Christian Perspectives

Priesthood in Vatican Council II

When we discuss about the sacrament of Ministerial priesthood, it could be comprehended in four (4) aspects.

Proclamation of the Word of God, Administration of the Sacraments, Authentic life of prayer and assistance to the Local ordinary and the brother priests.

Proclamation of the Word of God

Proclamation of the Word of God is to be highlighted and the opportunity has to be made available for the lay faithful to be convinced of it, thus, they are got to totally depend on the word of God in their daily way of life. Thereby the rapport with the Divine will be very solid and substantial. As we are reminded in the story of the Genesis, we have been created in this relationship. "God created man in the image of himself" (Genesis 1/27).

This relationship has to be constantly reminded in the proclamation, perhaps their hardships, difficulties and even the moments of happiness and joy have to be envisaged with the dependence on the Word.

Breaking of the Word in the celebration must challenge in such a way that the faithful tend to re-think about themselves in a profound way as the people of Israel responded about themselves in the exile through the prophetic utterances where the powerful presence of God, Yahweh was depicted. God's presence has to be felt in fact in the proclamation.

Administration of the Sacraments

As it is known that the priest is anointed to administer the sacraments, this is, we know one of the priestly functions. Among the seven sacraments, Holy Eucharist is embraced with the most significant position. "The Eucharist is the source and summit of the Christian life" (S.C. # 47). The sacrifice of Jesus on the cross is echoed and it is remembered in every Eucharistic celebration.

"Then he took some bread, ad when he had given thanks, broke it and gave it to them, saying, "this is my body which will be given for you; do this as a memorial of me" (LK 22/19).

In the genuine and active participation of the Eucharist faithful are positively challenged to sacrifice themselves for the betterment of others. Christ, the Lord is encountered at the administration of every sacrament. The powerful presence of the Lord is to be experienced; this experience has to be a necessary aspect of the Christian existence. God the father permits to have a deep relationship with his Son, Jesus Christ through the consecrated hands of the priest.

Life of Prayer

Priest has to be a man of God par excellence. He is consecrated for God's mission through the apostleship of the twelve chosen by Jesus. Indeed prayer makes the priest a man of God.

Through the prayerful assistance, priest is made substantial, fruitful and powerful in the vocation entrusted to him.

"The prayer of faith will save the sick man and the Lord will raise his up again... prayer of a good man works very powerfully" (James 5/15 - 16).

Through prayer, priest is allowed himself to be touched by the Divine, he is more and more strengthened for His mission in prayer, yet through the deep sense of prayer he could be completely transformed, in accordance with the Divine Design.

Assistance to the Local ordinary and the brother priests

By priestly functions, he is invited to be at the service in coordination with his superiors and fellow brother priests.

The mission of the Local Ordinary is shared in such a way that the faithful are fed, nurtured and lead in the correct path.

Whatever the support has to be extended in this particular context, it has to be directed to proclaim the Kingdom of God. In inculcating the Kingdom values in the hearts of the faithful, priest does fulfil his own duty and responsibility at the face of God.

Let me conclude with the beautiful prayer of St. Jean - Marie Vianney, the patron of priests.

Prayer of St. Jean - Marie Vianney

Almighty and Merciful God, thou didst make St. Jean - Marie Vianney wonderful by his pastoral zeal and constant prayer and penance.

Grant, we beseech Thee that, by his example and intercession, we may be able to win the souls of our brethren for Christ and, together with them, attain to everlasting glory. Through Christ Our Lord. Amen.

St. Jean - Marie Vianney, Patron of all Parish priests, pray for us!

Fr. Indra R. Fernando

Italy to build solar-energy-producing statue of Saint

Italy is planning to build a 200ft high, solar energy-producing statue of one of its most cherished saints, Padre Pio.

The statue of Padre Pio, who was canonised in 2002 by Pope John Paul II and has a huge worldwide following, will be built on a hill in southern Italy, close to the town where he is commemorated.

The statue will be coated in a special photovoltaic paint which will enable it to trap the sun's heat and produce solar energy

It will cost several million pounds, with the money to be raised from his followers around the world.

The statue will be coated in a special photovoltaic paint which will enable it to trap the sun's heat and produce solar energy, making it an "ecological" religious icon, according to the Ansa news agency.

The planning and construction of the project, near the town of San Giovanni Rotondo in the southern province of Puglia, will be put out to international tender in the next few weeks.

Padre Pio, whose real name was Francesco Forgione, was born into a poverty-stricken family in 1887 and died in 1968. He entered the Church as a teenager and became a Capuchin monk.

His followers believe that he performed many miracles during his lifetime and that his body bore stigmata - marks corresponding to Christ's Crucifixion wounds.

Feast of Our Lady of the Seat of Wisdom at Peradeniya Campus

W.T.A. Leslie FERNANDO

On Sunday August 30, 2009, the Catholic community in the University of Peradeniya, in collaboration with the Newman Society Alumni Association will celebrate the annual feast of the Church of Our Lady of the Seat of Wisdom. This beautiful church with a Sri Lankan identity could be considered as the first chapel with an indigenous outlook in Sri Lanka.

Until the 1950s, the Catholic churches in Sri Lanka were built on the Western models following Roman forms and Greek Gothic style. However the Basilica in Tewatta which was designed in 1940s has elements of Oriental architecture. The first church in Sri Lanka supposed to be built strictly adhering to indigenous art and architecture was St. Mary's Church, Badalgama. It was the brainchild of Fr. Henry Rodrigo OMI and its construction was begun in 1953 and completed in 1956.

In building St. Mary's Church, Badalgama, Fr. Henry Rodrigo adopted art and architecture, sculptural forms and decorative designs in the Anuradhapura period. He followed Kandyan architecture in designing the outer structure, the facade and the roof. St. Mary's Badalgama proved what a beautiful church could be built by following indigenous art and architecture. Now so many Catholic churches in Sri Lanka are built with an indigenous outlook.

When the construction of the celebrated St. Mary's Church, Badalgama was in progress, though not in such grandoise form, another church with an indigenous outlook was taking shape in the foothills of Hantana. This was the Church of Our Lady of the Seat of Wisdom in the Peradeniya University Campus.

The chapel was designed by the then Peradeniya University Catholic Chaplain Fr. Ignatious Pinto OMI. Its construction was initiated in 1953 and completed within two years. It was blessed by Dr. Bernard Regno, the then Bishop of Kandy and was formally inaugorated in the late 1955. The Church of Our Lady of the Seat of Wisdom in the Peradeniya Campus could be considered as the first Catholic Church with an indigenous outlook.

The arts faculty of the University of Ceylon was shifted to Peradeniya in 1952. The Catholic students who moved to Peradeniya Campus formed the Catholic Students' Union there in October 1952. Aloy Ratnayake PC a former President of the Newman Society Alumni Association, Prof. Ashley Halpe one of its Vice-Patrons and Fr. Joseph Eustace Fernando SJ one time chaplain of the Newman Society, Peradeniya were among the first batch of students to shift to Peradeniya. In 1953, the Catholic Society in Peradeniya Campus allied with Catholic University students worldwide and changed its name into Newman Society after Cardinal Newman, the author of the much celebrated work 'The Ideal of a University'.

With the shifting of the Arts Faculty of the University, Fr. Ignatious Pinto too moved to Peradeniya as a lecturer in European history and chaplain of Catholic students. Soon he conceived an idea to build a chapel and a hall of residence. After months of tenacious correspondence, he managed to get a land within the Peradeniya University Campus for the purpose.

While the construction of the project was in progress Fr. Ignatious Pinto too up residence in the site, sharing a part of the shed meant for the workers. He supervised the construction tirelessly making a tremendous sacrifice. Due to his courage, determination and perseverance Fr. Ignatious Pinto could make his dream a reality under two years. It was Fr. Ignatious Pinto who named the chapel with the inspiring choice 'The Church of Our Lady of the Seat of Wisdom'.

Fr. Ignatious Pinto built the chapel in accordance with national concepts with Kandyan elements and Lotus shaped lamps etc. to fall in line with the early University buildings in Peradeniya. The triumphant climax of his thinking was the Mosaic with Our Lady of the Seat of Wisdom in saree in an indigenous framework with a Kandyan arch at the top. He commissioned the Goan artist Angela Trinidad to lay out the Mosaid. Such an outstanding Mosaic with an oriental flavour is not found in any other Catholic Church in Sri Lanka.

Besides the outstanding Mosaic is a fascinating work of art pregnant with meaning. The authority of Our Lady is manifested with the throne laid upon a Lotus which symbolises purity. The crest jewels in her crown and angels worshipping her makes her a queen. The seven jewels lamps at her feet are interpreted as the light of the Holy Spirit endowing the gift of knowledge, understanding, wisdom counsel, fortitude, piety and fear of the Lord. The light emanating from the Holy Infant on her lap radiates 32 stars found in the background.

The Mosaic of the Church of our Lady of the Seat of Wisdom encompasses all the virtues an undergraduate should possess when he or she comes out to the world. As a whole this church is a masterpiece manifesting the Sri Lankan National Identity. The Church of Our Lady of the Seat of Wisdom with its indigenous arts and architecture and its wonderful Mosaic with an Oriental flavour is a unique structure that adorns Peradeniya Campus. It stands as a monument to its architect, the holy priest of God, erudite historian and founder chaplain of the Newman Society Peradeniya, the late Fr. Ignatious Pinto.

Some past students of the Newman Society, Peradeniya had been contemplating for a long time to form a society. Accordingly the Newman Society Alumni Association was formed on August 12, 1995 with Shirley Fernando PC as the President and Lionel Fernando as the Secretary. The present dynamic Secretary, Mark A. Warnakula played a leading role to bring together the past members of the Peradeniya Newman Society for the purpose.

In 1999 Fr. Claude Perera, the then chaplain of the Newman Society, Peradeniya inaugurated the feast of the Our Lady of the Seat of Wisdom with both the present members of the Newman Society and its alumni.

A significant feature of this first feast was the reception of a replica of the 13th century statue of our Lady of the Seat of Wisdom through the intervention of the late Lionel Fernando, the then President of the Newman Society Alumni Association. It was a gift by a congregation of nuns in UK.

Fr. Egerton Perera SJ, the present Chaplain of the Newman Society, Peradeniya and the driving force behind both the society and its Alumni has made arrangements to celebrate the annual feast this year with all the solemnity.

The writer is a former High Court Judge and Vice-President of the Newman Society Alumni Association

English Anglicans in French Catholic chapels

The priest is a married woman, the Anglican service is in English, yet the old stone chapel in Bordeaux is definitely 100 percent French Roman Catholic.

In southwest France, once a battlefield between medieval English and French armies, expats are breathing life into borrowed Catholic churches left empty by their local flocks, quietly sprouting a dozen Anglican congregations.

As sunlight filtered through the stained glass windows of the 19th century chapel, Reverend Gill Stratchan unpacked the chalice she would use for the Sunday service while her husband sorted prayer books.

"I was ordained a priest in a magnificent abbey in the Dordogne in 2007," said Stratchan, a retired British schoolteacher resident in France since 1996.

Two Catholic priests and a bishop attended her ordination in their abbey. "It was a fairly unique situation for them to see a woman ordained," she said.

But the broad-mindedness on the part of the French was not entirely unexpected. "What brings us together is stronger than what divides us," said Father Lanuc, in charge of ecumenical relations for the Archbishop of Bordeaux.

"An English Anglican has the right to take Holy Communion in a French Roman Catholic church, which is not allowed anywhere else," added Reverend Paul Vrolijk, Chaplain of the regional Anglican Diocese and unofficial diplomat.

An important factor for this peaceful cohabitation is a long if tangled mutual history that includes the Hundred Years War in the Middle Ages, and a more recent ban on churches poaching each other's followers.

"We are not trying to steal their sheep," said Dutch-born Vrolijk. "Our mission is very clear - it only includes English-speakers."

The resulting congregations are microcosms of the expat community, a mixed bag of Anglicans, mainline Protestant denominations, and a few English-speaking Catholics, all of which leads to occasional squabbles on questions of faith. BORDEAUX, AFP

Symbol of love and kindness

Milroy S. Fernando Minister of Public Estate Management and Development

Most Rev. Archbishop Malcolm Ranjith has been appointed as the new archbishop of Colombo metropolitan by Pope Benedict XVI subsequent to the retirement of Archbishop most Rev. Oswald Gomis. His Lordship was born to Patabendige Don William and Hettiarachchige Mary Winifred Perera in the village of Beruwala in Southern Sri Lanka. The colourful ceremony for the installation as the ninth Archbishop in the Catholic Church in Sri Lanka took place on 05 August. At the time of his appointment, his Lordship was still holding the honorary post of Secretary to the congregation for the Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments in Roman Curia.

His Lordship was ordained a priest on June 25, 1975 being the eldest of a family with three sisters. The wordly responsibilities he had to shoulder were secondary for him to his divine vocation which he has wisely chosen. His Lordship Malcolm Ranjith assisted Archbishop Emirates Nicholas Marcus Fernando in the Colombo Diocese for five years and another five years in the diocese of Ratnapura prior to being in the Roman curia for seven years. His Lordship has acquired the fluency of about 10 languages. He too holds a masters degree in the scared scripture.

His Lordship most Reverend Dr. Malcolm Ranjith accepted his new responsibility in transformed Sri Lanka at the end of war that lasted over three decades. He has pledged his support in the President in rebuilding Sri Lanka. His Lordship has had his personal involvement and touch on human conflicts would over and we are longing for his leadership. It being the Holy week there was a necessity to change the date of election. He forwarded the request for the change and it was promptly granted.

His Lordship is a symbol of love and kindness. His path is crystal clear. As I mentioned at the outset he had the wisdom to select his vocation which bears much fruit.

May His Lordship be a light of strength and courage for everyone. God bless abundantly His Lordship Rt. Rev. Malcolm Ranjith who is a light to the world.

Fr. Anton Fernandopulle obtains doctorate

The University of Sri Jayawardenapura has awarded a doctorate to Rev. Fr. Anton Fernandopulle for his research on the "origin and expansion of Passion Plays in Sri Lanka".

Fr. Fernandopulle has previously obtained a Phd from the London University for his thesis on the literary work of Fr. Jacome Gongalvez. A degree from the University of Peradeniya, a degree on Theology from Urbanian University, Rome and an MA from Kelaniya University for his thesis - A critical essay on short stories of Arawwala Nandimithra are added feathers to his cap. He is a lecturer at Kelaniya Campus on Christian culture and Josep Vaz seminary. He is the Parish Priest of Payagala and son of Mr and Mrs. Leo Fernandopulle.