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| Saturday, 7 August 2004 |
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Talawila annual feast tomorrow by Dr. Granville Fernando Kalpitiya peninsula is arid and dry for many months of the year. This drab and dull piece of land will go gay tomorrow when it will be celebrating its annual festival. Today Thalawila takes second pride of place as a Catholic place of pilgrimage in Sri Lanka. Pilgrims will arrive from all parts of the country. Time was when pilgrims came over from neighbouring India.
Initially St. Anne's came under the jurisdiction of the archdiocese of Colombo. And when the infant diocese of Chilaw was carved out it was attached to Chilaw. Originally the new Bishop the Rt Rev. Dr. Edmond Peiris a son of the soil had to overcome a number of teething problems. He however liked Talawila. Permit me to quote his own words: "I owe much to St. Anne the good grandmother have known her shrine from my childhood, and have spent weeks and months under her sacred shadow. It is full of hallowed memories, to me memories intimately linked with everything that values in a Catholic home of pious and affectionate parents." In that by gone era Talawila lacked a good approach road. Soon with the assistance of the late Sir John Kotelawala a beautiful road was consturced linking the shrine with the Palakudah junction. Today St. Anne's has two nice approach roads. A new porch and an artistic globe lamps adorns the precincts of the church. Confession Hall and a number of new houses make it easy for the short sojourn of the pilgrims at the shrine. Many receive special favours from St. Anne the good and gracious grand mother. Just a small note. During those by gone days there was only a Camp Hospital. The staff was drafted from a number of medical institutions in the district. Invariably I went in-charge. Still remember how St. Anne helped me on more than one occasion. As we kneel on the golden sands let us also breathe a small prayer for those pioneering stalwarts who helped to make St. Anne's what it is today. |
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