy and Principal C. Kurukulasiriya and Deputy Principal at the annual sportsmeet of Our Lady of Lourdes School, Nattandiya.
Shriyanganie Felicia
Sunday School teachers of the Kalutara Deanery participated in a retreat held at Holy Cross Church, Kalutara
recently. The Chief Guest was, Rev. Fr. Lester Nonis. Diocesan Coordinator for Catechists.
D. Anselm
Young Champ of Good Shepherd Convent
Mosvold educational
Centre award ceremony
Upulka
Gunawardhana
of
Marguerite
House
snatched the Best Performer Award at the annual sports meet of Good
Shepherd Convent, Kotahena. She was also adjudged the Best Athlete in
the 8-9 age group.
Upulka
also
scooped three Gold
Medals and 3 Silver
Medals.
Kumudini
March 6, 2016
Catholic School
Cricket
☛ Top Performances
Cricketers from leading Catholic schools are doing well
in this 2015-16 School Cricket Season. Matches concluded in the Under 19 Division One tournament.
Avishka Fernando of St. Sebastian's College,
Moratuwa is one of the leading batsman this season. Avishka, an Under 19 cricketer is closing 1000 runs with a
top score of 130 against Ananda College. Another batsman who is batting well is batting well is Krishan Sanjula of De Mazenod College, Kandana. Krishan has already
recorded three centuries including a best innings of 110
in 92 balls against St. Aloysius College, Galle.
In the bowling department three bowlers
are performing well with top performances. They are
Geethal Fernando (St. Benedict's) Harin Cooray (St. Joseph's) and Tanisha Weerakoon (St. Peter's). Geethal recorded one of the best bowling feats with a match bag of
14 for 70 against St. Joseph's. He took 7 for 16 and 7 for
54 to give St. Benedict's a fine win. Geethal, Harin and
Tanisha have taken 50 wkts each this season. Harin Cooray 12 for 72 against Wesley College and Tanisha took
5 wkts in one innings, three against DS Senanayake,
Ananda and St. Sebastian's.
Here are few best performances:
* Sandaruwan Fernando (St. Sebastian's) 101 and 97 VS
President's College.
* Thulina Dilshan (St. Bededict's) 135 VS Ananda 151
VS Bandaranaiake MV.
* Akash Senaratne (De Mazenod's) 11 for 111 VS Bandaranaiake MV.
* Thulangana Fernando (St. Joseph Vaz) 11 for 111 VS
Nalanda.
* Piyamal Sinhawansa (St. Anne's) 13 for 57 VS Rahula
(Matara).
* Sachindu Colombage (Maris Stella) 12 for 84 VS De
Mazenod.
* Harin Cooray (St. Joseph's 7 for 22 VS DS Senanayaka,
7 for 23 Mahinda.
☛Christ King Pannipitiya
Taking part for the first time in Inter schools under 19
Division III Cricket Tournament, Christ King College
Pannipitiya did well to enter the second round with
good performances.
In the first round Christ King College team
played four matches and recorded two outright wins.
They beat Horana Royal College by 119 runs and
Homagama Central College by 32 runs. They also defeated Homagama Mahinda Rajapaksa College in the
first innings. Their only defeat came against Herman
Gmiener College Piliyandala.
Captained by all rounder Shan Perera, the best
A the Lama Pola was held by the children of the Sun- performances came from Chanaka Jayalath, Vimukthi
day School of Pallansena Parish under the guidance of Prabashana, Malintha Thisal, Warren Branden, Akila
the Parish Priest Rev. Fr. Jayantha Nimal, Asst. Parish Weeraratne and Somesh Dilshan. Mr. Jayantha WeerasPriest Rev. Fr. Nalin Kumara Fernando and teachers.
inghe is the Coach of the team.
The parents of the children donated commodities vegetables, fruits and story books for the sale.
Christopher Ranasinghe
Melvyn de Costa
'lama Pola'at Pallansena
Mosvold Educational Centre "Seth Sevana" branch
Balapitiya held their first award ceremony at the College Hall recently.
Picture shows, the Chief Guest His Lordship
Rt. Rev. Dr. Raymond Wickramasinghe, Bishop of Galle
being taken in processen to the main venue.
D. Anselm Fernando
Stepping out
to bigger
things
Pre-schoolers of St. Anne's Pre-school
Wattala bid good bye to their pre-school
years to embark on newer educational
environs.
The children are seen in a
group photograph with the Parish
Priest Rev. Fr. Basil Wickremesinghe,
Assistant Rev. Fr. Gayan Prasanna, Rev.
Fr. Manoj Kumara and teachers.
Julian Gunawardana
19
the Messenger
Children / Youth
March 6, 2016
language Study & English Grammar
Dear Readers,
In our previous four lessons on Language Study and English Grammar we learnt a wee
bit of phonology, morphology, syntax and semantics. We also learnt the 44 phonetic
symbols of the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA). We also practised the phonemes
(i / i: / b / p / t / d / (k) / (g)/ (tʃ) chair, and (dʒ) judge with simple sentences and a
few nursery rhymes. Functions of Language, a traditional prescription of the noun and
an abstract concept of language study were also explained briefly.
In this lesson which is our sixth, let us practice (f) fine (v) vine /(θ) =TH think /
three/ thank , / (ð) TH – this / that/ they. Jacobson’s language functions – asking for
and giving instructions and adjectives in general.
Your comments are greatly appreciated.
The information sources referred to are Wikipedia articles and sources from the internet and they are duly acknowledged and credited with much appreciation
NJ
activity 1- Phonology – English Speech sounds - (a) Let’s add four more English
Speech sounds today. They are (f) / (v) /(θ) / (ð) e.g. (f) fine (v) vine (θ ) think
(ð) this
/(θ) =TH think / three/ thank ,
/ (ð) TH – this / that/ they
Task 1. Read aloud(v) van vast vet vat vain vine vale valley vim
(f) fin fan fun fit fat fell fall file fail
(θ) thin think thought thank three thirty (ð) this these that those then there
they
Task 2. Read aloud very fast and enjoy the fun.
That fat man bought a van for thirty three
thousand dollars.
Thank you very much for the bottle of
vine.
I think these feathers are very expensive.
Victor got them to vote for him.
These friends are fine
i) Four furious friends fought for the
phone.
(ii)Very well, very well, very well.
(iii) I thought of thanking you.
(iv)This is the sixth zebra.
(v)They thought of buying a van and
a fan.
Sing together and practise the nursery rhymes
Row, Row, Row Your Boat
Home for dinner//
There’s the bell//
Bacon and potatoes//
Ding dong bell//
(i)Phonological- Study of phonemes/
speech sounds
(ii)(Graphological)- Study of the writing
system
(iii)Lexical (Verbal)- Study of words
(iv)Syntactic (Morphological)- Study of
word formation and word order )
(v) Modern conceptual grammar is being developed
Language Use for Contextual
Appropriacy
Functional
!
Stylistic
2. Emotive – Expressing something- Using decorative phrases
3. Conative – is concerned with commanding- imperatives ‘Go on/ open it. Don’t do it
4. Poetic- Choosing words wisely. Literary and spoken style in higher levels of
communication
5. Phatic – Engaging language for the sake of language- making small talk and chit
chat with people
6. Metalingual- Analyzing language. It is used to describe language.
activity 4- Let’s learn the Language Functions of Asking for instructions /
Giving instructions
Asking for instructions
Giving instructions
How do I do this?
Sequencing- First you …….. Then you
………. Next you ……… Lastly, you ……
Starting out (a) Before you begin
(you should ….. )
(b) The first thing you do is ……..
(c) I would start by ………..
(d) The best place to begin with ……
Continuing – (i) After that, (ii) the
next step is to, (iii)The next thing you
do is….. (iv) Once you have done that,
then …… (v)When you finish that,
then ……
Finishing(i)The last step is … (ii)The last thing
you do is . (iii)In the end , (iv)when
you have finished, (v)When you have
completed all the steps
How do I go about?
How do you suggest I proceed?
How do you do this?
What is the best way to……?
What do you suggest?
What is the first step?
Task – Select a topic and describe a process using the sequences given – (i) How to
make a cup of tea (ii) How to plant a tree? (iii) How to make a doll?
activity 5- In our last lesson we looked at a noun and in this lesson let’s look at an
(N2183)
adjective.
An adjective – An adjective is a word used with a noun to add something for its
Meaning or to describe it
Definition
Kolkata is a large city.
Classification
(1)Show the kind or quality Adjectives of Quality (or De- He is an honest man.
scriptive Adjective)
of a person or thing; as,
French wines, Turkish tobacco, Indian tea,
(3)Adjectives show how Adjectives of Quantity
much of a thing is meant as
activity 2- Read aloud. The two major areas in a scientific study of language are language system and language use. In order to be communicatively competent we need
to master these two areas.
Language System –
Grammatical Accuracy
1. Referential- It is all about describing. Describing places persons events
(2)Adjectives formed from Proper Adjectives.
Proper Nouns.
Home for dinner
Row, row, row your boat
Gently down the stream,
Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily,
Life is but a dream.
Jacobson’s Functions of Language
Informational
(a)Language is to express functions
(b)Language is to express a style
(c)Language is to express information
activity 3- Let’s learn the functions of language advocated by Roman Jakobson.
Roman Jacobson was born in Russia, completed his PhD. in Prague and worked as a
professor in the United States.
I ate some rice.
He showed much patience
(4)Adjectives show how Adjectives of Number (or Nu- The hand has five fingers.
Sunday is the first day of the
many and in what order a meral Adjectives
week
person or thing stands; as,
(5)Adjectives which denote Definite Numeral Adjectives
an exact number; as,
cardinals
One cat, two dogs, three
bags,
(7)Adjectives point out Demonstrative Adjectives
which person or thing is
meant
This boy is stronger than
Hari.
That boy is industrious.
(9)When the words own and Emphasizing Adjectives
very are used as
I saw it with my own eyes.
That is the very thing we want.
(6)Which denote the order Definite numeral adjectives First cat /second/ dog third
bag
of things
ordinals
(8)What, which and whose, Interrogative Adjectives
when they are used with
nouns to ask questions
(10)The word what is some- Exclamatory Adjective
times used as an exclamation
Contact us on: 071 8004580
E-mail: [email protected]
What manner of man is he?
Which way shall we go?
Whose book is this?
What genius!
What folly!
What an idea!
What a blessing!
Compiled by Noel Jayamanne
20
Children / Youth
The Messenger
March 6, 2016
Continued from last week
• Doctors of the Church - The Four Greek Doctors
SAINT BASIL THE GREAT (330·379)
SAINT GREGORY NAZIANZEN (330-390)
It is difficult to separate these two, while
it is important to distinguish them from
each other and from the other members
of their circle. For a start we must be
aware that there were other Basils and
Gregories in the story. Basil "the Great" was born in
Cappadocia, in the interior of the landmass of Asia Minor. His father was also
named Basil, both his grandmother and
his sister were called Macrina, his mother
was Emmelia, and his two brothers were
Peter and Gregory called "of Nyssa." All
of these are counted as saints, and both
the younger Macrina and Gregory of Nyssa have left us important spiritual writings.
Basil had a close friend from
schooldays called Gregory, "of Nazianzen," whose father was also Gregory,
and also Bishop of Nazianzen. (We must
remember that in the fourth century. if
not earlier, it was a common practice for
married men to be ordained on condition that they would henceforth live as
celibates; a result was that the priestly
vocation tended to run in families.)
The families of Basil and Gregory are collectively known as the "Cappadocian Fathers." During the middle decades of the fourth century they wrote,
prayed, studied and debated about the
great issues that divided the Church.
Gregory of Nazianzen was a poet, leaving
long verse explanations of the doctrine
that was developing among the friends.
Letters passed between them, on personal matters as well as on high points
of doctrine and between the poems and
the letters we can see an attractive picture of the domestic friendship of these
extraordinary saints.
Basil, after finishing his studies, was called to the monastic life and
founded a community in a remote and
charming valley. He wrote to Gregory
of Nazianzen describing how pleasant
the place was and urging him to adopt
the monastic life himself, but Basil was
only granted five years of seclusion before being hurtled into the controversy
as Bishop of Caesarea. Despite that, he
is acclaimed as the father of Eastern
monasticism and the monastic rules he
composed are followed today.
As Bishop of Caesarea. Basil had
to contend with the government enforcement of Arianism. He stood up boldly before the local officials, astonishing them
with his courage in defending the faith of
the Council of Nicaea.
His entire episcopate was disturbed by these controversies, but he
still found time, as bishop, to introduce
quite remarkable social reforms among
his people. He founded schools, hospitals, almshouses and hostels for travellers and staffed them with teachers. doctors and nurses, providing social welfare
on a scale never seen before. Although a
master of contemplative prayer, he was
extremely practical in his administration, and so much loved by his people
that they lined the streets, weeping, at
his funeral.
His teaching was largely worked
out in correspondence with his family
and friends, particularly Gregory of Nazianzen. This Gregory was far less practical than Basil and although he reluctantly accepted consecration as bishop, first
of Nazianzen and then of Constantinople
itself, he was never happy in the role
and joyfully retired back to seclusion in
a monastery near his birthplace.
What Basil and Gregory had to
contend with was not only the continuing Arian controversy, over whether Jesus truly is God, but the rather neglected
topic of the nature and role of the Holy
Spirit. The first Council of Nicaea, after
defining its teaching on Christ, ended its
creed rather lamely, just "and in the Holy
Spirit." In some of Basil and Gregory's
letters we see how they came to realise
that the Holy Spirit is truly God just as
much as the Son, but were unsure how
the general public would take to this.
They could be quite sure the Emperor
would not like it. However, as we know,
their patient prayer and study enabled
them to clarify the doctrine and develop
our familiar faith in the Holy Trinity, One
God in Three Persons.
It was the Council of Constantinople in 381, just after Basil's death, that
filled in what was lacking at the Council
of Nicaea. Not only did the Council reaffirm its belief that Jesus is "God from
God, light from light, true God from true
God, consubstantial with the Father," but
it went on to say that the Holy Spirit is
"the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds
from the Father, who with the Father and
the Son is adored and glorified, who has
spoken through the prophets." For good
measure, the Council went on to affirm
its faith in "one, holy, Catholic and apostolic Church."
It was to be centuries before
the implications of that line were drawn
out, but the affirmation was clear, that
there is only One True Church, and the
various Arian bodies were not it. We
shall see more of this issue in the story
of St. Ambrose.
It is a little curious that it is Basil and Gregory of Nazianzen who are
named as Doctors of the Church, while
Gregory of Nyssa was no less part of the
circle and no less influential in developing Christian doctrine. But it is the
friendship between Basil and the first
Gregory that is so attractive, showing us
how these great and learned teachers of
theology and prayer were also human,
fond of reminiscences of school days,
appreciative of nature and the countryside, of poetry and music. True sanctity
doe not make us less human, but rather
enhances our common humanity. Basil's
social action shows how a deep love of
God is inseparable from practical love of
neighbour.
Courtesy:
Catholic Truth Society
(To be Continued)
St. Perpetua and St. Felicity
March 7
Historico - Liturgical Note
These two saints faced martyrdom hand
in hand at Carthage in North Africa during the persecution of Septimus Severus.
The account of their deaths was probably
written by Tertullian. The account was so
highly esteemed that in the fourth century it was read publicly in the churches
of northern Africa.
Perpetua, 22-years-of-age, was
the daughter of a pagan nobleman and
she was the mother of an infant still in
swaddling clothes. Felicity, a slave, gave
birth to a child prematurely while in
prison. Three other catechumens were
imprisoned with Perpetua and Felicity, and they were soon joined by their
teacher, Saturus. They were baptized
while in prison, prior to their death in
the amphitheater. The detailed account
of their martyrdom is one of the greatest
literary treasures that have come down
to us from the Early Church.
MESSAGE AND RELEVANCE
The Opening Prayer is taken from the
Proper of a Mass that was celebrated in
North Africa: "Your love gave the saints
Perpetua and Felicity courage to suffer
a cruel martyrdom." The petition in the
prayer reads as follows: "Help us to grow
in love of you. "
The Office of Readings is taken
from the account of their martyrdom
and it highlights the intensity of their
love of God, which gave them the courage to endure the torments of martyrdom and their maternal love for their
children, one newly born and the other
still a nursing infant. The response given
by Felicity when a prison guard begged
her to avoid martyrdom for the sake of
her unborn child, even as she was going
through the pains of labor, can serve today as aprotest against the widespread
slaughter of the unborn through legalized abortion. Only her love of God could
enable her to transcend one of the most
powerful of human loves, that of a mother for her own child.
''Today it is I who suffer in giving birth, but then it will be another who
will suffer in me, because I shall suffer
for him." Another statement that is relevant today is found in Perpetua's account of their imprisonment: ''The Spirit
inspired me to ask from the water of her
baptism nothing more than constancy of
the flesh" [in the face of martyrdom.]
Prayer
Father, your love gave the saints
Perpetua and
Felicity courage to suffer a cruel
mart. yrdom.
By their prayers,
help us to grow in love
of you. Amen.