Christian Perspectives

Statement by the Archbishop of Canterbury :

‘London riots raise alienation issue’

Reflecting on recent events before attending the recalled sitting of the House of Lords, the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, said;

The tragedy of the events of recent days is that those who will pay the heaviest price are those who most need stability and encouragement in local communities – people who run small local businesses, people who need efficient emergency services, people, old or young, with limited mobility. In no imaginable sense does the violence we have seen help anyone; those who have been involved have achieved nothing except to intensify the cycle of deprivation and vulnerability.

That being said, we now have a major question to address, which is how to combat the deep alienation we have seen, the alienation and cynicism that leads to reckless destruction. The Government has insisted on the priority of creating stronger, better-resourced local communities. This priority is now a matter of extreme urgency. We need to see initiatives that will address anxieties and provide some hope of long-term stability in community services, especially for the young. Meanwhile the Church will maintain its commitment to all communities at risk, and is ready to offer its help and solidarity in every possible way.

I have just returned from visiting Enfield and Tottenham to see something of the wreckage left behind by the riots and to meet policemen and women who are in the front line of protecting our communities.

It is obviously vital not to stigmatise a whole generation. There are huge numbers of hopeful and high achieving young people in London but we do have a problem with a minority. Behind the opportunists who joined in the disturbances there is the reality of a criminal gang culture.

One of the difficulties for the police has been dealing with street violence, while under the cover of the disturbances and the arson, which could so easily have cost lives, highly mobile groups of looters have been on the rampage.

What has occurred should be condemned unequivocally and as the first of those arrested appear before magistrates and as stolen property is already being recovered, it is right to pay tribute to the bravery of the police who have regained control of our streets.

I am also immensely proud of the response of the church. In Edmonton and Stepney under the leadership of Bishop Peter and Bishop Adrian [who has had a challenging start to his ministry in the Area], the church has played a large part in reclaiming the streets for the overwhelming majority of responsible citizens by prayer vigils and public demonstrations of solidarity with other Christians and community groups.

At the same time our network of parish churches – real community hubs – has once again proved its worth. I visited St Mary’s Lansdowne Road which has been open fifteen hours a day with volunteers from the parish helping local residents who have lost their homes and serving refreshments to the police and council workers who are clearing up the mess in Tottenham High Street.

Opposite St Mary’s there is a block of flats reduced to rubble after being torched. One of the most appalling aspects of what has happened is the utter disregard for life and livelihoods shown by a minority of those who went on the rampage. They seem to lack the restraint and the moral compass which comes from clear teaching about right and wrong communicated through nourishing relationships. The background to the riots is family breakdown and the absence of strong and positive role models.

This once again underlines the vital importance of the work that the church has been doing through its schools where we share the responsibility for educating 50,000 young Londoners a day. In recent years there has also been an increase in youth provision in a number of our parishes including especially testing work with hard-to-reach youngsters.

I have mentioned the work of the Christian charity XLP in many parts of London in this connection but I was especially glad on my visit to meet Charlie who operates from St Ann’s Tottenham. He is an ordinand and an ex–Marine whose gym classes on various housing estates are one of the ways in which he is offering a strong and positive role model through which Jesus Christ is touching the lives of alienated young people. The police spontaneously expressed their admiration of what he and other church based workers were doing.

Clearly we need to get the situation under control but after the guilty have been sentenced there is a long road ahead in creating hope for people subject to financial and emotional poverty and educational failure.

I know that many of you have been praying with renewed fervour for peace on our streets and “that we may honour one another and seek the common good”. Prayer is always at the heart of any Christian response to challenging situations. The Facebook page Pray4London created by two of our young clergy, Gavin Cooper and Richard Bastable, already has over 3,200 followers committed to pray and there are a number of prayer vigils which have taken place or which are happening over the coming days.

In addition to many special services, this Sunday 14 August at 6pm, the Eucharist will be celebrated at St Paul’s Cathedral with a special intention for peace and justice in London and the other towns and cities affected.

In addition to the churches and parishes in the eye of the storm there have been many encouraging examples across the Diocese of churches wanting to support them. Thanks to the generosity of a City donor we have been able to make £15,000 immediately available to Area Bishops to enable frontline parishes to respond to immediate needs without having to worry about finance.

A number of church wardens and individual parishioners have been in touch wanting to give and have suggested retiring collections this Sunday. Any who wish to respond in this or other ways are asked to claim Gift Aid locally and send a cheque payable to ‘London Diocesan Fund’ for the gross amount to Diocesan House marked ‘Emergency4London’. This money will be used for immediate contingencies as well as to help parishes in reaching out to young people, and making the love of Christ visible especially to those caught up in gang culture. We are a people of hope and we want our children and young people to grow up with a sense of hope for themselves and for our world.

I have been deeply impressed by the vibrancy and generosity of some of our ‘poorest’ parishes and not least those in Edmonton and Stepney I have visited recently. By standing together as a Diocese and by mutual support and encouragement we can have a presence in every street in our eighteen boroughs and at every level in the life of London. One of the lessons of recent events for example has been the importance of the developing network of police chaplaincies under the leadership of the newly appointed Chaplain to the Met. Jonathan Osborne. We can all have a share in this work by prayer and generosity through the Common Fund.

I am so grateful for the many clergy and believers who have helped those in pain, bewilderment and loss over the past few days.

It is our calling to be salt and light in London and I am proud of our church for responding to mostly mindless anarchy by lighting candles rather than torching buildings and by offering loving, practical help in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Blessing of the sick at Tewatta Basilica

Padminie Nanayakkara

Blessing of the sick at the shrine of Our Lady of Lanka, National Basilica Tewatta is scheduled to be held on August 28 this year.

The blessing of the sick programme which was started in 1947 during the time of late Archbishop Jen Maxie Masson OMI has attracted thousands of pilgrims annually. People who are facing problems have been coming here since 1947, to find spiritual consolation. People in sorrow and pain, raise their hands to the Lord in prayer and meditation.

There are masses from 5 am in the morning in all 3 languages. The solemn healing service will commence at 1.30 pm with the recitation of the holy rosary followed by the Eucharistic procession to mark the closure of the year of the Eucharist with the blessing of the sick.

The administrator of Our Lady of Lanka of National Basilica Rev Fr Priya Jayamanne and the organizing committee of priests will make arrangements for necessary facilities for pilgrims.

His Eminence Most Rev Dr Bernard Francis Law Archpriest of Basilica Rome, His Eminence Most Rev Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith archbishop of Colombo, His Excellency Joseph Spiteri, Apostolic Nuncio in Sri Lanka, His Lordship Rt Rev Dr Marius Peiris Auxilary Bishop of Colombo, His Lordship Bishop of Mannar Rayappu Joseph, Archibishops Emeritus, Episcopal Vicars along with a large number of priests and religious will be present.

St John Bosco’s relics to be brought to Sri Lanka

E. Weerapperuma

The members of the Sri Lanka’s St Joseph’s Vice Province of the Salesian Congregation, will receive the casket containing the holy relics of saint John Bosco, the founder of the Salesian Congregation, at the Katunayake Bandaranaike International Airport, on November 19, this year.

Very Rev Fr Nihal Liyanage SDB, the Provinical Superior of the Sri Lanka Vice Province said that the Sri Lankan Salesian Fathers and the Religious community will receive the Holy relics of the Saintly Founder of his Congregation on November 19 and taken in procession to various parts of the country where the members of the SDB Congregation is present.

“It is undoubtedly a great occasion to the Salesian family in particular, a blessed occasion to the entire Catholic community and to the country at large as the visit of the relics of the Saint takes place at a very crucial time in the history of our country. “For us, the members of Salesians family, bringing down the relics of the Saint is of special significance. His visit will remind us, to rededicate ourselves to the ideals of the founder and it will also help us to rejuvenate our vocation, strengthen us to follow his examples by going in search of the youth who have lost their way and serve them with the Charisma and the passion enkindled in us by the spirit of the holy founder,” Fr Liyanage added. The Sri Lanka SDB Provincial Superior said that the entire membership of his Congregation spread in many parts of the world will celebrate the bicentenary of the birth of the founder on August 16, 2015. The visit of His relics to Sri Lanka is a part of the program of the celebrations envisaged.

Saint John Bosco was born on November 16, 1815 in Northern Italy. After his secular studies he entered the seminary and was ordained a priest in June 1841. He died in January 31, 1888 and Pope Pius XI cannonized him on April 1, 1934. The relics of the Holy Founder will be taken around the country beginning November 19. At the end of the tour the casket containing the Holy Relics of the Saint will leave Sri Lanka on November 30 after a religious ceremony.

Faith renewal through Kerala retreat

The Community of the Risen Lord team along with 84 youth participants attended the International Youth Retreat organized by the Divine Retreat Centre – Kerala, India. The community has been a part of this retreat since 2006. Each year the participants bring home a renewed experience in their faith and a revival fire through a life transforming experience.

Corpus Christi celebrated

Padminie Nanayakkara

The Corpus Christi festival was celebrated on a grand scale at St Lazarus Church, Kurukulawa recently.

The festive mass was presided over by Rev Fr Sudath Jayalal De Silva, Archdiocean Pastoral Center, director for hearing impairment. Delivering his homily at the festive mass Rev Fr Sudath emphasized that, God loved us so much, that is why after his death Jesus is with us in Holy Eucharist. Holy Eucharist is our Salvation, remission of sins and eternal life, to those who partake of him. The festive mass was followed by, procession. All arrangements was made under the guidance of Rev Fr Prasad Ponnamperuma, Parish Priest of Kurukulawa and Thuduwegedera.

Parishes celebrate Corpus Christi

Moratuwa Deanery consisting of the Parishes of Moratuwa, Ratmalana, Rawathawatta, Kadalana, Willorawatta, Koralawella, Katukurunda and Panadura, gathered to celebrate the Corpus Christi solemnity in this Year of the Eucharist in the Archdiocese, on Sunday August 07 2011, at St.Sebastian’s College premises.

While Very Rev. Fr. Cyril Gamini Fernando, Episcopal Vicar for the Southern region of the diocese, presided at the solemn Eucharistic celebration at St. Sebastian’s Church, Moratuwa together with Very Rev. Fr. Bonnie Fernandopulle, Episcopal Vicar for the Western region of the diocese, Fathers of the Deanery. After the Eucharistic celebration Corpus Christi procession proceeded along the streets to St. Sebastian’s College premises and Very Rev. Fr. Patrick Perera, Episcopal Vicar for the Northern region of the diocese, imparted the Benediction.

Christian thought for the week

Galatians 3, 1-4

You foolish Galatians: Who put a spell on you? Before your very eyes you had a clear description of the death of Jesus Christ on the cross. Tell me one thing. Did you receive God’s Spirit by doing what the law requires or by hearing the gospel and believing it. How can you be so foolish. You began by God’s Spirit, do you now want to finish it by your own power.

Parable on the text: The Lord reprimands the Galatians for losing their faith even when the truth was glaring in their eyes in a clear vision of the death of Jesus Christ. The Lord questions them about their wavering trust in the Gospel. They proved themselves foolish.

This is the lesson for the young who discard the teachings, guidance of the parents and the church, to be good and set an example of Christian faith to the world that they will see the Lord through the mirror of their eyes.

Gwen Herat - from the Holy Bible

Commitment to caring and sharing

Vision without Action is but a dream and Action without Vision may well be a nightmare!

The tenet of Social Responsibility of the Methodist Church seeks to combine both to honour Jesus Christ’s Second Commandment: “Love thy neighbour as thyself” which He followed with the parable of the Good Samaritan to convey that our ‘neighbour’ is one who needs our helping hand.

Thus, Social Responsibility in the local Societies of the Methodist Church is vested in a Board of Social Responsibility, which caters primarily to the needs of the Members of the Society and, where finances permit, to the community in which it is placed. The funds are those that are contributed by its Members, which can be disbursed as grants or loans to tide over a difficult financial problem.

The inspiration for this activity no doubt came from John Wesley, the Founder of Methodism who, with his followers, made it one of their primary activities to assist, as best they could, those who suffered the initial downside of the Industrial Revolution, through loss of employment.

If John Wesley rallied Methodists to the cause of the poor, his brother Charles Wesley inspired them with his beautiful, meaningful hymns, with many others following suite, which led to the saying that ‘Methodism was born in song’. Appropriately, this Concert seeks to demonstrate the multicultural nature of our membership while using its proceeds from music and song to cater to the needs of those other than our members who need a helping hand for rehabilitation, even from afar, which will create a feeling of good neighbourliness leading to reconciliation and a lasting peace. The Concert featuring leading Choirs, instrumentalists and singers, will commence at 6 pm at the British School in Colombo, 63, Elvitigala Mawatha, Colombo 8, on Saturday September 3, 2011.

Tickets can be arranged for by emailing Manel Abeysekera on [email protected]

Hymn for Sri Lanka

O father thou hast promised
The isles shall wait for thee
The joyous isles of ocean
the jewels of the sea
Lo we this island’s watchmen
Would give and take no rest
For thus has thou commended
Till our dear land be blessed

Then bless her mighty father
With blessings needed most
In every verdant village
By ever palmy coast
On every soaring mountain
O’er every spreading plain
May all her sons and daughters
Thy righteousness proclaim

Give peace within her borders
‘Twixt man and man goodwill
The love all unsuspicious
The Love that works no ill
In loyal lovely service
Let each from other learn
The guardian and the guarded
Till Christ himself return

To him our land shall listen
To him our land shall kneel
All rule be on his shoulder
All wrong beneath His heel
O consummation glorious
Which now by faith we sing
Come cast we up the highway
That bring us back the king