Christian Perspectives

Message of Christmas is peace and love

Christmas is a season during which many people speak about the reality of peace. We are reminded of the songs of the Angels; how they praised the Lord. Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace among the men with whom he is pleased. Most of the carols we sing are based on the theme of 'peace'.

This great festival is revolved round creating an atmosphere where there will be peace and good-will. During this season we wish one another saying 'Happy X'mas and peaceful new year'.

Unfortunately this is the very reality that is not there in our society. Unless we have peace, within us, we can't be the instruments to create peace in our society or in our country. We see, when we look at our country, peace is difficult to achieve; because of political tug of war.

Place is possible only if one forsakes one's own personal ambitions, moves out of the confines of narrow political divisiveness and to seek to work with commitment for the future well-being of the country.

Unless one learns to respect human life will be no peace. This is one of great sayings which we must remember during the season of X'mas. We know the greatest statesman of all items was Jesus Christ. Christ said, "You have heard that it had been said, 'You shall love your neighbour and hate your enemies'. I say to you love your enemies, bless them that curse you; do good to them that hate you; and pray for them, who despitefully use you, and persecute you." (Mat. 5/42-44).

He preached the doctrine of peace and love. This implies to respect not only your brother but also your enemy.

The famous author and preacher Fulton Sheen said in his book 'Peace of Soul', that love involves responsibility; responsibility towards society. Those who live must love and respect his brother. It is one's responsibility and obligation.

The feast of X'mas is also a celebration of 'love'. God sent his only son into the world to bestow us the gift of his own life. The best response to God's love is to let Jesus be born within us; so that he may be present through us in everyone whom we meet. We must be always be instrument of peace; as St. Francis of Assisi says in his powerful prayer for peace.

Christmas is also the feast of the poor; and joy of the meek. This is why the Angels go to the shepherds in the field and not to the powerful in the city of Jerusalem; with their song of peace and the good news, that 'Today is born to you a saviour, who is Christ the Lord, wrapped up in swaddling clothes and laid in a manger.

He has become poor and inherited a humble mother whose husband was a carpenter. It was a worker family who had to strive hard to earn their living. There were many hardships that they have to go through.

In later life we see Jesus brings peace and consolation to the suffering, the dying, the outcast and sinners. His message was highly taken up by St. Paul and preached to all the nations, to all the great nations in that time; that Jesus Christ has broken all the barriers between Jews and Gentiles. Peace among the nations is therefore anchored in the power of Jesus to reconcile.

Once, late Pope John Paul II said "from the cave of Bethlehem, there rises today an urgent appeal to the world not to yield to mistrust, suspicion and discouragement, believers of all religions, together with men and women of goodwill, are called to build peace, by outlawing all forms of intolerance and discrimination.

Pope Benedict, the 16th, also has spoken many times, in his messages during the season of Advent, to stop the cruel and senseless violence and to become instruments of peace.

So, during this season of Advent, X'mas, let us pray to Divine Child, to give us peace - to make it reality in our lives. May Christ who brought us real peace, bless our country, bless our homes, so that we can enjoy real X'mas.

- Rev. Fr. Dr. Joseph Patrick Perera Rector, St. Aloysius Seminary, Borella

Oblate Scholasticate at Ampitiya enters golden age

The Oblate Scholasticate, Ampitiya, Kandy entered the golden age on December 8 declaring the Jubilee Year. The institution dedicated to form the future Missionary Priests to serve Sri Lanka, was blessed and declared open by the then Superior General of the Oblates of Mary Immaculate Most Rev. Fr. Leo Dechatelets on February 17, 1959.

Present Scholasticate at Ampitiya although has not structurally changed when seen from outside, it has been renovated within to give new outlook. The chapel, the recreation hall, the auditorium, the library, added with separate Archives, the reading room and the kitchen with the refectory and personal rooms of the staff and the brothers have seen very impressive changes from what we had seen about 36 years ago.

The scholastics and the staff attribute these changes to efforts made by Colombo Province Provincial of the Oblates Very Rev. Fr. Clement Waidyasekara OMI. Since Sri Lanka (Colombo) Province had spread her wings to embrace countries like Bangladesh, Pakistan, and a few other countries within the Asian Region and as a result scholastics and novices from those countries were at Ampitiya and Bandarawela at intervals within the past three decades.

The Oblates of Mary Immaculate came to Sri Lanka on October 21, 1847 with the establishment of Oblate Vicariate in the country. Blessed Eugene de Mazenod, the Founder of the Congregation had responded in favour to the request made by Bishop Rt. Rev. Orazio Bettacchini, the first Italian Oratorian Missionary Apostolic to Ceylon, sending a team of Oblates with Rev. Fr. John Stephen Semeria OMI to the then Ceylon as the pioneer Oblate.

Frs. Louis Keating and Francois Ciamin and Brother Gaspard de Stefanis were accompanied by Mgr. Bettacchini. They arrived in Galle on November 28, the First Sunday of the Advent of the same year.

The Oblates began their pioneering work and introduced their lifestyle in the newly created Jaffna Vicariate. Subsequently the Oblate Congregation sent four more priests to work in the Colombo Vicariate and they arrived in the country on July, 7, 1851. In 1883 when Rt. Rev. Dr. Christopher Bonjean OMI was the Archbishop and the architect of the Catholic Education in the country, St. Bernard Seminary was set up at Kotahena and the first Scholastics had to live with the Seminarians. Within a year the seminary was moved to Maradana and then to St. Mary' Bambalapitiya in 1887 and back to Borella in close proximity to the present Archbishop's House.

The scholastics continued to live with the diocesan seminarians at St Bernard Seminary following the ecclesiastic studies and sharing their rooms until the Oblates per se set up a permanent building on their own. Things began to change with the 1932 Oblate General Chapter of the Congregation electing Most Rev. Fr. Therdore Laboure as Superior General of the Oblates of Mary Immaculate.

It became the time of opportune for Sri Lanka Oblates to have a Formation House of their own for the future Oblate priests. Thus in 1934 a new Scholasticate was set up at Kinsey Road, Borella with Rev. Fr. Alphonse Margez OMI (27), as the first moderator and the Rector of the seminary remained their Superior.

The visit of the Oblate Superior General Most Rev. Fr. Therdore Laboure in 1937 was a landmark in the annals of the Oblates working in Sri Lanka.

His visit ensured turning the Oblate Scholasticate into a full autonomous Religious House by appointing Rev. Fr. Thomas B Cooary OMI on August 6, 1937, who later became the Archbishop of Colombo and a Cardinal, as the first Superior of the Oblate Scholasticate. The Oblates General Chapter in 1947 reaffirmed the need for the Oblates to be more independent from the diocesan set up as a day would come where the Oblates would have to pack up their bags, entrusting their work to the diocesan clergy.

The Oblates were under Oblate Vicar Apostolic until Sri Lanka was made an Oblate Province in 1904. Although an Oblate Province, it was served by the Vicars of Mission until 1944 in which year the Oblates got Very Rev. Fr. Francis Bizien, the Vicar of Mission then, as their first Provincial.

The Provincials who served the country since then include Gerard Fortin; Alexis Serru, who later became the Vicar General of the Colombo Archdiocese; Anthony Fernando ; Lucien Schmitt; James Cooke; Bernard Quintus; Anselm Silva ; Camillus Fernando ; Oswald Firth . The present Provincial is Very Rev. Fr. Clement Waidyasekara.

The National Seminary dedicated to Our Lady of Sri Lanka was set up in 1955 in the former Kandyan Kingdom and diocesan brothers moved in along with 33 scholastics to share the same building with Rev. Fr Bizien as their moderator... Rev. Fr. Fred Sackkett OMI, the architect of the massive building to fit into the Kandyan Tradition of architecture became the First Rector of the National Seminary.

The scholastics numbering 48, moved to the new house on June 2, 1959 with Fr. Anthony Dharmaratne as Acting Superior on May 27, 1959. On March 7, 1960 Fr. Arulnesan (48) took over as Superior. The other Oblate Fathers who served as Superiors include Alphonse Margez: Philip Dissanayake; James Cook, Anslem Silva, Victor Croos; C. M. Rupasinghe; Emmanuel Fernando; Norbert Andradi (now Anuradhapura Bishop) Clement Waidyasekara (now Colombo Province Provincial) and Rev. Fr. Reginald Lucian is the present Superior. The Scholasticate begun in 1958 has now entered the Golden Age with much promise to serve the Church and the citizen better than the best of their ability, dedication and commitment.

E. WEERAPPERUMA

'Samaye Arunalu 2008' Christmas carol service

The Sri Lanka University Catholic Students Movement (Colombo Region) has organised a Christmas Carol service "Samaye Arunalu 2008" for the fourth time under the patronage of Chaplain Rev. Fr. Edmund Tillekeratne and will be staged at St. Lawrence's Church, Wellawatte on Saturday at 6.30 p.m.

The Choir consists of nearly 30-40 Sinhala and Tamil undergraduates from different Universities and Faculties and there will be Professional Orchestra and Dancers who perform at the service.

Singer Surendra Perera will perform as a guest vocalist.

The Archbishop of Colombo Rt. Rev. Dr. Oswald Gomis will grace the occasion as the Chief Guest while many more Religious and other VIPs are expected to participate.

- Manoj Fernando Koralawella, Moratuwa

Asarana Sarana Fund, help for needy

Christie FERNANDO - Chilaw special corr.

"Asarana Sarana Seva Fund" inaugurated for the benefit of the needy by the Chilaw Parish has assisted the sick and ailing of all walks of life to buy their medicine for various illnesses and also assisted patients substantially to travel to distant places such as Maharagama, Karapitiya and Colombo to seek treatment.

The Fund inaugurated in 2004, has helped the sick immeasurably. The fund has contributed over Rs. 1 1/2 mln to the distressed, giving away rations and cash.

Very Rev. Fr. Roncalli de Silva, Dean and Parish Priest, St. Mary's Cathedral, Chilaw has made an impassioned appeal to parishioners to contribute generously to help the distressed during the festive Christmas season.

He also thanked the parishioners of Chilaw for contributing cash and kind for this worthy cause.

The fund has also helped patients suffering from Leukemia, Cancer and acute heart condition. Had it not been for the generous contributions of well-wishers, many of the patients would have been deprived of obtaining drugs that are costly.

It was only after careful assessment by the Management Committee of the Fund that finances were doled out to the ailing patients. Contributions in cash and kind can be sent to the Parish Priest, St. Mary's Cathedral, Chilaw.

[ An interview with santa]

Mr. Rain-Deer: Welcome, Santa, to our interview. Once again it is Christmas. All our churches, homes, shops and streets are well-decorated. We see cribs everywhere. Oh, they are full of figures. From where are these figures drawn?

Santa: From the two Holy Gospels of Matthew, Chapter 2 and Luke, Chapter 2. Thus these figures, so common to our eyes, are biblical symbols with deep theological insights.

Mr. Rain-Deer: Which symbols are drawn from Mt?

Santa: The symbols of Magi, star and gifts of the Magi.

Mr. Rain-Deer: Then from Lk?

Santa: The symbols of swaddling clothes, manger, inn, shepherds and angels.

Mr. Rain-Deer: But in the crib, we see all these figures together, isn't it?

Santa: Yes, in the crib, they all are so cleverly and creatively assembled to bring out the message of salvation.

Mr. Rain-Deer: By the way, Santa, are these birth stories real or just fantasy?

Santa: The biblical scholars say the Infancy Narratives of Mathew and Luke are more theological than historical. However they are not just stories or folklore or fairy-tales for kids.

Mr. Rain-Deer: Then what are they?

Santa: They are edifying stories in which God's inspired truth is communicated to us. Remember, the four Holy Gospels are not biographies of the life of Jesus but theological evaluations of a real life that lives two thousand years ago.

Mr. Rain-Deer: But if the Christmas story is more theological than historical then how does it have any value?

Santa: Why not? First, it is important as a story. A story or a parable spoken to people of any culture has much more significance than saying in an abstract language. Second, it is also important as an edifying theological story depicting deep theological insights that God deemed it fit for his Son to be born into a sinful generation.

Mr. Rain-Deer: Once I heard someone say, 'There were no Magi or a star.' Your comments please?

Santa: First, how can anyone make such an abstract negative? What evidence does he have?

Secondly, such an abstract negative does not pedagogically help the faithful to know God and get closer to Him.

Thirdly, we theologically give a wrong impression of the Gospels as primarily concerned with communicating historical facts. Both history and non-history communicate the divine truth. Fourthly, by such statements the faithful are distracted from the true import of the story.

Fifthly, though less historical it is nevertheless, as explained earlier, important as a story as effective means of communicating the divine truth of the love of God for all humankind.

Mr. Rain-Deer: In the crib, we see three kings on camels. How biblical is it?

Santa: Originally the Magi (Greek: MAGOI) were Persian priests, astrologers and wise men (Daniel 1,20;2,2;4,6;5,7). Then the popular devotion made them kings on camels under the influence of Psalm 72,10-15; Isaiah 49,7; 60,6.10.

The Holy Gospel of Mathew does not say how many came. But once again the popular devotion settled their number at three, deduced from the three gifts (Mathew 2,11) they offered gold, frankincense and myrrh.

Mr. Rain-Deer: Santa, this is last question. How can we get at the Christmas message when all these Matthean and Lucan symbols are so cleverly mixed up in the crib?

Santa: To get at the Christmas message, we have to search for the meaning of these symbols, to study them separately in their proper Gospel contexts taking into note the theological vision of each Evangelist.

Christmas is the ideal time for such study and reflection. Such a reverse journey from the Crib to the pages of the Gospels will make us realise that Jesus from the House of David is also God's Son, the Messiah, though accepted by some (Magi in Mt, Shepherds in Lk) and yet rejected by others (by Herod, the chief priests, the scribes in Mt and implied in Lk 2,34 "This child is set for the fall and rise of many in Israel').

- Fr. Don Anton Saman Hettiarachchi St. Aloysius' Minor Seminary Colombo 08

Pope to meet Muslim delegation

A Muslim delegation will have an audience with Pope Benedict XVI this week after taking part in a seminar on religious leadership in times of crisis, the Vatican said Monday.

Members of the World Islamic Call Society, headquartered in Libya, are visiting the Vatican for the 11th time since 1976 and will see the pope on Wednesday, the Vatican said in a statement.

WISC, grouping some 250 Muslim associations across the world, carries out humanitarian, religious, cultural and social projects. The Vatican maintains ties with several Muslim organisations around the world.

The first such forum, held at the Vatican in early November, issued a joint call for religious freedom, non-violence and a fairer world. VATICAN CITY, AFP