CHRISTIAN PERSPECTIVES

The Holy Bible world’s most beautiful and powerful book

Gwen Herat

‘Verily I say unto you, except ye be converted and become as little children, ye shall not enter the kingdom of heaven.’

The coming of Jesus Christ, his life on earth as a mortal, his sacrifice to redeem his people of their sins and his ascension are the subjects of the scriptures found in the Bible.

The poignantly beautiful life of Jesus Christ, his journey through life and his sacrifice to remove man from sin, is the powerful story found in the New Testament. We, all as Christians, know the impact of the Holy Bible which is the word of God and how it can change our lives, especially in the context of today’s mankind who resolve to terrorism who kill in the name of God and destroy innocent lives. But Jesus heals the rest who are victims both in mind and body.

Christ had his twelve disciples through whom He was to spread the word of God. They became the pillars of the Christian faith and spread the gospel but they were all humble, young men to whom Jesus Christ reached out. They walked with Him in Palestine and would have astounded if someone had prophesied to them that they would change the course of history of the world.

That they would, for thousands of years will remain the most interesting, high-profile group of men in the books and languages of nations. They were unaware how near they were to the supreme mystery of life. However, they forsook Him and fled when He was arrested. It was only after His death did they realise the divine majesty of Him with whom they had lived and who loved them. The twelve disciples were:

Mathew, Bartholomew, James, John, Philip, Thomas, Peter, James the Less, Simon, Andrew, Judas and Thaddeus.

What these twelve disciples did not see was the whole truth of their destiny. They imagined that the end of the world was at hand. They believed that Christ would appear in the heavens before their generation had passed away. They remained in Jerusalem waiting for His coming. It was beyond their imagination to realise that out of their simple lives, and out of their own simple story that their Master would come the great revolution of Christianity. How lucky they were; how blessed they were and how interesting it is to look back on these chosen men.

The twelve disciples in a rare picture

How incredible it may have been for these twelve to live and share His life, and hear. His voice day after day. They looked into His eyes and walked at His side. They sat with Him at meals and touched Him with their hands. They knew His ways and all His habits. Had they only realised the long road that Christ’s religion had to travel, would they not have told the world more about their wondrous master and filled whole books with their memories of His life on earth. Not one had the time to pause and think how it would have been when they were dead and no one was left on earth alive who knew Jesus Christ?

And the holy Bible is alive with their gospels in the New Testament, filled with truth in the true holy missions of the Master accordingly in their books with the Gospel according to John being the most illustrious. It became so that none was more interesting than John whom Christ loved as His beloved disciple. He was a fisherman’s son and who was nearest to Jesus Christ. His father was a well-to-do Galilean fisherman named Zebede and who was able to hire servants and live in comfort. Zebede’s two sons, James and John probably were educated in their boyhood and most certainly by their mother, the pious and gentle Salome. With her guidance, they may have early in life gained the impulse and desire to live close to God.

James and John: They were strong young men, thoughtful and who understood the seamanship that earned their living as fishermen.

They were conscious of God and the mysteries of life. John was very reflective to the feel that his priests were far from the mysteries of the human heart. So, it appeared that early in his life, he went to hear the extraordinary preachings of the hermit of Jordan who cried aloud for repentance. He baptised his converts into a new and deeper form of life. It is naturally easy to imagine how John and James would have discussed the mysteries of life in their ship and its impact on the nation. The preaching of John the Baptist whose reality and passion along with its splendid vigour, appealed to the brothers.

Jesus calls John: Jesus found John when he was listening to John the Baptist at Bethany and called this son of Zebede to follow Him. John sought Baptist rather than the Rabbis. And secondly, he left the thunders of the Baptist for the love of Jesus. The road was clear before his eyes and the secret of life was discovered. John thought of love instead of thinking about sin, wrath and judgement. His heart was at rest with the Father’s love and son’s yearning. This enabled him to enter the idea of Jesus who was destined to shake the world and transform the whole orb of human life. If we care to read the First Epistle of John in the holy Bible, we shall discover the wonderful Galilean fisherman who entered the true spirit of Jesus Christ.

One cannot imagine how close and dear a companion John would have been to his Master when we read the immortal simplicities, tender, overflowing with solicitude when he wrote them.

It is the spirit of the whole Bibile that has given light, joy and freedom to the world and it is the spirit of the Gospel according to John which shows us how intimately and with perfect insight His beloved disciple understood the heart of His Master.

To cite among the greatest of John’s writing about his adoration to his Master and His words: ‘I am come a light into the world that whosoever believeth in me should not abide in darkness. And if any man hear My words, and believe not, I judge him not. For I came not to judge the world but to save the world.’

And when Jesus Christ died on the Cross, it was to John, He entrusted His weeping mother, Mary as a responsible son would.

Dr. Maria Montessori - the Knight of the Child

Maria Montessori heralded as the century’s leading advocate for early childhood education, her research and discoveries regarding the child, helped change the course of education. Her motto was ‘Education as a help to life’.

Maria Montessori was born on August 31, 1870 in Ancona, Italy and having pursued a scientific education she was the first woman doctor in Italy.

In 1907, she gave up a brilliant medical career when she discovered the potential of normal children. Since then the Montessori Movement has grown steadily throughout the world. Montessori’s concern with education for peace intensified and she was twice nominated for the Nobel Peace prize.

In 1944, at the request of the Colombo Head Mistresses Association, Dr. Montessori visited Sri Lanka and inaugurated the first Montessori Teacher Training Course at Good Shepherd Convent, Kotahena.

The legacy to preserve and continue the Montessori training in Sri Lanka was entrusted to the Sisters of the Good Shepherd. The Montessori training centre at St. Bridget’s Convent, Colombo 7 has completed 64 years of Montessori work in Sri Lanka. This method of pre-school education has become very popular in Sri Lanka.

The Good Shepherd Maria Montessori Training Centre, Colombo 7 will commemorate the 138th birth anniversary of their founder Dr. Maria Montessori on Thursday, September 4 at 3.00 p.m. with a Thanksgiving Eucharistic Celebration at the Convent Chapel with Rev. Fr. Sanjay Vincent as the chief celebrant.

Oblate missionary work takes a new turn

E. Weerapperuma

Sri Lanka owes much to the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate Congregation for laying strong foundation of faith in the soil and their hard work to spread the Dhamma to this land from the very inception of the OMI Congregation founded by St. Eugene De Mazenod. The arrival of the pioneer Oblate Fathers and Brothers in 1847 was an important milestone in the history of the Oblates in Sri Lanka.

This year the Members of the OMI Congregation celebrate the 160 years of their presence here. The Oblates who responded to the request of the then emerging new nation to send the religious to labour in the vineyard of the Lord, in Sri Lanka, had laid strong foundation, built the church in the rock like the wise man Christ referred to, in his teaching.

Toiling hard with zeal and commitment they adorned the Sri Lanka church and planted the seed of good news. They built a large number of churches and institutions for the welfare of the children, youth and adults entrusted to their care in the respective dioceses such as Colombo, Jaffna, Chilaw, Anuradhapura assigned to them. The Sri Lanka Catholic Church enjoys the fruits of their labour and benefits from their long drawn plans and schemes initiated.

The times have changed. Today the parishes they nurtured are no more with them. The Institutions, Shrines and Basilica are no more under their care and administration. Their presence as Missionaries in many dioceses is not felt as the indigenous clergy or the diocesan priests have taken over them and the Oblate Fathers and Brothers move out making the way for others.

The Oblates are called to face challenges. Their Mission is to move forward spreading the “Good News” without being tied down to one particular diocese or land. That is why the Oblates of Sri Lanka today has moved into other countries within the Asian Region. Apart from the Missionary work assigned to the Congregation by tradition, the Oblates in Sri Lanka have to look for new ventures to make their presence felt and to be of service to the Sri Lankan polity as they still remain the beacon of hope to many born and bread in this soil.

De Mazenod English Institute initiated by the Oblate Fathers 15 years ago and went unheard for some years will rise up again like the imagery bird phoenix this time spreading its wings to embrace all who thirst to learn a language useful to their future. It is a new venture the Oblates found as the now generation and the generations to come desire to live within the human family spread throughout the globe knowing well their hopes and aspirations. For this they need to communicate using a language common to all and English has become, for the present and many more years to come one of most common and spoken language in the world.

De Mazenod English Institute from now on will be in a house of the Oblates at Katuwapitiya, Negombo. It is the ancestral house of Rev. Fr. Tissa Balasuriya OMI, who most willingly donated to the OMI Congregation, his personal property, given to him by his parents. It was used as the branch office of the Centre for Society and Religion for sometime.

The Oblates are most grateful to God Almighty, Blessed Virgin Mother, Mary Immaculate, Saint Eugene De Mazenod for helping the Congregation that has done much to the Sri Lanka Church, to obtain a plot of land with a house, a property of their own within the citadels of Colombo and Chillaw in the heart of Little Rome, Negombo to take forward their new initiative. The renovated building, which stands in a 138 perches of land, will house the De Mazenod English Institute. It has the capacity to provide shelter to 60 students at one time.

Rev. Fr. Dennis Iddamalgoda OMI, MA is the founder of this prestigious Institute and when he initiated the new move as a Mission of the Congregation, there were no Church supported institutions to provide residential English course for those aspiring to undergo such training.

Speaking to the Daily News, Christian Perspectives, Fr. Iddamalgoda said since his return from United States of America after completing his Masters Degree in Pastoral Psychology, at the Fordham Jesuit University, he was encouraged by his colleagues to make his dream a reality.

“I was reading an article in a Magazine found at the University Library. It was written by Rev. Fr. Don Peter, scholar and historian of our times.

His article was dealing with the importance of English as an international language. I was very impressed by the article. I found that I myself, a rural youth have come to what I am, because I got the opportunity to learn the English Language. Why not I help the youth who get no opportunity to study the way I had studied. I decided that once back in the country I would give a start to my dream with the blessing of the Congregation.

“Although everything was not rosy at the start, today I am happy that over 1,500 students have gone through my classes and good number of them hold recognised positions and some have found greener pastures overseas. I am very confident and positive that this is one way of serving the ‘now generation’ and the Congregation has taken it as a part of her mission and that is very encouraging”.

Fr. Iddamalgoda said that the Mazenod English Institute began the three months residential English and Life Education Programme with “Scientia Locupletat” - ‘Knowledge Perfects’ as the motto of the Institute.

“The Congregation did not have a house of its own when I started this programme in 1993. As a result I had to move from one place to another. The program took off the ground at the Oblate House at Mattakkuliya. Then moved to the Diyagala Boys’ Town at Ragama, then to Holy Family Convent, Wennappuwa and then to Halgashena and finally at the former College building at Wattala St. Anthony’s College. Thank God now I have a permanent place to continue my mission. Very Rev. Fr. Clement Waidyasekera OMI, Provincial of the Colombo Province gave me this house to turn it to be an institute to help the youth of today who look for an institute, they could trust in acquiring proficiency in English.

I must say that I am very grateful to my Provincial and the staff who supported me from the very beginning. They include late Rev. Frs. Sarath Silva and Joseph Pulle and Rev. Bro. Edwin Ambrose FSC.

I am also indebted to Rev.Frs Mervin Noel Fernando, Merril Wijesinghe, Angelo Wijewickrama and Sheton Perera who assisted me in conducting the classes in the past. Ms. Hilda de Silva, Ms. Deepa Wijerathne and late Mrs Anne Rasaiya were my supportive staff, whose invaluable services I cannot forget.

The three months immersion programme calls for hard discipline, long hours of concentrated studies. The course is not mere learning English to communicate with the outside world but also it is directed towards character formation, moral and spiritual development and tries to draw out the best in each one who undergoes immersion course. It will also give them the strength to face challenges in their future life.

The successful students will receive certificates, Fr. Iddamalgoda added.

Very Rev. Fr. Clement Waidyasekera, Provincial of the Oblates in Colombo Province will preside over the ceremony to bless the new building of the De Mazenod English Institute on Monday, September 8 and on September 14, the first batch of 60 student will commence the three months residential English Course.

Centenary celebrations of St. Aloysius’ Church, Rambukkana

Anthony Jayamanne Rambukkana central correspondent

The centenary celebrations of St. Aloysius’ Church, Rambukkana will take place on September 6 and 7.

The festive High Mass on Sunday, September 7 will be presided over by Apostolic Noncio, Most Rev. Dr. Mario Zenari. Vespers will be sung on Saturday 6 at 7 p.m. presided over by Most Rev. Dr. Cletus Chandrasiri Perera OSB, Bishop of Ratnapura.

Rev. Fr. K. D. Joseph, Parish Priest and the parishioners of Rambukkana organise the feast. Aloysius Lougi Gonzaga was the eldest son of Marquis Ferdinand of Gonzaga, Duke of Mantua. Prince of the Holy Roman Empire. Aloysius was born in 1568 and went for his reward in 1591.

Marquis Ferdinand was hoping that one day his eldest son Aloysius would be a great, powerful, wealthy world leader and therefore he was brought up in luxury and unimaginable comfort. But God had different plans for Aloysius. He felt very uncomfortable and poor in the midst of wealth and luxury. He felt a deep burning desire to follow Jesus, the poor king of the universe. Instead of becoming a great king of this passing world, he longed to be a prince of the kingdom of heaven.

For this he decided to forego the shining wealth and tempting pleasures of this world and embrace the poverty of Jesus.

Finally in 1585, at the age of 17 in the face of vehement opposition of his father he entered the Society of Jesus.

Society of Jesus, was founded by great St. Ignatius of Loyala. This young society was making an immense impact and influence in every strata of society all over Europe, even outside of her boundaries. God chose this unique man Ignatius of Loyola not only to dedicate his life unreservedly for the greater glory of God but also to bring together a wonderful among of men who would go wherever Jesus wants them to go. History has proved how this band of dedicated man have taken and were taking the message of Jesus in word and action almost for 500 years.

Aloysius’ life span was very short. A great famine broke-out in Italy followed by a pestilence. Jesuits in Rome opened an emergency hospital and young Bro. Aloysius too volunteered to tend the sick. But in March 1591, he too fell ill, and succumbed after three months of patient suffering, and that date was June 21, 1591.

The church at Rambukkana is the only church dedicated to St. Aloysius Gonzaga in Sri Lanka.

We would like to put down, in brief, the history of this church as we are celebrating 100 years of her existence.

Catholic trades from Pamunugama area who travelled through Rambukkana felt the need of a little church somewhere along the route for their religious purposes. So first they put up a hut like church at Diyasunnatha close to Rambukkana town. But later on, one Mr. Gabriel Perera Wijeratna, a Notary Public bought a piece of land in the heart of the town and built the present church one hundred years ago. Gabriel’s son was Aloysius and he dedicated this church to St. Aloysius Gonzaga on the 21st of June 1908, then Bishop of Galle Rt. Rev. Dr. Joseph Van Reeth blessed the church and handed it over for public worship.

Gradually St. Aloysius Church become a very important central place of the area. Indigenous missionaries like Rev. Frs. Mark Anthony Perera, Louis Fernando, Francis Fernando and Cyril Edirisinghe took a great interest in the people in general even today. There are some old people, Christian and Buddhist, who remember these missionaries with gratitude.

Immediately after the church feast least year Rev. Fr. Noel Rowel announced 2007/2008 as the jubilee year.