President Rajapaksa sends message of good wishes to Pope
President Mahinda Rajapaksa sent a message expressing his gratitude
and good wishes to Pope Benedict XVI, following the announcement of the
Pope’s resignation, states a release from the Office of the Presidential
Spokesman and International Media Adviser.
“I join the prayers of the Catholics of Sri Lanka and the good wishes
of all other people of our country, for your good health and many more
years of blessings,” President Rajapaksa said in the message delivered
yesterday.
“President Rajapaksa expressed his gratefulness to Pope Benedict for
always being supportive of Sri Lanka.
"The Sri Lankan people will recall with immense gratitude your strong
opposition to terrorism that threatened our State, as it continues to
endanger other societies and nations too," President Rajapaksa stated.
"The Catholic community in Sri Lanka, both the clergy and laity, were
strengthened and inspired by your words to support the cause of peace in
our land and the unity of our people."
Noting that he was surprised and saddened" to learn of the
resignation, President Rajapaksa expressed his personal gratefulness for
Pope Benedict's guidance.
"I will always remember with great respect the encouraging words of
guidance and counsel given to me at the audiences with Your Holiness
that helped me in my tasks of governance, during the most trying times
in my country." |