Fri, 29 Mar 2024 Today's Paper

Cardinal, Bishops were not made aware of April 21st attacks: Catholic Bishops

20 September 2020 07:30 pm - 9     - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

A A A

Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith, Bishops and the Catholic Clergy were in no way made aware of the Easter Sunday attacks while the Cardinal did celebrate Holy Mass in the morning of that day, a statement issued by the three Auxiliary Bishops said.

Following is the statement issued by the three auxiliary Bishops Maxwell Silva, Anton Ranjith and J. D. Anthony Jayakody with regard to the recent statement made by SJB MP Harin Fernando before the Presidential Commission recently.  
“We wish to communicate that Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith, the Archbishop of Colombo, the administration and the entire catholic clergy of the Archdiocesan, is shocked by the news item which was carried in the print and electronic media recently, with regard to the statement made by MP Harin Fernando at the Presidential Commission inquiring into the Easter Sunday attacks.  
Giving evidence, Mr. Fernando apparently has attempted to insinuate that the Cardinal was also aware of the impending attacks and did not celebrate a public Mass in the morning of that fateful day, is purely a presumption on the part of Mr. Fernando. As done in the past years, Cardinal has indeed presided over the solemn celebration of the Easter Vigil service at midnight on Saturday, the 20th April 2019 which followed with the Easter Sunday festive mass at St. Lucia’s Cathedral, Colombo 13 ending in the early hours on Sunday Morning. Subsequently, he has celebrated another Holy Mass at the Archbishop’s House in the morning of the 21st.  
It is after the second mass, that he received information on the bomb attack at St Anthony’s Shrine, and he rushed to Kotahena to ascertain the situation and try to console those who had been affected. Mr. Fernando, therefore, has tried to defend himself by dragging the Cardinal into a fictitious creation of his mind. Once again we affirm categorically that the Cardinal and the Bishops as well as the Catholic clergy were in no way made aware of this plot by anyone and so the allegation is baseless.  
We wish therefore to condemn this puerile attempt of Mr. Fernando to find excuses for his own grave misdeed and cast unjustified and unfounded aspersions of Cardinal Ranjith. We reiterate that we fully trust the Presidential Commission of Inquiry to render justice to the hundreds of innocent people who lost their lives or were maimed for life due to both the hateful actions of the terrorists and the shameful inaction of the political and administrative as well as intelligence officials of that time, who are responsible for this mindless carnage of human beings. Justice must prevail at any cost.” the statement said.(Yohan Perera)


Order Gifts and Flowers to Sri Lanka. See Kapruka's top selling online shopping categories such as Toys, Grocery, Kids Toys, Birthday Cakes, Fruits, Chocolates, Clothing and Electronics. Also see Kapruka's unique online services such as Money Remittence,Astrology, Courier/Delivery, Medicine Delivery and over 700 top brands. Also get products from Amazon & Ebay via Kapruka Gloabal Shop into Sri Lanka

  Comments - 9

Order Gifts and Flowers to Sri Lanka. See Kapruka's top selling online shopping categories such as Toys, Grocery, Kids Toys, Birthday Cakes, Fruits, Chocolates, Clothing and Electronics. Also see Kapruka's unique online services such as Money Remittence,Astrology, Courier/Delivery, Medicine Delivery and over 700 top brands. Also get products from Amazon & Ebay via Kapruka Gloabal Shop into Sri Lanka
  • BigEars Sunday, 20 September 2020 07:53 PM

    Sir, you need to complain to God. He did not do his duty and inform you guys.

    Asanka Sunday, 20 September 2020 08:35 PM

    Please don't use this attacks for politics gain anymore. I ask every politicians and clergyman. Don't divide our society, because then the terrorists have won. We are all Srilankans: Buddhists, Christians, Muslims Atheïsts.... Please help eachother in these difficult times. Like Lord Buddha, Lord Mohamed and Lord Jesus Christ has learned us.

    Nimal Sunday, 20 September 2020 09:23 PM

    People are now fed up of these statements! Innocents perished, but these survive on endless and endless statements.

    Borat Sunday, 20 September 2020 10:03 PM

    Well thou shall not lie in vain . Justice will b served.there is a god above

    AB Sunday, 20 September 2020 10:03 PM

    Catholic clergy need not take Hari n F'do's statements,b'coz,he hates clergy,assuming he lost votes due to announcement done by his eminence cardinal, immediately after the blast

    TruthBeTold Sunday, 20 September 2020 10:16 PM

    He wants somebody be with him under the bus, nothing else but to make it more complicated and make an excuse..

    GHarry Sunday, 20 September 2020 11:29 PM

    Undoubtedly, Mr. Rogue Fernando did this damn thing under his master Ranil's advice, now he tries to patch up and seek political advantage.

    ram Monday, 21 September 2020 01:50 AM

    many of the division among people are created by religion. we can witness Buddhist extremists, Muslim Extremists and Christian extremists. No religion is exempted. In Sri Lanka, it is obvious that Buddhist extremist, and Muslim extremism exits unfortunately

    City Monday, 21 September 2020 08:17 PM

    Ram have you forgotten about the Tamil extremists.


Add comment

Comments will be edited (grammar, spelling and slang) and authorized at the discretion of Daily Mirror online. The website also has the right not to publish selected comments.

Reply To:

Name - Reply Comment





Order Gifts and Flowers to Sri Lanka. See Kapruka's top selling online shopping categories such as Toys, Grocery, Kids Toys, Birthday Cakes, Fruits, Chocolates, Clothing and Electronics. Also see Kapruka's unique online services such as Money Remittence,Astrology, Courier/Delivery, Medicine Delivery and over 700 top brands. Also get products from Amazon & Ebay via Kapruka Gloabal Shop into Sri Lanka

VAT increase: SOUNDs death knell for publishers, readers

Though the Government imposed VAT (Value Added Tax) on vegetables and other e

How female change-makers are driving Sri Lanka’s energy saving platform

Saving energy has become more of a responsibility than a habit in today’s c

A dull Ramadan awaits Muslims amidst the Soaring Cost of Living

In the coming days, Muslims across the world will welcome the Holy Month of R

New wildlife underpass to curtail HEC

As of February 2024, Sri Lanka lost another 38 elephants as a result of the H