Christian perspectives
St. Anthony of Padua
St. Anthony was born in 1195 near Lisbon receiving the name of
Ferdinand. His father was a revenue officer and knight at the court of
Alfonso II, king of Portugal. Ferdinand was sent to the cathedral school
in Lisbon.
At
the age of fifteen, he joined the Canons Regular of St. Augustine. He
stayed in the house in Lisbon. But he found the visits of his relatives
too disturbing and so he asked to be transferred to Coimbra.
The Coimbra monastery had a renowned school of biblical studies which
Ferdinand found a most congenial environment. He studied with intense
application for eight years and became a profound theological and
scriptural scholar.
One day, Ferdinand, in his capacity as guest-master, looked after
five Franciscan friars, who were on their way to Morocco. Later he came
to know that no sooner had they arrived at the mission than they were
savagely butchered.
Their remains were brought back to Coimbra and given a State funeral.
Ferdinand was completely unsettled by his fleeting acquaintance with the
martyrs. He longed to give his life on some distant mission field. Fired
with this new ambition, Ferdinand took the painful and unusual step of
leaving the Canons Regular of St. Augustine in order to join the
Franciscans.
They soon conceded him permission to go to Morocco. But the
longed-for martyrdom was not for him. Illness supervened at once and he
was ordered home.
On the return journey, his ship was driven out of its course by a
storm and he had to land at Messina in Sicily. He then joined his
Franciscan brethren in Italy. He was sent to a little hospice near Forli
in Emilia where he was given some menial duties.
Within a year, Anthony's brilliant gifts were discovered. At an
ordination ceremony at Forli, the special preacher engaged for the
occasion failed to appear. None of the others present would agree to
fill the gap and oblige with an extempore sermon.
To get out of his predicament, the Father Provincial briefly ordered
Anthony to preach. His performance astonished the audience who saw at
once that Anthony had all the gifts of a first-rate speaker: poise,
delivery, conviction, personal charm, amazing memory, mastery of
theology and scripture. Hence he was immediately appointed as the
preacher to the whole of Italy.
The Froli hospice saw no more of Anthony. He was always on the road,
travelling ceaselessly from the south of Italy to the north of France,
devoting all his time, talents and energy to the work of preaching. The
world became his cloister. The response of the people was too high.
The churches could not hold the crowds who came to hear him. A
platform had to be set up for him out of doors. Soon the streets and
squares could not accommodate the people and the platform had to be
carried outside the town or city to a plain or hillside where twenty,
thirty, forty thousand would gather to hear him. At the rumours of his
coming, shops were shuttered up, markets suspended and law courts
closed.
During the night before the sermon, the whole countryside became
alive with flittering lights as people began to converge from all sides
to the venue. It seemed that to those who had once come within the
sphere of Anthony's influence, nothing whatsoever could rival the
interest of his sermons. He came to be called 'The Hammer of Heretics'
and 'The Ark of the Covenant.'
Anthony's favourite line was a virulent attack on the weakness of the
secular clergy and on the prevalent sins of contemporary society: their
greed, their luxurious living and their tyranny. Once he was invited to
preach at a synod at Bourges, presided over by the Archbishop Simon de
Sully. With the words Tibi loquor cornute ('as for you, there, with the
mitre on your head'), he denounced the prelate who had invited him and
petrified the audience.
Anthony preached his last Lent in Padua. It is long remembered for
the furore it caused in the city. The Paduans could find neither food
nor accommodation for the crowds who invaded them. After Easter, Anthony
and his two companions went to a friend's country estate outside the
city for a rest.
Walking through the woods, they were whimsically delighted with a
giant walnut tree which had six branches growing upwards from the crown.
They bound the branches together with woven willows and roofed them with
rushes to make a cool, airy cell for the tired preacher.
Anthony was far from well. Ten years' preaching had taken all his
physical reserves. He had developed dropsy, which made breathing
difficult. He was finding it increasingly difficult to get about because
his swollen body refused to respond. He had worn it out at the age of
thirty six.
In this characteristic Franciscan retreat, Anthony had an intimation
of death 13th June 1231. He told his companions to take him back to St.
Mary's in Padua, because he did not want to be a trouble to their kind
host.
They placed him on a peasant's cart drawn by an ox and began the
doleful journey back to the city through the summer dust and heat.
Soon Anthony was beyond speech. So they halted at the convent of the
Poor Ladies at Arcella. Here they placed him sitting upright again to
help him to breath. He began to chant a Lauds hymn and so singing, he
died. Shortly after Anthony's death, his fame shifted focus. He was
canonized in less than a year after his death. It was because he lived a
life larger than his life.
Fr. Don Anton Saman Hettiarachchi, St. Aloysius' Minor Seminary,
Colombo 8, Sri Lanka.
Christianity: path of love and light
Miran Perera
Man consists of mind and body. Most people ensure that their bodies
are clean for good health and to prevent discomfort for others with whom
one associates.
However, there is considerable neglect in the effort to maintain a
clean mind. The mind is a flow of thought and though not visible to the
human eye and its location cannot be determined has an important role to
play in the practice of Christianity.
To build the confidence of the people, to instill into them a sense
of well-being and to encourage them to actively participate in the fight
against the elements of disorder Christianity is needed alongside other
aspects which are applicable to our own situation in our country.
The Christian qualities of reconciliation and forgiveness would heal
sorrow filled memories. We need Christianity as it conditions the people
by instilling into them a spirit of compromise and tolerance.
Christianity is also needed for the establishment of a just and
righteous society.
These have been necessitated as a result of an evaluation of the root
causes that have led to the interracial tension, conflict, distrust and
suspicion which we are experiencing today. Christianity is more
realistic of what is intended to be achieved, to reach, reconcile and
renew hearts and minds.
The thoughts of the people who have understood the truth of
Christianity are completely different from others. They are in a
position to forget the things around them and most importantly they tend
to forget themselves.
The thoughts of those who have understood the truth of Christianity
care for the Lord whom they worship. They realise that God guides their
souls. They believe that the Bible enlightens them.
They believe that Christianity could fulfil their life. With
Christianity they sense of awakened justice within their inner self.
Christianity fosters human brotherhood. Every Christian must do deeds of
beneficence. Also Christianity has the real essence of all wisdom. In
Christianity God is beyond the limitations of a symbol or name.
Christianity is needed as Christians walk through all their life in
the path of love and light. Christians accept their life as given to
them as they strongly believe the form of life they ought to lead is
destined by him alone in perfect resignation. For Christian believers
the sacredness of the name of God makes them strive to reach higher
forms of faith.
Christians believe that the inspiration of knowledge and guidance is
in the hands of God alone. The mature Christians soul that draws
blessings from the heaven let God speak to them through the soul.
Although God is busy speaking through all things yet in order to
speak to those deaf among us it is necessary for him to speak through
the lips of man. God has done it all through the history of mankind.
Every great teacher in the past has enjoyed the life as a guiding spirit
living the life of God in human guise.
Christian guidance teaches those of who deserve among us to
understand reality. It is the Christian approach that will enable us to
change attitudes heal and build relationships on a foundation of the
noble qualities of love, compassion, patience, and forgiveness which are
the crystallized teachings of Christianity.
In order to reverse the trend of negativity and to reorient the
thinking of the people towards more religious patterns of behaviour it
will be necessary to be educated in the religion of Christianity. For
this, we need a renewal of Christianity.
Where it should be spearheaded by religious leaders such as the
Catholic clergy and selected members of the laity.
The emphasis should be on an experiential dimension of the basic
tenets of Christianity. There should be a revival of Christian cultural
values particularly those that would promote discipline, respect for
authority and lifestyles that would be in keeping with Christian
culture. There is a need for Christianity as all should understand what
the spirit of guidance is and how the Christian guidance come to be
practised.
The duty of every Christian is to follow the religion though each and
everyone should have his own path. We should understand that every soul
is for a specific purpose and the religious path leads all towards
attainment of their ideal both worldly as well as heavenly.
The people who understand the word of wisdom would simply know which
religion is clear for them to understand the spirit of truth. A peaceful
harmonious life cannot be led until the sense of Christian justice has
been awakened by self conscience.
Although different religions have acted harmoniously and peacefully
their followers have a different perspective and we should not fail to
understand that they all meet at one Zenith that is the real truth which
is Christianity.
Feast of St. Anthony
The month of June is marked basically with the feast of St Anthony of
Padua and Sri Lankan Catholics and non Catholics as well will celebrate
the feast in several parishes in the country with the main feast on June
13th at the St. Anthony's Shrine, Kochchikade, Colombo.
St. Anthony's Shrine, Kochchikade, Colombo: The feast of St. Anthony
will be celebrated on 13th June 2008 at the Shrine of St. Anthony,
Kochchikade, Colombo 13.
The Pontifical Vespers will be on June at 12 at 7 p.m. The Festival
High Masses at 8 a.m. in Tamil, 10 a.m. in Sinhala and 12.00 noon in
English. The other masses at 4 a.m. and 6 a.m. in Tamil, 5 a.m. and 7
a.m. in Sinhala. The procession will be on June 13 at 5.30 p.m. followed
by Benediction.
Wahakotte: The National Basilica of St. Anthony of Padua at Wahakotte
will celebrate the feast on Sunday, June 15 with a festive High Mass
offered at 8.30 am by President of the Catholic Bishops Conference of
Sri Lanka Rt. Rev. Dr. Vianny Fernando, Bishop of Kandy.
There will be Holy Masses in English at 5.30 am and 6.30 am in
English, at 12.00 noon in Sinhala and a Holy Mass at 5.00 pm in Sinhala.
The Vespers will be on Saturday at 7.00 pm.
Kadalana - Moratuwa: St. Anthony's Church will celebrate the 125th
Jubilee of the Church on Friday June 13 with a festive High Mass offered
by Colombo Archbishop Rt. Rev. Dr. Oswald Gomis as chief celebrant.
Vespers on the previous day will be sung by Auxiliary Bishop of Colombo
Diocese Rt. Rev. Dr. Marius Peiris.
There will be a procession at 4.00 pm taking the 460 year old Statue
of St. Anthony and followed by a Holy Mass offered at 6.00 pm.
Kallarawa of Nilaweli Parish Church in Trincomalee: The feast of St.
Anthony will be celebrated on Friday, June 13, at 8.00 am with a Festive
Holy Mass offered by Rt. Rev. Dr. Norbert Andradi OMI, Bishop of
Anuradhapura.
Kepungoda: Catholic community with the participation of those devoted
to St. Anthony of Paduwa will celebrate the 162 feast of the Church on
Sunday June 15 with a festive Holy Mass offered by Rev. Fr. Ananda
Vithanage, Principal of Gonzalez Maha Vidyalaya, Pamunugama. On June 14
Vespers will be sung by Rev. Fr. Shanthi Kumar Welivita, Vice Rector,
Aquinas. School of Higher Studies, Borella.
On Friday, June 13 there will be a procession of the Blessed
Sacrament at 7.00 pm with the participation of Rev. Fr. Merl Shanthi,
Adminidstrator of National Basilica of Our Lady of Sri Lanka, Ragama.
Muruthana - Thoppuwa: The Golden Jubilee celebration of the Church
dedicated to St. Anthony will be celebrated on Sunday, June 15 with a
Jubilee Holy Mass at 8.00 am offered by Colombo Archbishop Rt. Rev. Dr.
Oswald Gomis as chief celebrant.
There will be Holy Mass in Tamil at 6.30 am. The Vespers will be sung
by the Auxiliary Bishop of Colombo Diocese Rt. Rev. Dr. Marius Peiris
with Very Rev. Fr. Cyril Gamini Fernando, the Episcopal Vicar for
Colombo North.
Weliveriya - Gampaha: St. Anthony's Church will celebrate on Sunday,
June 15 with a festive High Mass at 8.00 am. There will be Holy Masses
at 5. 30 am, 6.45 am and at 6.00 pm. Vespers service at 7.00 pm on
Saturday, followed by a procession.
Nainamadama: St. Anthony's Church will celebrate the feast with a
festive Holy Mass on June 15 at 7.30 am offered by Rev. Fr. Morris
Anderson, the Parish Priest of the Mission.
After the Holy Mass the devotes will be blessed by the Relic of St.
Anthony and in the evening after the procession there will be a Holy
Mass and the Blessing from the Statue.
The procession will begin at 3.00 pm.
Thoduwawa: The Annual feast of St. Anthony will be celebrated on
Sunday, June 22 with a festive Holy Mass at 7.00 am offered by Very Rev.
Fr. Patrick Wijesinghe, Vicar General of the Chilaw Diocese. Vespers
service will be presided over by the Conventual Prior of the OSB Very
Rev. Fr. Leonard Ranasinghe.
Dalupotha: Feast of St. Anthony will be celebrated on Friday, June 13
at 11.00 am with a festive High Mass will be offered by a newly ordained
Priest of the Parish Rev. Fr. Dinesh Tharanga.
There will be Holy Masses at 5.30 am and 6.30 am and 6.00 pm and 7.30
pm. Procession on the feast day will commence at 4.00 pm and there will
be blessing from the Statue of St. Anthony after the procession. Vespers
on June 12 , at 7.00 pm will be sung by Rev. Fr. Kalana Ishara Peiris.
119th annual feast of Batagama St. Anthony's Church: The Parish
Priest and the Assistant Rev. Frs. Indra Ratnasiri and Deshan Lasantha
together with Parish Council have made arrangements to celebrate the
119th annual feast of St. Anthony on June 13.
Rev. Fr. Nilantha Ediriwickrema will chant the Vespers, on June 12.
The festival high mass is to be celebrated by Rev. Fr. Luxshman Anthony
on June 13 at 8 a.m. Special masses are to be celebrated at 5.30, 6.30
and 11 in the morning, on the same day.
The chief celebrant of the final festive mass will be Rev. Fr.
Derrington Subasinghe, which will be celebrated at 6.00 p.m. followed by
the procession carrying the statue of St. Anthony wending its ways along
decorated streets.
Vatican delegation visits Vietnam
A Vatican delegation arrived Monday for its annual visit to communist
Vietnam, where Catholics have this year protested for the return of
seized church lands, state media reported.
The delegation, led by Undersecretary of State Monsignor Pietro
Parolin, was due to meet Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham
Gia Khiem during their week-long visit, said the Vietnam News Agency.
Italian priest Parolin and his group were also set to hold talks with
religious affairs officials, the Episcopal Council of the Vietnam
Catholic Church, and the Hanoi People's Committee, which is involved in
the land dispute.
Vietnam has Southeast Asia's largest Roman Catholic community after
the Philippines - about six million out of a population of 86 million.
Hanoi, Friday, AFP
LBCS hosts South Asian session
Lanka Bible College and Seminary (LBCS) hosted the inaugural planning
session for the South Asia Graduate School of Theology. The meeting was
held on April 22nd - 23rd on the LBC Campus, Peradeniya. Dr. Theresa Lua,
Presiding Dean-AGST, Chaired the proceedings.
LBCS Principal Lal Senanayake commenting on this significant meeting
said "the setting up of the SAGST meets is a long felt need for faculty
development in the South Asian Context".
LBC offers university validated degrees in Leadership and Education
at Bachelors and Masters levels through its main campus and the Colombo
based Centre for Graduate Studies (CGS).
The annual feast of St. Sebastian’s Shrine, Kandana was held
on May 25. The chief celebrant at the festive high mass was
Very Rev. Fr. Leonard Ranasinghe, prior of Sylvestro
Benedictine Monks in Sri Lanka. A large number of devotees
participated in the procession which was the main feature of
the event. The feast was organised by the parishioners under
the guidance of Rev. Fr. Mahendra Gunathilake, the
Administrator. Here Fr. Leonard Ranasinghe being greeted on
his arrival. Picture by Roshan Almeida |
The Salasian Fathers and Brothers in the World held the 26th
Chapter of the Congregation in Rome recently. Sri Lanka was
represented by Very Rev. Fr. Anthony H. Pinto SDB, Country
Director/Provincial Superior of Don Bosco Sri Lanka. Fr.
Pinto is seen second from the left in the first row.
Courtesy: ANS - Imagebank sdb |
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