Catholics in SriLanka and Anglicans have begun the new year by dedicating it respectively to the Good Shepherd and to Children and Youth. Their ceremonies took place last Saturday and Sunday in Colombo, at St Lucy’s Catholic Cathedral, and at the (Anglican) Church of Ceylon’s Cathedral of Christ the Living Saviour. His Eminence Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith, the Archbishop of the Colombo, led the Catholic service. His Excellency Auxiliary Bishop Mgr Maxwell Silva, Fr Ganapragasam and several other priests co-celebrated it.
As reported by heraldmaysia.com, His Eminence Cardinal Ranjith said, “When Pope Francis was elected new pontiff in 2013, he said he wanted a loving, tender and merciful Church, in which every believer could experience the love of Jesus. This is why we dedicate the year (2018) to the Good Shepherd”. The Anglican community met to inaugurate 2018 as the Year of Children and Youth. The Anglican Church said in a statement that “One of the main focus of the Ceylon Bible Society has been youth and children for a very special reason during the past years.”
His Eminence Cardinal Ranjith also invited the country’s priests to “understand their flock (the Christian people), love them and protect them as the Good Shepherd did.”
